By Taylor J. Hale
Special to the Gazette

STEVENS POINT — Assessing the quality of an individual’s life is an elusive task. It can be hard to identify the struggles and tribulations of others. One UW-Stevens Point (UWSP) student is striving to understand what makes a community tick and do his best to give back.

“Volunteering taught me to not take simple things for granted, like jobs and access to education,” said Connor Schoelzel, UWSP student and volunteer.

The zealous aide is nearing the end of his double major program at the university, where he is studying mathematical sciences and English. He took 17 credits during the fall semester, all while volunteering several nights a week with the Stevens Point Warming Center and the Portage County Literacy Council, while also avidly promoting community events online through social media.

“I started to volunteer during what would technically be my freshman year with the Literacy Council, that was three years ago,” Schoelzel said. “It was a suggestion from my roommate at the time. Their main goal is English literacy for people learning the language. But they also help with GED and math education.”

Schoelzel works as a math tutor for the program and helps people acquire their GED.

“There are a good number of people in Stevens Point who don’t speak English well,” Schoelzel continued. “So giving them the tool of language is astronomically helpful. It gives them the power to survive in a way that is manageable by getting better jobs.”

The student also started doing work with the Warming Center, ran by Evergreen Community Initiatives, in November. He recognized it as a way to further his charitable efforts.

“I sleep at the warming shelter overnight once a week and help people check in at night and out in the mornings,” Schoelzel explained. “We get around 3 to 12 people an evening that need a place to sleep.”

His outspoken fervor for aiding others is enduring and indicative of his earlier humanitarian interests.

“I really first started doing charitable work when I was in middle school, in Appleton,” Schoelzel said. “I worked with my Church and went to places like St. Louis for outreach programs. It meant a lot to work directly with people like that.”

Schoelzel feels that there is more to providing aid than the instinctual desire to help.

“I think there is a big connection between American depression and our overall lack of community involvement,” he said. “Like if you were to disappear for three days, would you be missed? It’s important to have a purpose in life, and being a part of the society you live in can help guide you.”

This young man’s efforts of ardent community support are indispensable. If the actions of the youth sculpt the landscape of tomorrow, our prospects look promising. To learn more about and volunteer with the Stevens Point Warming Center and the Portage County Literacy Council visit their websites listed below.

Portage County Literacy Council: https://pocolit.org
Stevens Point Warming Center: http://www.wisconsineci.org/programs/warming-center