A longtime commitment to community service has led Maddy Totman ’20 to the next step on her career path — she will join the national service organization AmeriCorps and teach math at Match Charter School in Boston.
When did you become interested in community service?
In high school I worked on a lot of smaller projects for the National Honor Society and focused a lot of my energy into the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
Major: Geoscience
Hometown: Holliston, Mass.
High school: Holliston High School
How did you get involved in service at Hamilton?
I have been a part of the COOP at Hamilton (Community Outreach & Opportunity Project) since I got here. My Outreach Adventure orientation trip, serving the environment, got me hooked! I was an Outreach Adventure orientation leader, Alternative Breaks service trips participant and leader, as well as the director of the program my senior year. [Plus I] was a Sidekick this year.
I‘ve also loved being a part of the COOP service days for Make a Difference Day and MLK Day of Service, as well as other service projects with HAVOC. I really value the service opportunities I have had at Hamilton and feel like they have given me so much joy and meaning. The COOP is a really great community that everyone should check out during their time at Hamilton.
Did anyone influence you on this path of combining education and community service?
I would definitely consider Amy James, director of community outreach and the COOP, a huge mentor to me at Hamilton. She has a love for working with students and for community service that has been so inspiring to me, and she is one of the reasons I am so involved in so many different service activities. Amy's love for service and pure empathy for others have inspired me to pursue a service year with AmeriCorps and be just a better person in general.
I was also influenced to pursue a path of education by my professors who made my Hamilton experience so amazing. In particular, all the professors in the Geosciences Department have supported my passion for learning.
What volunteering experiences stood out for you?
During my time doing community service with the COOP, my experiences working with kids were some of the most memorable. I led an ASB trip to Baltimore, where we got to work with the Boys and Girls Club, I led the Youth Engagement orientation trip where we worked with local kids, and I am a Sidekick and still hang out with my sidekick weekly over FaceTime! These service experiences inspired me to follow a path that combines education and community service.
