Welcome Natalie!
“I love working with students and seeing them connect service with their education; as well as learning about their community,” Natalie Frankel beamed. Natalie is elated to join Associated Students staff as the new Community Service Coordinator for JUMP (Join Us Making Progress). When I recently sat down with Natalie to talk about her new position, she had just returned from a retreat at Chico State with JUMP’s counterpart, CAVE (Community Action Volunteers in Education.) The retreat inspired her and filled her with ideas and possibilities for the future of JUMP.
Natalie just moved to Sonoma County after having completed her masters and serving as a grad assistant at the University of Tennessee (UT). She grew up in North Carolina. From the time she was little, she remembers her mother always doing volunteer work. As she got older she began to volunteer also for places like the local food bank. Then in college, Natalie joined a sorority and did service with organizations like Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America. One day, Natalie stumbled upon a sign that was advertising a trip to Ecuador; that trip led her to develop a passion for alternative breaks as a student and then later as a grad assistant at UT. As graduation approached, Natalie began to look for ways to utilize her education and experience and she saw an opportunity at SSU.
“I wanted to come to California and Sonoma State because they both aligned with my values and what is important to me.” Natalie is interested in service and “true civic engagement.” Although she’s only been at SSU for a little over a month, she is already out meeting community partners, attending events and workshops. As she plans for the school year, Natalie is evaluating JUMP and looking at ways to improve and build it to be a more sustainable program. One place she thinks is a good place to start is to look at JUMP’s mission and how it is being achieved.
Natalie is excited about her new position and new home in Sonoma County. The CCE is delighted that she’s here and looking forward to working in partnership as well.