Smiling as they sat behind their decorated displays, representatives from over 60 Boston community organizations lingered around Centennial Common, waiting to speak with as many students as possible before they rushed to class.

These friendly faces were Northeastern Volunteer Fair organizers, who hosted this annual event that provides students an opportunity to learn how they can get involved in their community. Students can meet with a variety of organizations, including Boston Partners in Education, Fenway Alliance and Coaching Corps. 

Each group pitches meaningful service opportunities to students, who are free to walk around and speak with as many representatives as they can find during the four-hour event.

Chris Milmore, an employee of the National Braille Press, said there are many advantages to participating in the volunteer fair.

“Northeastern students are really good about being curious, wanting to do different things and wanting to learn how to work in an office environment. In the short time I’ve been here, all the Northeastern volunteers have been very receptive to different ideas and projects,” Milmore said.

Milmore’s enthusiasm for student participation fits with the university’s vision for the volunteer fair. Coordinated by the Center for Community Service, the event was advertised on the school calendar, giving anyone interested the opportunity to express their desire to give back to their local, and perhaps new, community.

The university’s representatives placed their own table and check-in desk in front of Shillman Hall, where they sat in a semi-circle along some of the other organizations attending the fair. Tim Krumreig, the assistant director of community service programs and events at Northeastern, watched as students picked up pamphlets and walked around Centennial.

“This event has been going on since our center was founded about 20 years ago, and it’s really a way to connect the rich history of community organizations in Boston with our community here on Northeastern’s campus and to allow them to see their opportunities that exist,” Krumreig said.

Students were greeted by waving officials and grinning presenters as they strolled by the displays, each different in size and color. Some attendees chose to only look, but the majority visited several tables for more information. Occasionally, students wrote down their contact information, struggling to keep the paper steady amid the afternoon wind, while others spoke with their chosen representative.

What set the fair apart from most other advertised Northeastern activities, however, was the smaller scale of the event. Students weren’t tripping over one another to find organizations that fit their interests. Instead, they calmly scanned their surroundings for the stand that appealed to them the most. 

Jack Paolini, a first-year student in the Explore Program, said he was grateful for the opportunity to get more involved in the Boston community.

“I thought this would be a great opportunity to help out with the community,” Paolini said. “So, I kind of wanted to expose myself to different organizations that want to help, but I’m kind of just here exploring too, hence my major choice. And we’ll see what happens, but I definitely want to get involved in the Boston community, not just Northeastern.”

Student involvement does not end at the fair, but is merely the beginning of a new work experience within their community, one that has the potential to last for months or even years. Even though the Volunteer Fair is over, its work goes on, as students from Northeastern continue to pursue meaningful causes on campus, and throughout Boston itself.

“We have a volunteer who, through this fair last year, is still doing volunteer work for us, not through the school or anything, just on her own free time,” Milmore explained. “She’s just a huge help.”