An experience

Describe an experience in which you helped somebody. How did that experience affect you? Here are the responses of three people interviewed.

Judy Abbott is the Information Desk Manager at the Lane Center at Frostburg State University. She said that there are so many experiences to draw from. "Gee, I do that all day" said Abbott. She does many things at the information desk to help those in need of assistance. She directs people to places they need help finding whether it be in the Lane Center or else where on campus. She arranges transportation for people who need it to and from events. She quenches the hunger of others by selling popcorn. Of all of the things she has done. She says all of it is the experience. Judy has been working in her position for thirteen years here at Frostburg and before hand worked at Allegheny College. When asked how it affected her and her future here she says "I love it...I don't know when I'll stop."

Brody Witt is a freshman here at Frostburg. She is from Frostburg and is thinking of majoring in chemistry. She currently works at the FSU Bookstore. When asked the question she talks of a girl who comes to the bookstore sometimes. The girl is in a wheelchair and Brody usually goes around the bookstore with the girl and helps her get the things she needs. Brody says that in helping the girl "It makes you realize." She also said that to know she can have a role helping someone who really needs it makes her feel good.

Nicole Mattis is the Associate Professor of Theatre for the Department of Theatre and Dance at Frostburg State University. When asked the question she thought long going through many instances trying to find one. She talked of an experience while she lived in Chicago in 2000. She worked at the Miracle Mile, a heavy shopping section of Chicago. She described the traffic as "zoom, zoom, zoom" and very violent. One day on her lunch break she was going to cross the street. The crosswalk had a thirty second timer and as she was preparing to walk she saw an elderly woman by herself. She knew it would probably take that woman a minute and thirty seconds and not the thirty allotted to cross. "I was so worried her," Nicole said, "I'm ready to cry thinking about it." So she decided to help the woman across and "step out of the chaos." She knew that she couldn't stop an oncoming car but that another person there would do something if worse came to worse. They made it across and afterward Nicole felt both happy and sad. She felt happy that she had been able to help this woman who really needed it. She felt sad however; that the world had become what it had. "Everything is so me, me, me." Nicole said, noting the increasing ageism in the world. She said that is one moment that sticks out in her mind.