From Staff Reports

UNC Asheville will host “Working for the Greater Good,” a series of activities focusing on career and volunteer opportunities in public service and community organizing.

Scheduled March 20-24, the weeklong programming is a collaboration between UNCA's Career Center, Key Center for Community Engaged Learning, and Department of Political Science, and will feature lectures and workshops open to the public, as well as events designed specifically for students. 

“We wanted to offer this week of programming to help students think outside the box when it comes to careers, and to let them know that the Career Center isn’t just here to help with corporate jobs—though we do that, too,” said Lisa Mann, director of the UNCA Career Center. “There are so many opportunities to make a difference while still being able to earn a living, even in a place with a higher cost of living like Asheville.”

Public events include:

• Reparations + Coalition Building Workshop: Rob Thomas, executive director of the Racial Justice Coalition, and Keith Young, former member of the Asheville City Council, will lead a discussion on the collaborative effort to pass a community reparations resolution that commits Asheville to the process of repairing damage caused by systemic racism. The event will be held at 6 p.m March 21 in Highsmith Union, Blue Ridge Room North.

• Why Unions Panel: Members and leaders of Asheville Food and Beverage United (AFBU) will discuss the important work that unions do in society, the transferable skills acquired through community organizing work, and the particular advocacy in which the AFBU is engaged in Asheville. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. March 22 in Highsmith Union, Mt. Pisgah Room. 

Events for students include one-on-one meetings with with Kira Santulli, lead firefighter for the Cherokee Hotshots with the U.S. Forest Service; a panel with State Representatives Caleb Rudow and Lindsey Prather; “Gap Year with a Purpose” networking event with organizations who offer service years following graduation; and a visit to Pisgah Legal Services to meet alumni and learn about their legal assistance and advocacy work. 

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