Craig Polk ’00 was a Stevens volunteer long before he was a graduate. His continuous role as an active alumnus hinges on one very important concept: small actions can have a big impact.
CLASS YEAR AND MAJOR: 2000, Electrical Engineering
STEVENS VOLUNTEER ROLES: Class of 2000 Reunion Co-Chair; Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Alumni & Family Relations Chair; Mentor.
STEVENS VOLUNTEER SINCE: 2000
What inspired you to become a Stevens volunteer?
I don’t think I ever stopped volunteering for Stevens! I did a lot of volunteering as an undergraduate student and then just continued to volunteer when I became an alumnus.
What do you enjoy most about your volunteer roles?
Volunteering gives me an opportunity to help others, especially students who are developing their academic and professional journeys. Through all of these activities, I get to meet a lot of different people and hear their stories, especially about what interests them about Stevens and what they are hoping to accomplish in their future.
How has volunteering for Stevens impacted you personally?
It has allowed me to stay connected with the university. Stevens was such a large part of my life because it was my first opportunity as an adult to try new things that I did not have the resources to do when I was a high school student. Having support from the school as well as from alumni who were mentoring me at the time taught me that you can have an impact just by taking a chance and putting an effort in.
What impact do you believe alumni volunteers have on the Stevens community?
Something that seems small to you can mean something very big to the person you are helping. Sometimes just by reconnecting alumni to one another, or letting a student see a perspective on life that they had not thought of, can be impactful. I also think that when alumni share their industry experience, they provide valuable feedback to Stevens, helping the university align the curriculum and activities to better prepare students for their future professional journeys.
What would you say to fellow alumni who are considering volunteering for Stevens?
To steal a line from Nike, just do it. Some alumni are not sure how to take their passion and apply it to something that can be helpful to Stevens today. But now there are so many ways to participate in person or virtually, giving back to Stevens to help the university and to help students who have questions similar to those you had as an undergraduate. I would tell them that while it can be nice to think big, you can also have a big impact by thinking small. If you can help one person even just one time, it is worth the effort.
