Marist College: Persistence & Passion in University Involvement

Hello my fellow Op Smilers!

My name is Samantha DeVito and I am currently a freshman at Marist College
in Poughkeepsie, NY. I want to share my progress thus far with establishing an
Operation Smile presence in the Poughkeepsie area.

Before I entered college I emailed the Vice President of Club Affairs to ask about
the process of starting a new club at Marist. It took a long time to have a meeting
with him. I waited and sent several emails. I eventually met with him and explained
my purpose and my experiences with Operation Smile. He explained that he had to
meet with the administration in order to proceed further. I guess in a way I should
have realized what was occurring. There were no answer to my questions, and
there were really no intentions of creating an Operation Smile Student Club. This
was because at Marist there was and probably never will be non-profit based clubs.
There is a limited amount of space for clubs. We also have the priority point system:
criteria that give students that do well the opportunity to receive better housing
for the following year. (gpa, club involvement aka activity points, room condition,
behavior, etc.) The real issue was that, if I were to start my club, then how could the
administration choose which non-profits get to have a presence on campus or not.
To them, they did not want to be in the position to have to say no to certain causes.
As the semester ended I knew that no matter how persistent and passionate I was
never going to get the result that I wanted. The outcome was that I could try and
find a department that would fund my efforts to hold events, I could wait to see if
the administration would come around and say yes, and lastly I could find another
club that would use Operation Smile as the organization for the required community
service event. I wanted to have a club just like all the other ones; I would reward
those that were involved with priority points and hold events like everyone else.

Over the winter break I pondered what to do. It seemed that I lost my window of
opportunity of gaining members because students already found the clubs they
wanted to join for the year and are content with the effort they are putting in.
I told myself that I could not give up. I had to find another way to stay involved
with Operation Smile. Last year I was at such an involved point and then this past
August it felt like I was dropped off at the side of the road hoping to get picked up
some time soon. There are 3 programs for University students established: UPave,
UVoice, and ULead. At the time applications were due I was unable to spend the
1,500 dollars for UVoice and ULead programs so I decided that I would take part
in the UPave internship program. It is designed to promote leadership and provide
curricula for students at the elementary level. I love people and being a positive
force in the lives of others so this seemed like a great opportunity to stay involved.

I am currently taking my first Public Praxis course to fulfill my minor. For my
project I decided to start the UPave program. I discussed what I wanted to do in
class, and two seniors were actually student teaching and asked their principals for
me if I could do it!! (One is at an elementary school and another at a high school).

I was so happy. Finally I had someone let me have the opportunity to make a
difference in the lives of others. Now I am at the point where I sent out an email
and I am still waiting for confirmation to begin, but it is so much better then having
nothing at all like last semester.

My experiences so far have proven several things to me and I hope that it can help
you too.

1.) Never let one person saying no bring you down: we all have our obstacles
to overcome before we succeed. Not being allowed to start a club was
frustrating and upsetting. (Ask James Reid how I was all last semester) Please
keep in mind that when one door closes, 3 more will open. My friends that
are education majors even want to help me out with creating the lesson plans
and presenting to the students. If I did not try to find other ways to spread
awareness about my cause, I would not have so many options open to me
now.
2.) Persistence & passion: Always keep in mind that this really isn’t about you. I
love Operation Smile and everything that they do. I remind myself that what I
am doing is changing the lives of the children and I try to convey that to those
that I am speaking to. Stay focused on the real purpose and never give up.
3.) Stay in touch with the people that want to support you: James Reid is a
perfect example of this. There was a time that I talked to him every day with
the progress I was trying to make. He supported me by give me ideas of what
to do and most importantly he was there to listen to what I had to say which
got me through the semester. (Thank you so much James!)
4.) Use your resources: oscentral.org, Facebook, this blog, other op smilers are
the people to talk to and use if you need help. There is no reason you cannot
succeed.
5.) Stay true to yourself: don’t let negative experiences change your mind about
Op Smile or the place you are at. I was considering transferring from Marist
because I felt that my voice was not being heard and that wanting to start Op
Smile was not being cared for as I do. I decided to stay because I am in LOVE
with Marist College, but more importantly because I was not going to take no
for an answer and I wanted to prove that great things can be done.

So go out there and be the change! Take your enthusiasm for Operation Smile with
you wherever you go because you never know where you might end up

I hope this helps and encourages anyone reading and if you want to get in touch
with me you can email me at devito.samantha@gmail.com

Peace, Love & Op Smile,

Samantha DeVito
Marist College

University of Connecticut NSSLHA

Our organization is called National Student
Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA). We are a group of undergrad
and graduate students that are going into the fields of Speech Language
Pathology or Audiology. I am the president of this organization this year
and I have helped our organization with fundraisers to raise money to go
to Operation Smile. This is our first year donating to Operation Smile
however, everyone loves the idea of every semester doing a fundraiser and
always giving to Operation Smile (sense those children that are in need of
surgery are relevant to the population we are going to be working with
once we are done with school). Therefore, I just wanted to let you know
the fundraisers our organization has done this year.

In the fall semester all of the members received neon sunglasses to sell
for $2 each around campus and to family and friends. The colors were hot
pink, neon green, neon yellow, blue, and red. On the side of the
sunglasses they read "NSSLHA UConn." We were able to sell over 300 pairs
within a months time and gives the proceeds of $210 to Operation Smile
just before Christmas. During that time, an organization was matching
every dollar that was donated so we were able to give $420!

For our spring semester fundraiser, we are currently selling t-shirts to
everyone majoring in 'communication disorders.' Our profit will be going
towards Operation Smile again! :) I have attached a proof of what the
t-shirt says/looks like and I will let you know how successful this
fundraiser is.

I hoping that in future years NSSLHA is able to give more and more each
year to Operation Smile.




Nicole Qualls
nicole.qualls@uconn.edu
NSSLHA - President.

BU: Awareness Booth and Guest Speaker

At the beginning of December 2011, BU's club made a big last push of the semester. We went out of our way and made sure we got the best possible spot at our student union so we could host a What Makes Me Smile awareness booth. We asked students to stop by, share a what makes them smile and have them take pictures next to an Operation Smile poster. It was a simple way to get new people interested in the cause. Often tables at our student union hound students to buy something or sign up for events. We went with a different strategy to just focus on awareness. Now a bunch of students are now reppin' Op Smile in tagged pictures on Facebook--after we got them to join our club Facebook group of course!

Club treasurer Shalika Mathan and club member Jeanelle Uy share what makes them smile.

On the same day, Operation Smile hosted a guest speaker  Glenn S. Bacon, DO, FAAP, a board certified anesthesiologist, came to campus to discuss his experience as a medical professional. Educated at the US Naval Academy and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Glenn Bacon has significant experience working around the world with the US Navy and volunteering with Operation Smile. Since 1991 he has been on ten medical missions, where he worked as an anesthesiologist to assist in surgeries to correct facial deformities such as cleft lips and cleft palates. As a member of the Operation Smile Speakers Bureau, he shared his unique first hand perspective with the organization. We worked to gain advertisement from Pre-Med Soceity, Pre-Dental Society and the Pre-Professional Offices by marketing the event as "a great opportunity to hear about how medical professionals can make a difference in the world after graduation." Consequently the event was a success and we drew in a number of new people to learn about the cause. If you're hosting a guest speaker, remember to give him or her a speakers gift as thanks. We gave our speaker a BU coffee mug and club T-shirt--a simple but effective way to express our club's appreciation for his time and efforts.

Fordham: Songs For Smiles, Fall 2011

    On this past November 29th, the Operation Smile Club at Fordham University held its third “Songs for Smiles” benefit; an on-campus event which features live performances by talented bands and individuals, delicious catered food, raffle giveaways, and t-shirt decorating. Like the club’s last fundraiser, which was record breaking in terms of attendance and support, this Songs for Smiles was also extremely successful. The event’s turn out was fantastic, and all of the performers were exceptionally talented. Also, this year’s raffle was a big hit. Thanks to appealing prizes donated from various businesses such as Starbucks, Apple, and Equinox, students clamored over the raffle stand where they continued to help raise funds by purchasing $1 raffle tickets. Though, of course, the fall 2011 Songs for Smiles was not merely fun and games, as I’m sure you’re all aware of how hard it is to plan and facilitate a fundraiser. 

Fordham Club Members Nikki and Christina work the raffle.

    Like our previous on-campus events, this fundraiser required a great deal of preparation. I had mentioned in my update for Fordham’s second Songs for Smiles event that the planning and entire procedure of the event was considered one of the “hardest” experiences endured during my first year in the club. This was certainly true this time around, especially now that our leader Eliza Boggia had graduated and it was up to myself, as her primary replacement, to carry on her legacy. Therefore I gathered all of the valuable information Eliza had taught me last year and commenced the daunting planning process for the event. At our weekly meetings, myself and the rest of the club figured out the basics such as the best possible date for the event and its location. We decided on the school’s atrium, which, as you can see in the pictures, is a beautiful glass dome like space that projects into the campus courtyard. The next step was to submit our decisions through 408, Fordham’s designated office for student affairs and organizations, in order to get everything approved. And, similarly to the preparation necessary for the past events, numerous hours were spent in 408, whether it was ordering the decorations and food, meeting with the head of student affairs, or going over our approved budget. The next step was to secure talent for the event. Fortunately, several Songs for Smiles veterans were available to perform again, and additionally, members of the club reached out to performers they knew. Consequently, there were many new performers at the event, all of which surprised and pleased the crowd with their talent. Another way in which many club members helped out was through the acquiring of raffle items. At our previous on-campus events, we had always just raffled off some of the items that we were selling at the event, such as records or t-shirts. This was the first time in which we had actually gone to nearby stores within the city to ask for donations. Luckily, our neighborhood businesses were very generous, and before we knew it, we had gotten raffle items such as $100 Bed Bath & Beyond gift cards, free movie passes, Starbucks gift cards, L’Occitane products, and more. 

     Everything seemed to be in place, and all of the sudden it was November 29th and the club was all gathered to set up and make the atrium all pretty and decorated for the event. Once the momentary crisis of constructing the drum set was fixed, and the space was properly set up, guests started pouring into the space. As I have previously mentioned, the turn out was fantastic, ultimately contributing to the amazing amount of money we raised. Through the suggested donations at the door and the purchasing of raffle tickets, we received $500 in cash! Then, after being combined with numerous checks from patrons, that amount quadrupled to almost $2,000. That’s enough to pay for eight children to receive surgery! 
This Songs for Smiles was not only special in its profit and all around success, but also in the fact that Operation Smile student volunteers throughout the region came together to work on and attend this event. Months before the event I had met with college council member James Reid to discuss the event. It was James to put me in touch with Rose Massett, a very involved Operation Smile volunteer from Malibu who had just begun her freshman year at NYU. Rose ended up coming to our weekly club meetings and helped tremendously not only in terms of preparation for the event, but also running the event the day of. Furthermore, Samantha DeVito, who was actually my team leader during the 2011 Beijing ISCE, and has remained my good friend ever since, was nice enough to take the train from her school in upstate NY down to the city just so she could attend the event! Fordham’s Songs for Smiles event not only raised funds and awareness for our charity, but also brought together student volunteers to share their passion and love for Operation Smile.

Fordham President Dan Dalena and former Executive Leadership Council Member Sam DeVito

 Left to right: Fordham Co-President, Julia Tomasek, Former Fordham President and Founder Eliza Boggia, Former Executive Leadership Council member Sam DeVito, and Fordham Co-President Dan Dalena

Daniel Dalena

President

Operation Smile at Fordham University

Hamilton College Fall 2011 Update

My name is Daniel Lichtenauer, and I am a sophomore at Hamilton College and the National Chapter Correspondent for the Hamilton College Chapter of Operation Smile.  We believe it is very important to keep in regular communication with our members, advisors, and regional chapter organizers to provide updates on our chapter’s progress and to ensure a mutually beneficial relationship between everyone involved with this worthy cause. As Operation Smile is a new organization to Hamilton College, it is with great pleasure that I report of our chapter’s success thus far and our plans for the future.

The Hamilton College Chapter has come a long way since registering with Operation Smile on August 29^th, 2011. A base of supporters was established via Facebook, and was increased drastically after members manned a table at our campus open house in the beginning of September. There, students can learn about clubs on campus and sign up for those they find appealing. Our table was very successful- over eighty students signed up!

Our first meeting on September 7^th was aimed at informing new members of Operation Smile’s mission and goals. Just a few days later, Hamilton Student Activities Board approved the Hamilton Chapter and elections for executive board positions were held. The founders of the Hamilton Chapter, Kara Shannon, ’14, and Leah Krause, ’14, were already established as Co-Presidents, both clearly passionate for the cause. McKenzie Foster, ’14, was elected to Vice President for her outstanding previous involvement and leadership with Operation Smile and other non-profit organizations. Experienced in the management of funds, Amanda Ng, ’14, was elected to Treasurer. Samantha Otis, ’14, an organized and dedicated member of Operation Smile, was elected to the position of Secretary. Isabelle Tan, ’14, was elected to be the Chapter Communications Director for her knowledge of and previous successes with social media. Ren Stern, ’13, a strong communicator and enthusiastic member of Hamilton Operation Smile, was elected for the position of Community Outreach Director. A few weeks later, I was asked by the then established executive board to join them as National Chapter Correspondent based on my previous leadership experience with non-profit organizations.

On September 22^nd a fundraising page through First Giving was opened, gaining over $350 before the end of its first day online. Three days later, the $1,000 mark was reached, an astounding accomplishment for such a new club to achieve in only four day’s time. Our first awareness event, entitled “What makes you smile?” successfully spread the Organization’s message through allowing students to write what made them show their pearly whites on a poster, which was then displayed in a high-traffic area on campus. Members from our chapter took shifts by the poster to inform and answer the questions of the many students who participated in the activity. This allowed the campus community to really understand how much makes them smile, and that for a trivial cost, those unable to afford surgery can have their cleft palates repaired, able to smile at the things that make them happy without shame.

                 

                           Co-President Leah Krause answers questions at the “what makes

you smile?” poster.

On October 29^th our chapter held a Halloween-themed bake sale fundraiser, headed by the enthusiastic efforts of freshmen Ashley Carducci and Deanna Cho. The success of this event was an example of the Co-President’s effective management strategy, wherein any member of the chapter has the ability to form a committee to accomplish goals they feel particularly passionate about. This ensures the quality of our events and the enthusiasm of involved members.

           

     

Co-President Kara Shannon and involved members Ashley Carducci

and Deanna Cho man the bake sale table.

We have several ambitious plans for next semester focusing equally on fundraising and awareness, including a fundraiser concert by The Girls Can Hear Us, an up and coming house music artist. Also planned for next semester is a day without smiles, where faculty and students can volunteer to keep a straight face all day, followed that evening by a comedy show where smiles will be very much allowed. This will show our campus community that even the ability to smile can be taken for granted, and that we can do something to help those less fortunate than we. Also in the developmental stages are plans to host a guest speaker and to hold candy-gram fundraisers.

            Overall, the Hamilton College chapter has had an incredibly successful start, and looks forward to an even more successful future. Our chapter is composed of extremely passionate individuals with the intelligence and focus to greatly contribute to the mission of Operation Smile. 

Daniel O’Brien Lichtenauer

Hamilton College, ‘14

Nat’l. Chapter Correspondent, HCOS

dlichten@hamilton.edu

BU: Franklin Park Zoo Halloween

In the beginning of November Operation Smile at Boston University volunteered at the Zoo Howl at Franklin Park Zoo. Volunteers dressed up in costumes and helped with a variety of activities around the park. Some of us handed out candy to children at stations next to animal exhibits. Other volunteers helped out with a haunted maze. After the event, volunteers helped the zoo staff clean up the park. This event allowed our club to interact with and give back to people in our own community, while spreading awareness about Operation Smile in the Boston area.


So why is this relevant to Operation Smile Student Programs?
           OS BU works to spread awareness, educate children, and promote philanthropy. Operation Smile BU also got to bond as a club, helping us to work more effectively on future initiatives. Sometimes it's especially difficult to raise funds in a college setting. by working on other volunteer opportunities, students can learn how they can be the change they want to see in the world, no matter what. 

BU: Giving Presentations and Creating Partnerships

In October, BU has been particularly focused on spreading awareness and establishing partnerships. We have spoken at Pre-dental and Pre-med society meetings. We have also spoken to a large cultural club called Alizana Latina. We are trying to set up relationships where we can easily spread the word to large numbers of dedicated leaders in the school.

This month I put together a presentation that allows all club members to give presentations on their own. The presentation is designed to provide basic information about Operation Smile, BU's club structure, and opportunities in the region and around the world. The presentation can be found on the University section of OS Central. Please feel free to use and adapt it as you see fit.