Volunteering: Generosity Unplugged, with Mark Vega

Mark Vega, an AVID alum and Account Executive at SoftServe, discusses the importance of volunteering and giving back. He emphasizes starting small with service, such as helping with résumés or donating, and he highlights the benefits of volunteering, including networking, skill development, and health improvements. Mark shares his experiences with organizations like AVID, Dollars for Scholars as a board member, and Big Brothers Big Sisters as a mentor. He advises new professionals to find volunteer opportunities that align with their skills and interests, and he recommends leveraging corporate social responsibility initiatives for support. Mark underscores the transformative power of volunteering in fostering empathy, building relationships, and achieving personal fulfillment.

To learn more, visit AVID.org/alumni.

Transcript

Mark Vega 0:00 Another mentor of mine always said, Mark, if you want more in life, you got to give more. I'm a strong believer that to whom much is given, you have to also give back. You have to pay it forward. And I haven't met a single person at AVID that doesn't embrace that same ideology.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 0:19 Welcome to AVIDly Adulting, the podcast where we tackle the wild ride of transitioning into your first career and all of the life lessons in between and beyond when life and career merge into adulting.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 0:36 Welcome to AVIDly Adulting. I'm your host, Dr. Aliber Lozano, Vice President of Alumni Services here at AVID Center. Our topic today is volunteering. How do you find time to give back? And in what ways can you give back? And let's talk about reciprocity. How does giving back inspire you, especially those days when you're not feeling your best? To help us explore this topic, I'm joined by Mark Vega, an AVID alumni and account executive at SoftServe. No, not the ice cream, although we're all thinking about ice cream right now. Let's begin this AVIDly Adulting episode called 'Volunteering, Generosity, Unplugged.' Mark, thank you for joining us. Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and your AVID journey?

Mark Vega 1:28 Well, thank you, Aliber, for inviting me to join today. This is exciting. It's one of my first times doing this.

A little bit about myself: My name is Mark Vega, born and raised out here in Orange, California, and came across the AVID program in seventh grade, and it has forever changed my life, and I'm in debt for so many reasons of how AVID has created so many inflection points in my life. I'm 31; I am well into my career here. Went to Pepperdine University after high school, studied advertising and business, and really wanted to get into healthcare. Didn't want to be a doctor, but fortunately, had a mentor of mine at Pepperdine that guided me to the technology side of healthcare.

A little bit about why I'm in healthcare is at a young age, my mother, she battled with cancer, and that has always been an intrinsic motivator for me, and that really ties back into why I joined AVID and how that launched me to where I am today. In seventh grade, I had just started middle school after being homeschooled when my mom was sick, and one of my last promises to her was I wanted to go to college, or I would graduate from college. And at the time, I knew I made this promise, but I didn't know how I was going to get there.

And when I learned about AVID—Advancement Via Individual Determination—a group that is going to help students like myself that have a goal, don't know how to get there, don't have the resources—AVID was my hero. I'm forever grateful to my teachers, all the way back from seventh grade to high school, that really mentored me and instilled this ideology of service and giving back. And that really ties into what we're going to talk about today, but that's a little bit about who I am, how I came to AVID, and why volunteering and service is so important, because AVID has instilled that in me since seventh grade.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 3:32 So let's talk about, as you said, you had a debt. This is your hero, AVID. And gosh, what an homage to your mom. Not only to be successful as a first college goer, but we all know how difficult it is to get into Pepperdine, or how difficult it is for any first in your family to overcome, to actually get to be that first. Let's talk about volunteering and how AVID instilled volunteering in you, and how you've been able to transfer that behavior into your professional life. So tell us more about volunteering and AVID.

Mark Vega 4:09 Absolutely. So in eighth grade, I had the opportunity to apply for a scholarship. My AVID teacher, Ms. Hadbeth, knew my story, knew my goal, and she introduced me to a scholarship with the Anaheim Angels. Went through an application process. Was super grateful that they selected me as a scholar recipient. I received a scholarship upon committing to a four-year university, and that was really one of the first times that I saw that there are people and organizations out there that want to help. They want to give back. They believe in giving back.

The only reason why I am where I am today is because people invested in me, whether it was their time, their skills, their experience, their financial resources, through scholarships, trips, and I was exposed to these people that want to help and give back.

When I was in AVID, as most of the people listening, if they were in AVID, they know that there are tutors. These tutors come in and help us, and they volunteer their time to help us pass a test or prepare for a course. And I was immediately, being in AVID, put around people that want to give back. And I think realizing I had most of my success because people gave and invested into me, I was immediately intrigued. I am a strong believer that to whom much is given, you have to also give back. You have to pay it forward. And I haven't met a single person at AVID that doesn't embrace that same ideology.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 5:46 Yeah, and I like what you sort of ended: 'To whom much is given.' I want to flip that around, because many of us who are 'first' fill-in-the-blank think we're given opportunities, and Mark, you've earned that opportunity, and you were singled out, and I so appreciate you not only earning that opportunity, but taking it to your advantage. I also want to give out a shout-out to the Anaheim Angels. For those of you don't know, it's a baseball team, but they're giving back, and they're really investing at a young age, helping students to set their goal at eighth grade, and that scholarship matures when you commit to, in your senior year, graduating to a four-year institution. So shout-out to them, and a shout-out to you, Mark, who have earned each opportunity and are paying it back forward tenfold. Let's start with volunteering. How do you define volunteering?

Mark Vega 6:44 Great question. I think when you hear the word volunteer, you immediately think, obligation, 'oh my gosh, this is going to take so much time.' But really, I define volunteering as in any way that you can help, whether it's time, skills, experience that you can give back in the smallest form, or however far you want to take it. It's the simple thought of just giving back. I always use a method of Keep It Simple. So when anybody asks me, I call it the K.I.S.S. method: Keep It Simple. So anytime somebody wants to try something new, I always say, keep it simple. So when it comes to volunteering, what is something you're good at, and how could you use that to help somebody?

Dr. Aliber Lozano 7:32 So I'm going to ask you the question, Mark: What is something you're good at, and how can you use it to help somebody? In other words, how are you volunteering today?

Mark Vega 7:41 So I'm involved in a few programs. One of them, most relevant to AVID, is called AVID Dollars for Scholars. It's part of the Orange Unified School District, and I volunteer as a board member.

How I came across it was actually one of the interview panelists. Denise Harshman, she leads the Dollars for Scholars. She was someone that interviewed me when I was in eighth grade. Her and I crossed paths again while I was in high school, and that's when I learned about Dollars for Scholars. And she asked if I would join to share a little bit of a student perspective on what would be helpful to a student looking to apply for scholarships.

So all the way back to high school, I participated in Dollars for Scholars, where now I'm a board member, where we reach out to local organizations or donors that are looking to sponsor students or give scholarships. I read applications for students like myself at the time that were applying for scholarships and help grade those and align them with donors that are looking for students that are going to study X, Y, and Z. That aligns with that donor's hopes for whoever they're donating money to.

I'm also involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County. As I mentioned, I've had a lot of mentors that have steered me to go down the right path, and mentorship was one of the most helpful things for me as I've grown and continue to grow in any shape or form. I love being able to give that sort of same help back to others.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 9:16 Let's do it, because I think you don't have to be from Orange County, California, to donate. But do a plug for Dollars for Scholars. If somebody wants to donate $1 so that you can keep on doing your volunteer services and give some scholarships, where do they go?

Mark Vega 9:30 Oh, yeah. They go to DollarsForScholars.com. We can put the link in here afterwards. But yeah, we have a GoFundMe page, and we have a few other areas where you can donate or participate.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 9:42 Great. The next question I have for you, because when you and I were talking, Mark, you have some statistics that you didn't know were out there, especially as you're set up at AVID that requires you to do some volunteering services. So volunteering comes with some personal and professional growth and opportunities. Before you answer that question, what does volunteering do, according to some statistics?

Mark Vega 10:09 So for me, I didn't even know this going into it, but I look at it in hindsight. When you asked me to join this podcast, I was, "Hey, what are the statistics behind this? And how has it helped me?" And some of the stats that I came across: there was a study at Deloitte that showed 85% of millennials who volunteer experienced most of their networking opportunities at these volunteering experiences.

Another one was showing that, from the Corporation for National and Community Service, 60% of volunteers report learning new skills through their experiences, whether it's leadership, communication, problem-solving. All these things that I didn't know AVID instilled in me at the time when I was in high school, when I started volunteering, have come to fruition. So when I look at these statistics, I'm not surprised, but I'm, "Wow, there is some truth behind all of this."

Another one was from a health perspective. We all deal with our health as we get older and trying to balance the stresses of life. Carnegie Mellon University did another study where it showed that adults who volunteer—60% of them are less likely to develop high blood pressure, or 40% [are less likely to develop certain health issues]. So there are just so many statistics out there that show the benefits of volunteering. And again, volunteering is to help, but by doing so, there is so much to gain from it: from a health perspective, mental health, and then professional development, networking, and just being around other people that want to help.

As you go through life and you get into the career field, so many people have transactional relationships, and it's hard to find people that believe in transformational relationships. So when you start going to volunteer events, you're around people that really do want to help, and when you're around people that want to help—not just the community that you're volunteering for—but so many people I met are, "Hey, you're doing this. Let me connect you with so-and-so," and it's just a great outlet to meet other people that want to help.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 12:28 Right? So you mentioned the skills that volunteering helps, in addition to building relational capacity and knowing how to do so. Tell us a story that you can remember in your volunteer work—whether it's Dollars for Scholars or Big Brother Big Sister—that made you feel good, and you changed your behavior or changed someone else's behavior, or it added to your skill set.

Mark Vega 12:57 It's a great question, Aliber. I think one that comes to mind specifically. So with Big Brothers Big Sisters, you're paired. They match you with, for me, a little brother, and you don't know how this relationship is going to start.

In my relationship with my little brother, he very much only knows the area that he grew up in, very similar to what my experience was with AVID. I only knew my world, and AVID exposed me to so much more: going to campus visits, going to meet professors, going to meet other successful people that have similar stories, that didn't have much opportunity, but then they found one, and their life changed, and they gave you hope. Believing in yourself is one thing, but when you're around other people, AVID was with me; having the belief of others within me is a compound effect.

So with Big Brothers Big Sisters, having my little brother, him only knowing his world, and me being able to give him an opportunity to see beyond that, and him going from "I don't know what I want to do with my life" to "Hey, there is something. I don't have to be what other people in my family have become, or I don't have to be what other kids in my school are becoming. I have an opportunity to grow outside this four-mile radius that I've only been exposed to."

So seeing him just grow and blossom, to answer your question, it allows me to have more appreciation, and I've always been grateful for what AVID has done for me, but just the appreciation of what exposure can do. And I'm really not even doing much; I just spend time with him, really. I spend time and have conversations, and I try to be as consistent as I can. Life is just being consistent. A lot of people in life don't have somebody consistent in their life that has interest in them.

For me, AVID was that. It was consistently interested in me, and what I gave into AVID, AVID gave back. And similar with my relationship with Big Brothers Big Sisters, my little brother, what we give each other just grows. So I think more than anything, to answer your question, the idea of appreciation is just more noticed. I can have more appreciation for those that gave to me in my act of trying to give back. If that makes sense.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 15:37 Makes complete sense. I can imagine your little brother saying, "It's not much. I just get to visit with him, and it's consistency." But being seen by anyone is really valuable. And I think he, from your relationship, feels seen at a regular cadence. And that's what many of us are really just looking for at the core: feeling belonging, and that comes from being seen. I can see how volunteering for you presents a sense of balance and fulfillment outside of work.

So let's talk about me, whoever I am out here listening to this podcast, and I'm engaged. I'm interested. I've got some benefits for me for work because I get to network, I get to find some work-life balance. There's an outlet. There might be some health benefits. How do I start finding, if I don't know yet, what I can do to volunteer?

Mark Vega 16:41 Yeah. Going back to the K.I.S.S. method, right? Keep it Simple. Whoever's listening, I would ask myself, "What am I good at? What do I enjoy?" There are so many programs out there where you could honestly go online. And one of the programs that I saw was VolunteerMatch.org and then Idealist.org, that takes your address, looks at other things. You can filter through what your interests are, what you're good at, and it'll match you with organizations.

But again, going back to Keep It Simple: What are you good at? If you're a recent graduate from college, and you got your first job, you had to fill out a resume to get that job. You have a skill in knowing how to develop a good resume. One simple thought is helping other people create a resume. That's time, that's volunteering, that's helping give back. It could be as simple as taking out your neighbors' trash cans.

I talk about Keep It Simple because you plant this little seed of, "How can I help?" And it often grows into you feeling good when you help, and you want to do more. And another mentor of mine always said, "Mark, if you want more in life, you got to give more." So figuring out how you can give, what are you good at?

For AVID students, if you're listening, if you experienced a tutor that inspired you, wherever you're living now, I'm sure there's a high school next to you, or a middle school that has an AVID program, and they need tutors. Think of the impact the tutor had on you. I had so many tutors that I thought were cool or I wanted to be one day. So that's an opportunity to give back in a way that you know what to do. You know what you liked in the tutors that helped you. And you can be one of those.

But really, just start small. If you're part of a church, or most churches have places you can volunteer. Every city has a food bank where you can just start off by volunteering for a weekend or a couple hours. Just start small. Find something that interests you and figure out how you can give a little bit.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 19:04 And we're all wondering, because it's this K.I.S.S., and you're saying, "Keep It Simple," and you're not saying the last S. What Mark really means is Keep It Simple with Service. So that's what K.I.S.S. is going to stand for for the purposes of this podcast, Mark. I like that.

You said AVID, and our subscribers are AVID, and they're first in their career, they're trying to volunteer and give back. Our subscribers may be also connected to other AVID alumni, or it's a universal topic: volunteering and giving back. I like that you said, "Go back, keeping it simple with service," going back to your school and possibly tutoring. You can also go back, and if you've moved away and are living in a different state than where you went to high school or even went to college, look up and see if there are AVID programs. AVID programs are always looking for people to come speak to them on Fridays and talk about career, in college, navigating that. So look it up and go tell your story, and come and speak to that school on a Friday, as well as tutoring. And I think those are some opportunities you have.

But Mark, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, right? Because it's my first or second year of career, and it's my first career, maybe a first in the family, and not everybody in my family, or there's no history of volunteerism, because we worked to survive and not necessarily thrive. In my career, I want to help communities thrive, but I just feel a little overwhelmed. What advice do you have for individuals who already feel overwhelmed, and now there's an ask, or even they want and have a feel to give back, but they're stifled or sometimes paralyzed about all the other noise that's happening in their lives?

Mark Vega 20:57 I think so much of life is about balance. So it can seem very overwhelming, this idea of giving, because it's taking energy, it's taking time. But again, I think when you look beyond that barrier—obviously you have boundaries, manage your time, and don't overcommit—but when you do, start small, right?

Whatever that first form of service is that you do, it really exposes you—or for myself, at least—it exposed me on how to build empathy. I think that's one of the greatest benefits that I received for myself unknowingly, was learning that you can build empathy, and that goes a long way in whatever field you work in or whatever organizations you're part of. You're exposed to diversity. You're exposed to people that think differently, that are part of different social statuses.

So it is a challenge when you're overwhelmed and you don't know where to start. But I think, as AVID taught me, you got to get outside of your comfort zone and beyond that initial anxiety of, "I've never done this before. Is it going to be overwhelming? Is it going to be too much?" When you start small, whether it's an hour—again, taking out your neighbor's trash cans—in that experience of giving a little bit, you learn to develop a little bit of empathy and exposure.

It becomes almost addictive to want to help more, because it brings—at least for myself—it brings more balance into my life. You think by getting involved it is going to cause more chaos, but honestly, it's brought more balance because I develop perspective and have opportunities to look back on how people have helped me. I think when you help people, it reminds you of how people have helped you. And it brings a sense of peace to me. I think life is about making the world a little bit better than you left it. And when you challenge yourself to do that, I think there's something natural in us that wants to do more once you experience it.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 23:36 I sense a theme with you as we continue with "Keep It Simple," but also I just say, start small and start low commitment. So if I'm feeling overwhelmed, then do some things that are small.

When you and I talked about defining volunteering, we even talked about donating. Donating can be a catalyst to scale volunteerism. So you might buy a $5 raffle ticket to a school or a $10 donation. Donation is also sort of a catalyst that's a small entry point that inspires and supports volunteerism, because when you were at Dollars for Scholars on some of those events, or when you're working with Big Brothers Big Sisters, there's food and snacks that have to come from somewhere, and those agencies rely on people to donate as well. So that's a way of entry point of going small, and there are some low commitments of how to give back.

Mark Vega 24:33 Yes, volunteering resources. $1 goes a long way, as you said. Volunteering of resources is, again, low commitment, and it allows an opportunity for others to also give back more. So I like that you brought that up.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 24:52 Just playing off you. The other thing that we've got to think about, because you and I have talked about it a little bit, is you're now encouraging. And you work for this organization. Many organizations, as part of the benefits for employees, offer some time off to give back to volunteer. I know here at AVID we provide a minimum of 16 hours during your work days that you can go and give back in any charity that you would like. Does that happen in your current organization with SoftServe? I know it's not ice cream again; look it up. But what's been your experience as you work with organizations so that, if I'm feeling overwhelmed, but I still want to give back, they created space for me?

Mark Vega 25:34 SoftServe, they actually have a very specific organization that they donate to and give time and resources to. But the last company I worked for was called Pega Systems, another technology firm. They actually had one day out of the quarter. So, four quarters in a year, one day was actually taken off and paid for. And they gave you a list of places that you can volunteer in your local area and encouraged that to be a day of service.

Because from a corporate standpoint, they know that employees that are happier perform better, and the statistics show, as we talked about earlier, giving back is one way to help wellness and well-being. So Pega Systems did a great job of making sure that they encourage service. And a lot of companies, whether they're startups or larger, they'll have a corporate social responsibility department. So if you just searched on your company's web page, "What's our corporate social responsibility?" there's often a lot of outlets or places that you could start that your work actually will sponsor or encourage.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 26:46 Great. Yes, talk to your People and Culture department or HR department to talk about what opportunities they give you space so that you can enter the world of volunteering. Or for those of you who already do it, you can do more of it, and there's space created for you. So Mark, how does volunteering help professionals network or build connections in their community, whether it's in your workplace or the city you live in?

Mark Vega 27:14 This is a great question, Aliber. One story actually comes to mind specifically, and it was totally organic, and I didn't realize how it would help transform my relationship with one of my clients.

As you mentioned before, I'm an account executive, so a lot of my relationships are in sales, and most people think of it as transactional. And I love the idea of transformational relationships.

One of my clients, they're in healthcare, and they donate a lot of financial resources and time to communities in downtown LA, whether it's Skid Row or a few other areas. I saw that during the holidays that they volunteer with a certain organization, and it piqued my interest. It was healthcare related, and I went ahead and went. Unbeknownst to me, when our customer saw me there, they were totally thrown off guard. And it really just opened up this opportunity for him and I to know each other on a much deeper level and really have more of a personal relationship beyond our professional interactions.

He and I are very close now outside of work and spend time together, but it's just another way that volunteering, sometimes organically, presents opportunities that you don't even expect. And again, you're exposed to people you see on a daily basis in one way, and then you get to experience them in a life outside of work, and it really allows your relationship to transform into something a lot deeper and more meaningful.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 29:07 Volunteering is authentic, and when you're doing it at work, it does help deepen the skill set and build your network, whether it's in sales, communication, healthcare, or giving back. It's what we said: when you give back honestly, then somehow there's going to be some reciprocity where it pays it back to you, whether it's with a smile or with a friendship, and that's what you have done through work, through volunteering, and showing up to show a client you care enough to show up. It's not only about business; it's about the stuff we do outside that inspires and motivates us.

Mark Vega 29:42 Absolutely.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 29:44 Mark, there are a lot of things. As we start at the very beginning of our conversation, misconceptions about volunteering. So what are some misconceptions about volunteering that new professionals might have that we can help mitigate or demystify?

Mark Vega 30:00 I think one of the biggest ones is that, "Wow, this is going to take a lot of work," or, "Wow, this is going to be a big commitment." Or, oftentimes, a lot of people associate volunteer work with a lot of manual labor sometimes. But really, there are a lot of small ways to give back. Resume helping is one, and that is just being on a call with somebody on a Zoom call. You don't even have to go anywhere. You can be in your room on a laptop and just help somebody with their resume for about 20 to 30 minutes. And that makes a big, big impact on someone else's career.

Another one, as you said, is financial supporting—donating $1 or $5 to an organization you care about enables that organization to further expand their mission, which is volunteering.

But yeah, it's this notion that, "Wow, this is going to take a lot of time." And I thought that way with Dollars for Scholars. I was, "Man, I'm in my career now. Can I still commit?" Because every year they ask you, "Do you want to renew and be on the board?" And at first, when I first heard that, I was, "Wow, this is a commitment," or, "Wow, you're going to be a board member." But really, it becomes fun because you start to care more about what you're giving to, and you start to have more passion about it. And it seems less of a "have to," but more of a "want to." And that's kind of the cool thing that you experience once you start volunteering.

So getting past that notion that this is going to be a lot of work—and depending how far you want to take it, it can be—but once you jump over that notion that this might be a big commitment, you realize that, "Hey, I kind of like doing this," or, "Hey, this is something I want to do," and you learn a little bit more about yourself: that it's nice to give back.

So the biggest notions are just, "Hey, this is going to take too much time," or, "Hey, am I qualified for this?" When I did Big Brothers Big Sisters, I was, "Wait, am I actually qualified to be someone's mentor?" But you just realize that, as you said, consistency and being seen goes a long way, and you really don't need any special credentials to be consistent in someone's life or help someone feel seen.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 32:42 Great. We've talked a lot about volunteering today, and I like where we're ending, because you started that early in your life, in your school career, and through your college and jobs. You talked about mentorship. So one of the ways to volunteer does not have to be for an organization. It does not have to be where you can do great things for a local shelter that's giving food. You can even go to a pet shelter and help pet the pets there, or help them walk. Those are some ways. But talk a little bit about mentorship and what that's meant to you, because they have been volunteers for you. You've just talked about how you're now mentoring as well.

Mark Vega 33:29 I couldn't say it more clearly: I would not be where I am today without the mentors I've had in my life, most of them. I met in AVID when I was in high school. My AVID teacher, Ms. Pancini—shout-out to you if you hear this—you were a huge mentor and exposed me to so many things, going to college campuses and seeing the bigger world, but exposed me to or encouraged me to apply for scholarships.

At the time, it seemed so intimidating, "Why would they choose me?" But she really mentored me and helped me get outside of my comfort zone, and I got a scholarship through AVID Dollars for Scholars with the Draper family, a local family out here in Southern California that sponsored me all four years of college. And not only did they financially help me, they offered mentorship.

Randy Draper would have days right before school started and would expose us to other people that have graduated college and asked what helped them when they were in college, what were some wins or what were some failures that they learned from? And then he would have myself and a few of the other scholars talk to the new students that just graduated high school and got scholarships and share our wins and failures with them. And that was kind of unknowingly a start to me starting to mentor people.

Again, AVID kind of geared me down this path of mentorship. And when I was at Pepperdine, having my mentor that I still talk to on a regular basis, there are people with just more experience that expose you to life in ways that you haven't experienced yet. And that really is the only qualification you have to do to mentor someone: just live life and pass on what you've learned, and hopefully they can use that along their journey to get to the next stepping stone.

Dr. Aliber Lozano 35:42 We went from "Keeping It Simple with Service" to something much more committed. And if you're going to be a mentor, it does take some commitment, because there has to be a regular cadence and more time. And we started with some of the easier ones.

Mark, you've already shared that if I want to volunteer and give back—Generosity Unplugged—I can start by looking at my local directory. You gave us some websites that can do a match. You look around to your local Boys and Girls Club. Look at your shelters that are around that are seasonal, especially during some of the holidays where much is needed, or during the season of summer.

So "Keeping It Simple" is a good way to start with service, until you build your networking and career and you ask, "Do I even have the qualifications to engage and participate in local centers?" Especially where youth need mentors. Youth need adult role models. Youth need someone to see them.

So thank you for taking us through this discussion about volunteering and what it means. Mark, thank you for your advice and helping explore volunteering ways to give back and finding the right fit for our subscribers for the time they're experiencing now, especially when we're having to find work-life balance and how volunteering can increase your joy, can increase your skill set you've talked about, can increase your health by paying it forward.

So I want to thank our subscribers for joining us on this episode and exploring what it means to be "Generous Unplugged." And I'll leave us with a quote by Gandhi: "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

Subscribers, thank you for your time today in this episode of AVIDly Adulting. Be good today, because that's enough, and together, let's strive to be great tomorrow. AVIDly Adulting is powered by our AVID alumni and is brought to you by AVID. To learn more about AVID, visit our website at avid.org. If you are an AVID alumni, join our network at avid.org/alumni. Thanks for listening to AVIDly Adulting. Join us the first and third Mondays of every month as we feature guests and topics to help you navigate your first career with laughter, insights, and life lessons, because adulting isn't just a job; it's an adventure.