Compelled to help others

UNC-Charlotte director enables students to take volunteering to another level

 Albert Einstein once said, “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” Sean Langley, assistant director for Off Campus and Volunteer Outreach at UNC-Charlotte, is definitely living a life for others.

Whether it’s his personal volunteer commitments – he’s been part of Big Brothers Big Sisters for a dozen years – or his work as outreach liaison between UNCC and the broader Charlotte community, Langley says one of the things he likes best about his life is “being able to address some of the issues that confront the Charlotte community by way of volunteering.”

Langley’s graduate assistant, Richard Martin, works closely with him in coordinating volunteer initiatives at UNCC and describe him as “a knowledgeable older brother, who wants the best for his younger siblings.

“Sean is very passionate and knowledgeable about volunteerism and civic engagement,” he says.

Photography by Fred Braziel Sean Langley

When 32-year-old Langley began working in the Dean of Students Office in October 2009, he had been serving the Charlotte community in various capacities, including as Director of Community Research and Services at the UNCC Urban Institute.

Today the bulk of his job is spent mobilizing volunteers in the community, though he also assists students with finding off-campus housing. Additionally, he teaches a sociology course and, as part of his volunteer outreach position, teaches a first-year Learning Community course. UNCC’s learning communities help ensure the school’s 26,000 students don’t get lost in the fray, and Langley’s was one of the first learning communities at the university.

“Data has shown that students who are connected with learning communities have higher GPAs, tend to be more connected with the university and are more likely to graduate in four years,” Langley says.

Data also shows that when you force students to do community service, they feel it’s more of a task than something they want to do, which is why civic involvement is not mandated at UNCC. Martin and Langley will admit that attracting new student volunteers is sometimes a challenge, but nonetheless Langley consistently recruits 110 to 150 students for the variety of opportunities he spearheads, including those for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Habitat for Humanity, Relay for Life, Stop Hunger Now and more. He leverages software called OrgSync, which he likens to Facebook for volunteers, to streamline the process. Categories include working with seniors and the elderly to helping animals to working to combat environmental problems and homelessness.

“You try and break it up into every conceivable area that people would want to volunteer for,” Langley explains. Students can track their volunteer hours and tag themselves in photos via a variety of social media devices.

Outside of work, Langley stays busy with physical fitness – cycling and training for marathons – and harbors an interest in poetry, African history, books and culture. Through it all, he remains passionate about volunteerism.

“If I can get enough volunteers out consistently, I can help address some of the issues we face,” he concludes. “And I really enjoy working with students. The experiences they have through volunteering is shaping their identities.”