Volunteering can be habit-forming—just ask Shae White.
White started her new career as volunteer services coordinator for Methodist Rehabilitation Center in August, but volunteering has been part of her life for some time.
She first got into the habit of volunteering with her high school honor society. Then, while a student at Millsaps College, she began volunteering at Methodist Specialty Care Center like many of her teammates on Millsaps’ women’s basketball team.
“I got to know the people and made friends, and I really enjoyed it,” White said. “We volunteered as a team and had lots of fun—playing games with some of the residents there, watching movies, going on outings—just hanging out.”
Having majored in sociology, White hopes to one day run her own nonprofit organization to provide after school activities for inner-city teens in her hometown of Houston, Texas.
“So I wanted to start working in the field to learn the ropes,” she said.
White, a recipient of a scholarship from the Robert M. Hearin Foundation, became acquainted with foundation trustee Matt Holleman, who also serves on Methodist Rehab’s board of trustees. When Holleman asked her about her career goals, he suggested she consider putting in an application with the hospital.
“Having volunteered at Methodist for two years, I knew it was a great place to work,” White said, so she submitted her resumé hoping MRC had an opening that would be a good fit.
When she got a call asking her to interview for the volunteer position, she jumped at the chance.
“This job was the perfect opportunity to learn how a nonprofit functions, while being able to reach out to the Jackson community I’ve come to love,” White said.
White is working closely with Methodist Specialty Care Center Volunteer Services Director Robby Scucchi, who has built a popular program at the long-term care facility, with volunteers from all walks of life.
“The volunteers here are some of the most amazing volunteers around,” Scucchi said. “It’s an excellent opportunity for volunteers 17 years of age and up to learn, grow, serve, make new friends, exchange ideas, make a valuable contribution to the community and feel a sense of accomplishment.”
White takes over the newly created position of volunteer services coordinator following the June retirement of Bettye Sullivan, Methodist Rehab’s longtime volunteer services director. Sullivan cultivated a dedicated roster of volunteers, many of whom continue to donate their time at the hospital. White hopes to build on that foundation by using Scucchi’s model at MSCC as a jumping off point.
“I’m a person who likes to plan things and get things organized,” White said. “So the idea of making changes to the program—and knowing that they would start with me—was very appealing. I get to make it my own and hopefully help it grow.”
“Having Shea on board will help greatly as we move forward with restructuring the program at MRC to be more uniform with the MSCC model,” Scucchi said.
Scucchi believes volunteering is an invaluable experience for students preparing to enter the work force, and that White is a prime example.
“Volunteering in a field you are considering for a career is a good way to find out if it is the right field for you,” Scucchi said.
While there is already a wide range of duties for volunteers to choose from—from working in the gift shop and helping with patient transport at the main hospital to playing games with the residents and assisting with resident outings at MSCC—both White and Scucchi hope to expand their offerings so participants can get a glimpse into the many types of jobs at each facility.
“For instance, we just added a volunteer to help with medical records,” White said.
The program can be especially beneficial to students, as those who qualify can earn credits toward tuition via the Federal Work Study Community Service Program. White took part in the program while at Millsaps. Jackson State University and Tougaloo College are other local schools that participate.
While volunteering can be a great stepping stone for college students, one of its greatest benefits is universal for volunteers of any age.
“There’s no greater feeling than the satisfaction of helping others,” Scucchi said. “You’re helping make the community a better place.”
Interested in volunteering?
Both Methodist Rehabilitation Center and Methodist Specialty Care Center offer a variety of duties for interested volunteers ages 17 and up.
To participate or to find out more information, contact the respective volunteer services representative.
Methodist Rehabilitation Center
Shae White
Volunteer Services Coordinator
601-364-3474
Methodist Specialty Care Center
Robby Scucchi
Volunteer Services Director
601-420-7769