You've gotta serve somebody

As high school seniors begin to fill out Princeton's college applications, at least a few members of the class of 2012 are busy deciding how best to use 500 words to suck up to admissions officers, detail their many accomplishments and explain the meaning of "in the nation's service and the service of all nations." Perhaps we too should join them in reflecting on our informal motto. It is time to give meaning to these words by mandating that all students perform a total of 40 hours of community service before graduating.

It is true that many students give a great deal of their time to those who need it, but a lot of students do not. Anecdotal evidence suggests that quite a few weekly service projects are in need of more volunteers. While one can debate exactly what percentage of students at the University participates regularly in community service activities, the number is not close to 100 percent, which is what it should be.

Apart from fulfilling an obligation to give back to a society that has obviously treated us well, students themselves gain a lot by helping others. Mark Twain quipped, "I never let my schooling get in the way of my education." One gains a much deeper understanding of the challenges of a broken family or bad neighborhood when working with someone who is trying to succeed despite these stumbling blocks.

Furthermore, under today's popped collars and Lilly Pulitzer dresses hide the i-bankers and politicians of tomorrow. To prepare these future philanthropists and policymakers to fulfill our motto's call to duty, the administration needs to provide a basic understanding of the problems facing America and the world. This goal cannot be fully achieved without the up-close experience of service.

The 40-hour requirement may cause students to broaden their horizons and examine career choices in the nongovernmental and public sector more seriously. As Teach For America founder Wendy Kopp '89's experience and the experiences of countless others demonstrate, a service project in college can change the course of your life. Even if students are not moved to change their career path, their hours spent helping others will encourage a habit of giving in their spare time. And, of course, the community at large would benefit a great deal from a cadre of Princetonians streaming out of Old Nassau to work with the underserved and underprivileged around us.

It is a mystery why, despite all the pros, so many students forgo the opportunity to help others. Many legitimately claim that they are overworked. With the weather getting worse, others may lack the motivation to travel into Trenton or trudge across campus to play with a bunch of unruly middle-schoolers. Such complaints, however, show a misunderstanding of a Princeton's student real job, which is, as our motto suggests, to educate ourselves to better serve others.

The suggestion of mandatory community service is sure to rankle with those who have bad memories of onerous high school graduation requirements. Yet, 10 hours a year, or 20 Guitar Hero songs a month, is, if anything, too small a request. Others may object on the basis that it is ridiculous for the University to demand anything of students other than passing eight semesters of classes and writing a senior thesis before graduation. As Twain's comment suggests, however, community service and real-life experience as a whole is part of a well-rounded education.

By instituting the 40-hour community service requirement, Princeton will once again prove itself a leader in the world of academia. It will demonstrate an evolving understanding of the concept of a "liberal arts education" as well as a strong commitment to improving the world. Such an action on the part of the administration may have the added benefit of encouraging other universities to institute similar rules and spur a new generation of Americans into service.

It is worth noting that it will be exactly 111 years ago this coming Sunday that President Woodrow Wilson, Class of 1879, first issued his now famous call to duty. It is time we heed his words. Adam Bradlow is a freshman in Wilson College from Potomac, Md. He can be reached at abradlow@princeton.edu.