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Stacie Fitch and her roommates were sitting in their residence hall suite one evening when a commercial for a local animal shelter came on TV. "Wouldn't it be fun to volunteer?" one of them said.

That was two years ago. Today, with 200 members strong, the Hamilton Humane Organization is one of the largest student community service groups.

"I look back and can't believe how this has grown literally on its own," said Stacie, the group's founder. "What started with a few friends visiting a shelter once a week has become a campuswide effort. It's unbelievable!"

The Humane Organization supports local animal shelters through contributions of time and money. Students visit area shelters each day to clean cages, walk and care for animals, and work in the office. They also produce a newsletter that offers pet care tips and joined the Hamilton Action Volunteer Outreach Coalition (HAVOC) to build a new shelter in nearby Herkimer County.

Fundraising efforts, ranging from a Silent Auction of donated items to "doggie bags" students can send home to their pets, raise more than $4,000 annually.

"A lot of students have pets at home, and leaving them behind is difficult," Stacie said. "The Humane Organization is a way for us to play a role in the community we've adopted for four years of our lives."

Stacie's volunteer spirit crossed into her academic work last year when she completed an independent research project that looked at public relations strategies and marketing campaigns. For her Senior Thesis, she is identifying techniques that motivate students to become volunteers.

"Many senior theses end up sitting on some professor's shelf," she added. "I wanted to do something that could end up making a difference."

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