By Andrew Ramspacher, fpa5up@virginia.edu
She had exclusive access to elephants, antelopes, giraffes, and lions, but it’s what Lauren Reiser (McIntire ’26) did off the game reserve in South Africa that still resonates with the University of Virginia student as she begins her third year on Grounds.
Reiser, a New Jersey native, didn’t take a direct route to UVA, instead opting in 2021 to embark on an adventurous gap year between high school and college. She was abroad for eight months, beginning with business internships in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Cape Town, South Africa, and ending with a two-week volunteer program at South Africa’s Kariega Game Reserve.
And while she gained the once-in-a-lifetime experience of working with African wildlife in their natural habitat – Reiser was part of a group that took a daily census of the reserve – she also helped refurbish a local preschool.
Reiser was part of a volunteer group that refurbished a local preschool near Cape Town, leaving the students and teachers delighted with their new-look space. (Contributed photo)
“The reserve was having a problem with poaching,” Reiser said, “so to combat that, they wanted to build goodwill and trust within the community and create less of a desire to break that trust on the other side.
“So, we went outside of the reserve to work on this school in the nearby town. It wasn’t what I was expecting to do when I first signed up for this, but I’m so glad I did it. It was so inspiring.”
Reiser was involved with the project from start to finish, having a hand in everything from stripping, priming, and painting the walls to cleaning all the furniture. The eight-hour days were long, but the prize came at the end when they were able to witness the real-time reactions of the children and teachers when they stepped back into their new-look space for the first time.
“Just how much it meant to the teachers to have a safe, clean, happy, bright, colorful place to have these children learn in,” Reiser said, “it was incredibly meaningful.”
The lasting effect of that moment stuck with Reiser as she entered UVA the following fall. She saw firsthand the impact of engaging with a surrounding area and wanted to apply that practice in Charlottesville.
That led her to UVA’s Brody Jewish Center, where she’s the tikkun olam (Hebrew for “repairing the world”) intern and works on projects that connect the University to the local Jewish community.
“I developed a relationship between the BJC and the local synagogue and have planned events each semester for UVA students to work and volunteer with the synagogue’s Hebrew school students,” Reiser said. “We baked challah, made blankets for hospitalized children, and donated food to the fire department.”
Prior to her work in South Africa, Reiser visited Israel and was able to explore Jerusalem. At UVA, she works in the Brody Jewish Center and leads projects that connect the University to the local Jewish community. (Contributed photo)
To Reiser, service projects should check a couple of boxes. One, the end result should be valuable for the community being served. Two, the volunteers should enjoy the process.
“It’s been really nice to find ways of volunteering that are exciting, hands-on and rewarding,” she said. “That’s what was maximized on the game reserve. We had so much fun painting, but the school also appreciated our work so much. That’s what I’ve been trying to do at UVA and in the community.”
When she’s not leading service projects, the Commerce student is building a balanced resume filled with a range of interests. She’s the Co-President of UVA’s TAMID Group, a nonprofit organization that connects business-minded students from universities across the world to the Israeli economy, and serves on the concerts committee for the University Programs Council. She’s also a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.
Her advice to new UVA students is to not be afraid to try something different and join a variety of clubs and organizations. She also endorses exploring life beyond Grounds.
“It’s really good for your mental health,” she said. “I love UVA, but sometimes it’s good to get out of the college bubble, talk to Charlottesville residents, and take advantage of all the opportunities in the local community. It makes you appreciate where you are and feel more aware of your surroundings and the University’s place in the larger context.
“It’s very valuable.”
This story was originally published on UVA Today Aug. 20, 2024.
