VOLUNTEER VIEWPOINT:
AN INTERVIEW WITH NICK RADDELL

When we spoke with volunteer Nick Raddell he was just days away from the end of his volunteer experience with the Youth Build Program in San Antonio. Youth Build provides educational and vocational training for individuals working toward their GED. Nick said he has loved his time at Youth Build, which provided him the opportunity to share his passion for building things in a very “constructive” way.

How did you become involved with the MVP? I was graduating in engineering from the University of Dayton, so I knew about the Marianists, and was trying to figure out what to do next— go to graduate school? work full-time? I thought about volunteering and prayed about it. It seemed like a great option to live out my faith and express what I believe in and to minister to the poor who hadn’t received many opportunities in life. Plus it was an opportunity to travel, and I liked to work with my hands, so Youth Build was a great fit.

What do you do at Youth Build? I am a construction aide, and I do anything and everything to help train the students to do construction. I also taught GED classes and helped plan and run the orientation programs. Youth Build really helps educate the full person, they provide training and have speakers come in. It empowers youth to make good decisions.

How do you feel about leaving? I’m really going to miss it. It’s a good opportunity to build relationships with students and staff. Everyone here has been wonderful and very supportive of me. I’m not from San Antonio, and everyone made me feel very welcome. We have an all-star staff here, and I will really miss them and the students.

What surprised you about the experience? Living in community with my two roommates, who are also volunteers, was a cool experience. We were dedicated to living in community and supporting each other. Living in this Christian environment, we really challenged each other to grow. It’s a unique opportunity that most people will never experience.

How did you interact with the Marianist community in San Antonio? They really welcomed us into their lives by having us over for dinner and barbeques and showing us around San Antonio. For someone who didn’t know anyone in San Antonio, they really made it an easy, enjoyable experience for me.

What advice do you have for potential volunteers? Find the right placement for you, and it’s an amazing experience. It is a great opportunity to serve others and to learn to build friendships. If you have the opportunity to do it, jump on it!