Community Service Award: Student

July 22, 2011

Asha Nettles

Sociology

For the past year, senior Asha Nettles has volunteered with the YWCA, helping victims of sexual assault.

As a sexual assault advocate, she has handled a wide variety of tasks, like manning the 24-hour hotlines, helping her supervisor prepare for presentations, sitting with sexual assault victims through physical exams and accompanying them to the police station or courthouse. In the past few months, she has volunteered to serve as on-call supervisor for an assigned week, in which she provides support to her fellow advocates during their work.

“Over the course of my training and time as an advocate, I have learned the value of the service I provide,” Nettles said. “One night as I was sitti ng with a young lady through her physical exam, she shared that she thought that because she had no family around during this difficult time, that she would be alone. She cried knowing a complete stranger cared enough to give up two hours during the night to just be there and support her. It was then, only a few weeks into my service, that I realized it would never be about what I’m not paid or how I benefit, it would always be about giving someone a moment of peace and comfort.”

Nettles also serves as a student representative for the Association of College Unions International for which she develops the student workshops session track for the association’s annual regional conference and provides support and input to the rest of the regional leadership team. She is also a campus ambassador for Stop Child Trafficking Now.

In addition, Nettles serves as the chair of the University Student Union Board of Trustees, the vice president of the Criminal Justice Student Association and a student leader for Ethnos Campus Ministry.

Nettles will graduate in May with her bachelor’s degree in sociology and a minor in criminal justice. She plans to pursue her master’s in counseling this upcoming fall, as she has recently been admitted to the student development and higher education program at CSULB.