Kenadi Bryant

What skills did you develop or improve through this service experience?
I improved my communication skills. This service involved talking to people, including people who had never been there before. I was responsible for obtaining new client information. I had to greet them and explain why I needed the documents to sign them up.

How did your service influence your understanding of social or environmental issues?
With this service, I had to deal with personal information. Seeing some of the birthdates that were close to my family members made me realize how food insecurity affects all generations.

What new connections or relationships did you form during your service?
I connected with the staff members and a few clients. The children were so sweet and friendly, and one little boy asked me if we had any treats. His door was on child lock, so I had to open it for him, and he zoomed out of the car. That made my heart happy, and I also thought of my own nieces and nephews.

How did your service contribute to the mission or goals of the organization?
My service helped Catholic Charities give out 100 food boxes today. Which is their daily mission Monday-Thursday.

What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
There were a couple of questions that were not gone over and I had to call the director over to answer. However, when another client asked the same question I was prepared to answer.

How has this experience influenced your future career or educational goals?
Volunteering with Best Buddies TN allowed me to network. There was a Child Care Nonprofit tabling at the event and I got information about internships at Le Bonheur. This has helped me to take a step closer to my future career as a Child Life Specialist.

What did you learn about the community or environment you served?
I learned about Best Buddies International. I have served with the University of Memphis chapter numerous times, but in this service, I was able to meet people from different chapters in the area and staff with Best Buddies TN. I learned that buddy pairs go beyond high school/college. So many buddy pairs still hang out after graduation.

How might these relationships influence your future involvement?
Building relationships with the staff members and other Best Buddies chapters can make it easier to have events for the University of Memphis Best Buddies chapter. It has encouraged me to volunteer with them even more in the future.

How did the organization support or guide you during your service?
Stephanie and Sarah gave me clear instructions and answered every question I had. They made the event so much fun and encouraged me to have fun even during my service.

Did your service align with your values and beliefs? If not, how did you handle
any conflicts?
This service directly aligns with my personal beliefs. Friendship Walk to to promote inclusion for all and I 110% stand with them on that.

What skills did you develop or improve through this service experience?
Through the Valentine’s Day volunteerism event with St. Vincent de Paul, I developed and improved several key skills—particularly organization, communication, and creativity. Setting up virtual fundraising pages and engaging with different tables taught me how to present information clearly and connect with others effectively, both in-person and online. I also grew in my ability to take initiative, as I had to manage my own page and find ways to make it appealing and impactful. These skills are not only useful in service but transferable to academic and professional settings as well.

What did you learn about the community or environment you served?
I learned that the community served by St. Vincent de Paul often relies on the compassion and consistency of others for both basic needs and emotional encouragement. While the Valentine’s Day initiative may seem small, it reminded me that even simple gestures—like virtual cards and thoughtful outreach—can bring joy and a sense of connection to those who may otherwise feel forgotten. The environment was one of care and dignity, where every person, no matter their situation, was treated with value. It deepened my understanding of how important it is to approach service with empathy and respect.

How might these relationships influence your future involvement?
The relationships formed through this experience, both with fellow volunteers and the broader community, have inspired me to stay involved in service that prioritizes both dignity and creativity. Seeing how even small, heartfelt efforts can make a lasting impression has encouraged me to keep showing up—whether through organizing events, donating, or advocating for those in need. I now understand the power of relational service and how working with like-minded people fuels long-term commitment. These connections have made me more likely to seek out opportunities where collaboration and care are at the center.

How did your service contribute to the mission or goals of the organization?
Our service contributed to the mission of St. Vincent de Paul by directly supporting their goal of uplifting individuals in need through compassion and consistent outreach. By creating fundraising pages and sending virtual Valentine’s cards, we helped raise awareness, gather financial support, and spread kindness to the people they serve. Every effort we made was in line with their focus on human dignity, emotional support, and community-based aid. Our work didn’t just benefit the recipients—it also helped amplify the organization’s mission to a wider audience.

Did your service align with your personal values and beliefs? If not, how did you handle any conflicts?
Yes, this service experience aligned with my personal values and beliefs, especially around the importance of kindness, compassion, and community service. I believe in the power of small acts to make a big difference, and this opportunity reflected that perfectly. Serving with St. Vincent de Paul felt meaningful and authentic because it wasn’t just about giving—it was about connecting, uplifting, and serving with love. There were no conflicts for me; instead, the experience reinforced my desire to continue seeking out service opportunities that align with my faith and sense of purpose.

How did this experience challenge your problem-solving abilities?
During this event, the snow machine stopped producing snow. Another volunteer and I had to figure out how to fix it. I am not very handy, so it required a little more help, but there was more snow in the end.

Did this experience change your perspective on your role within the community or
environment?
In this experience, I was able to serve my community. This meant seeing people that I had met previously and/ or knew. Helping them out during the race was so much fun. I was able to make good conversations and direct people. This changed my perspective because I had forgotten what it was like to serve where I came from. It made me think that just because Sumner County is no longer my primary residence, I can still make a difference in the community.

Did you work individually or as part of a team, and how did that impact your
experience?
I worked as a part of a team with two girls I know and two girls I have never met. It was different because my friends and I already had an idea of what was going on and were moving pretty fast. We had to slow down and explain to the other volunteers what we were doing, where we were going, and why we were doing it.

Do you plan to continue volunteering with this organization? Why or why not?
Absolutely! The Y does so much for our community and I loved volunteering with them.

What would you change about your approach to this service opportunity in the future?
I would be more prepared. I was not dressed for the weather and I would also be more willing to take the lead in situations.

What skills did you develop or improve through this service experience?
I developed my marketing strategies. I watched the other volunteers draw people in to get them to swab their cheeks to see if they were a match for someone on the bone marrow transplant list. This made it easier for me to talk to people passing by and ask if they wanted to test themselves.

What did you learn about the community or environment you served?
I learned more about bone marrow transplants and what Gift of Life does.

What new connections or relationships did you form during your service?
I met a lot of new people. We had good conversations, and they taught me about the organization.

How did your service contribute to the mission or goals of the organization?
My service helped Gift of Life add people to the bone marrow registry. The organization's goal is to get as many people as possible on the registry to find matches for those in need of a transplant.

Did your service align with your values and beliefs? If not, how did you handle
any conflicts?
It did. Many people in my family have needed transplants. Some have received them, and others have not. The registry could have helped many of them, and I am thankful for the opportunity to serve with this organization.

How has this experience influenced your future career or educational goals?
My future goal is to be a Child Life Specialist. Volunteering with this organization has given me some skills to help individuals with diverse abilities.

What did you learn about the community or environment you served?
I learned about the TigerLIFE program at the University of Memphis and its partnership with Best Buddies.

How might these relationships influence your future involvement?
These relationships I have made through Best Buddies will impact my future if I join Best Buddies. I can also use the connections in my future career.

How did the organization support or guide you during your service?
We were given clear directions in setting up for this event. We were also invited to stay for the Match Party to see how things work in Best Buddies.

What would you change about your approach to this service opportunity in the future?
I would change my role. At the match party, I was able to witness first-hand how Best Buddies impacts TigerLIFE students. I would love to have an impact on these students.

How has this experience influenced your future career or educational goals?
Before the Pumpkin Run, I considered Le Bonheur Children's Hospital as a potential employer. Afterward, I was sure that I wanted to work there as a Child Life Specialist. I enjoyed talking to some staff members, setting up for the event, and then working a water station during the race.

Did this experience change your perspective on your role within the community or
environment?
This experience made me want to volunteer beyond my requirements for Emerging Leaders. I genuinely enjoy volunteering, and I learn more about myself with each opportunity.

Did you work individually or as part of a team, and how did that impact your
experience?
I did two different roles within the same event. The first was the event setup; there were a lot of people, which made it a lot easier. The second was the finish line water station, and I worked with a friend and another Emerging Leader that I had not met. We all worked well together, and it made my experience more fun.

How did the organization support or guide you during your service?
We had a lot of guidance during setup, but in my second experience, we did not have a lot of guidance.

What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
There was no trash can around our water station. Runners were upset with us because they had nowhere to throw their trash. We looked around to find something and eventually came up with an empty box. Then, midway through the race, we ran out of water. We were told by the organization that "when you're out, you're out." we directed some of the runners to vendors giving away free water and Gatorade.

What skills did you develop or improve through this service experience?
Through this service, I improved my teamwork skills. We all worked together to set up the event and made sure it would be fun for the buddies.

Did this experience change your perspective on your role within the community or
environment?
Yes, during this service, I learned more about the Best Buddies organization and considered joining. I realized that advocating for people with diverse abilities would benefit me now and in the future.

Did you work individually or as part of a team, and how did that impact your
experience?
I worked as part of a team. It made getting everything together easier and less stressful in our time crunch. Everyone was easy to work with, which impacted how we all looked at working as a team. Teamwork can be hard because usually one person takes the lead, making it stressful on both the leader and the others involved.

Do you plan to continue volunteering with this organization? Why or why not
Yes, I want to learn more about Best Buddies and consider joining this organization.

Did your service align with your personal values and beliefs? If not, how did you handle
any conflicts?
Yes! This organization directly aligns with my future career goals.

My service benefited the children in the after-school program on Nathan Street. The kids had so much fun and I automatically clicked with a few of them. I could tell that they were so happy that our group was there. The kids I worked with were 9 and under and we played games and had fun until it was time for them to go home.

What skills did you develop or improve through your direct service?
I had to get creative with the kids to get them to listen, so I explored different games. Quiet Mouse, Still Mouse worked wonders and they thought it was the most fun thing ever.

How did your service contribute to the overall mission or goals of the
organization or cause you were working with?
The organization's goal is to give children a getaway once a week, especially if they are not in good situations. I made sure that they had fun and even got a few of them to get out of their shells.

What impact do you think your service had on you personally?
This program is exactly what I want to do for my career. Every time I volunteer here it tugs at my heartstrings, especially after learning so much in my major classes. It was so eye-opening and I love this organization