Philip Cole Shines as COVE Volunteer

Senior Philip Cole, through his three-year involvement and internship with the Center for Outreach and Volunteer Education (COVE), discovered a new perspective on the world of volunteering. By organizing charity events and traveling to Mexico with fellow Colgate students, Cole found his duty in life: working with the underprivileged to better society.

Cole, a History and English major, became involved in the COVE by his work through the Hamilton Fire Department, in which he continues to be apart. Soon after he volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, a national organization that builds low cost housing for underprivileged families. During Spring Break of this year, Cole and seven other students traveled to Mexico City where they built latrines on dumps for disadvantaged families.

“It was one of the coolest things I’ve done. By working on the dumps I built strong connections with Colgate students and discovered at the same time I could relate to the families I worked with,” Cole said. “Working in Mexico takes you outside of Colgate to see the students differently.”

Currently one of eight interns at the Cove, Cole works with other students who put on charity events. For example, he helped with the logistics of Red Dress Day, which is a women’s heart disease awareness day. In addition to individual events, Cole also assists with leadership and training programs in the COVE.

Cole recommends other students to involve themselves in the COVE.

“It’s a unique opportunity to get leadership experience,” Cole said. “The COVE helps me look at the world in a new way, besides using my experience in History and English. It deals with practical stuff such as interacting with all sorts of people from students to the disadvantaged. We call it service learning.”

Next year Cole hopes to attend graduate school, but he plans on joining to Peace Corps no matter what life brings him.

“We owe society for the privileges we have and must train other people,” Cole said.