Making a Connection

“If something speaks to you, you should never fear something that you know you are meant to do. Because it will all work itself out.”

For many freshmen, the transition from high school to college means scaling back their extracurricular activities and volunteering to adjust to the rigors of university life.

And then there is Natalie King-Shaw.
The psychology major from Sparks, Nevada, is in her second semester at San Diego State University and has amassed a resume of volunteerism and service that would be a fit for most seniors.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, King-Shaw fed the homeless, volunteered with children and adults with differing abilities and advocated for natural hairstyles, among other causes.

“Ever since I started volunteering in middle school, I loved it, because of the connections that I have been able to make with people,” King-Shaw said. “I just really love to work with people and get to know people and get to know them individually.”

King-Shaw’s mentors and others at SDSU have been impressed by her involvement in community life on and off campus. The university urges students to join student organizations and participate in community service, and studies show that students involved in extracurricular activities are more likely to graduate in a timely fashion.

“It is heartwarming to see a first-year student devoting her ‘out of classroom’ time to volunteerism with the passion that Natalie demonstrates,” said Robyn Adams, associate director of Student Life and Leadership, who has mentored King-Shaw during her freshman year. “As a first-year student she said to me, ‘I want to make a difference in the world, and touch the lives of those around me.’”

King-Shaw’s volunteerism in high school was strongly linked to her decision to attend SDSU. 

“My family always taught me how important it is to be kind and supportive to our community,” King-Shaw said. “They've just been role models for the kind of person I want to be. Especially my mom, she is the most selfless person I know.”

King-Shaw would spend her summers in San Diego visiting her cousin, who works for The Arc of San Diego, which serves children and adults with disabilities. King-Shaw volunteered in the group’s respite care program in ninth grade. During the summer of the 10th grade, her cousin invited her to work at the organization’s two summer camps, Camp-A-Little and Camp-A-Lot.

“I really enjoyed working with that population, I have made so many great relationships, and once I got out here, they hired me,” King-Shaw said.

Her summer trips to San Diego were when she first visited and fell in love with SDSU. She was a senior in high school interested in attending SDSU, when she stumbled upon the Instagram page for Campus Curlz, a natural hair advocacy and service organization at SDSU.

It seemed too perfect for King-Shaw, a staunch natural hair advocate. She committed to attending SDSU shortly thereafter.

“I knew that (SDSU) was going to be a really good fit and that I was going to find things that spoke to me and help me be a better person and a more involved person.”

King-Shaw joined Campus Curlz shortly after she arrived on campus. Then, as she was walking to her dorm, she saw a flyer on a message board that was “this big,” King-Shaw said, pinching her fingers together to signify a small size.

It was from The Mustard Seed Project, a student-led homeless outreach program. She joined on the spot. The group did its first meals for the homeless this spring.

Also this spring, King-Shaw participated in an Aztec Unity Project that brought together students to feed the homeless at St. Vincent De Paul Village, and she was accepted into Rotaract of SDSU, a Rotary-sponsored service club for young professionals.

When asked how she has been able to manage the hefty volunteerism load and her academic workload, King-Shaw, a Henrietta Goodwin Scholar, said her passion for volunteerism makes it no burden at all.

“I think if you are doing what speaks to your soul and helping those around you, you are also going to be helping yourself and you are going to be successful,” King-Shaw said.

The pandemic has meant King-Shaw can’t engage in the face-to-face volunteer efforts she is so passionate about. But she continues to make an impact.

She has a pen pal in a nursing home and is working virtually with the Mustard Seed Project on assisting groups impacted by the pandemic, specifically working on a plan to collect resources for people with disabilities.

“I definitely miss the personal interaction and connection with people, and I think the pandemic has only deepened my appreciation for community service,” King-Shaw said. “Until it’s over, I’m trying to do as many things as I can, but I can’t wait to get back to doing.”

Her advice to incoming freshmen concerned about balancing school with volunteering?
“If something speaks to you, you should never fear something that you know you are meant to do,” King-Shaw said. “Because it will all work itself out.”

Want to volunteer? SDSU has over 400 registered student organizations to become a part of, many of which are doing virtual service activities. For more information, log on to the Student Life and Leadership Community Service page.