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The Center for Service and Learning, also known as Y-Serve, is an organization that supports the BYU motto — “Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve” — through connecting students with service opportunities.
Located at 2230 in the Wilkinson Student Center, Y-Serve provides access to a variety of opportunities varying from helping individuals with cognitive or physical disabilities to contributing to humanitarian efforts.
According to the Center for Service and Learning’s latest statistical report, 22,184 BYU students volunteered 121,957 hours of service during 2011.
The Center offers over 60 community service programs and blesses the lives of thousands. Not only are those receiving service blessed, but the volunteers giving service experience joy from helping others.
Y-Serve President Tyler Murphey, a senior from Spokane, Wash., has found serving others to be one of the most valuable things from his college experience.
“When I am helping others be happy, I become happy myself,” Murphey said.
Murphey encourages making a habit of giving service and found satisfaction and joy through doing so.
The mission of Y-Serve is to provide students with meaningful service opportunities while instilling a desire to give lifelong service.
Leah Lehmuller, junior studying family and consumer science education, developed a new perspective of service through her involvement in Y-Serve.
“When you serve you have the opportunity to turn away from yourself and help bless the life of others,” Lehmuller said.
Lehumuller said she found her place on campus through participating in Y-Serve and will continue her involvement as a council member in the upcoming school year.
Janine Green, operations supervisor at Y-Serve, enjoys working with students and loves learning from them each day.
“I love serving the students and helping make their service experience meaningful,” Green said.
There are over 20 programs running during spring term including the Boys and Girls Club, Adopt-a-Grandparent, Horses for Healing and Stop and Serve. Each program has a distinct role in the lives of participants and serves a variety of people.
Stop and Serve is a unique program that allows students to drop by and provide community service for an hour at a time and is located at 2010 WSC, behind the terrace. The variety of programs provide students with a range of opportunities to gain meaningful experience.
