A year ago today, I was in the same position that many of you find yourself in. I was about to graduate and I had no idea what I would be doing after they called my name and I walked across the stage. To say I was concerned about my future would have been the understatement of the century. Frankly, I was terrified and wondered if I would ever be able to do what I wanted to do. But now I'm here to tell you that everything will work out, even if it's not what you expected.

Throughout my career at the University of Dayton, I was involved in various service experiences, including Semester of Service. Doing service work led me to where I am today and it's an option I think some of you should consider. A great place to start is AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps is a secular, government-sponsored service opportunity. There are thousands of different AmeriCorps organizations across all 50 states and major cities. Most AmeriCorps positions last between 10-12 months and deal with a myriad of non-profit and social service organizations. From environmental clean-up to educational reform, it really has something for everyone. You get paid a modest stipend based on what city you are serving in, and receive an educational award at the end of your service term. AmeriCorps gives you the chance to explore a variety of facets within our society from a perspective that you may not have seen otherwise.

I am currently serving as an AmeriCorps member with City Year Columbus. City Year is an organization that provides literacy, math and behavior tutoring to students in impoverished areas in hopes of lowering the alarmingly high drop-out rate in those cities. I provide class support, group literacy tutoring and group behavior tutoring, and I run an after-school program for third- and fourth-graders. Though this has been the most challenging year of my life, it has also been the most rewarding. I have grown and learned more in the past six months than I have in the past four years combined. It may not be everything I pictured, but it is the best thing I could have ever done.

Before you have a panic attack about not having a job offer - maybe because you're graduating with a liberal arts degree like I did - sit back and think. Consider doing a year of service, because not only will you be changing other people's lives for the better, but you'll also be changing your own.