Tara's journey began as a Social Work major at JMU. During her time as a student, she took part in a service-learning experience at Open Doors, a low-barrier shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness. Her passion for this part of our community only grew from there. She began volunteering at Open Doors and became an advocate for the community. Tara attends City Hall meetings, requests meetings with Senior Leadership at JMU, and any other place where she can stand up for the community that she has grown to know and love. Her knowledge and commitment inspires her peers, and it is evident to all that she is a great addition to the Community Service-Learning student staff team.
Tara's passion for improving people's lives and building a community is woven throughout everything she does. She serves as a relationship builder, connecting JMU students to local community volunteer opportunities while coordinating with faculty and community organizations. She works collaboratively across the team to get students out into the community while providing consistent leadership, support, and critical reflection. Her commitment to working together and fostering a culture of collaboration has been a driving force behind her success.
Tara's caring attitude and genuine interest in the well-being of others is a source of inspiration to those around her. Her dedication to providing a safe and inclusive space for guests of the shelter is admirable. Here are some comments from Tara's two supervisors at Open Doors:
"Tara is the kind of person we aspire to be here at Open Doors. As a student with CS-L, she has spread information and awareness about the community we work with, while coordinating groups to volunteer and helping shape the direction of Harrisonburg and Rockingham's future services to the unhoused among us. Tara shows caring compassion and empathy with our guests, even in the face of crisis and trauma." - Colt Duttweiler, Shelter Coordinator
"In her work at Open Doors, Tara exhibits a caring attitude and works collaboratively with her colleagues and our guests to attain successful outcomes! Tara is beyond a joy to work with, and it is evident in her daily work that she is dedicated to serving others, and that she understands the needs of each guest. She goes above and beyond to build community and brings a great sense of humor while doing so. Open Doors is fortunate to have Tara on our team." - Nate Riddle, Executive Director
Tara is also not afraid to stand up for what she believes in and does it in a way that inspires others to reflect and take positive action. During a CS-L program this fall, a community member spoke in a disparaging way about a vulnerable population while working with a group of JMU students that Tara was co-leading. Tara addressed the comment immediately and was able to both diffuse the situation and make sure to bring up the topic during critical reflection so group members could process and gain understanding from the incident. Tara's instinct was to stand up for those who were not present and did not have a voice, and to make sure that the students present had a chance to learn from the interaction.
In conclusion, Tara's dedication to building a strong and inclusive community is remarkable. Her caring attitude, commitment to collaboration, inspiration to others, ability to build community, and her dedication to learning are just a few reasons why she is so deserving of the All Together One Award. Congratulations, Tara!