The Collegiate Exchange Club is a campus service organization that works with the Carl Perkins Center to prevent child abuse and raise awareness of the issue on the college level.
Greg Ryan, political science professor and advisor to the Exchange Club, explained the possible misconceptions about this club and the reality of the work.
“When we tell people about what we do, they get so excited for us about seeing the kids. They say ‘oh, you are helping the kids,’ and yes, we are helping the kids, but we actually never get to see them,” Ryan said. “It is all behind-the-scenes work.”
The Exchange Club does not directly work with the children or even see victims of abuse in order to protect privacy.
“Even though I don’t get to see the kids, knowing that I’m helping them even without seeing the direct impact is still rewarding,” junior marketing major and club president Alicia Wibbenmeyer said. “I still know that I am helping in some way and making a difference.”
The Exchange Club recently served the Carl Perkins Center during Union’s annual Campus and Community Day by doing “behind-the-scenes” work such as washing and sanitizing children’s toys and cleaning the outside of the center.
“It was simple work,” Wibbenmeyer said. “But again, I know that what I am doing is somehow helping those kids, even if it is as little as washing some toys.”
The Exchange Club has been on Union’s campus for around five years and gained momentum within the first few years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed membership and activities.
“We were not as active during COVID,” Ryan said. “But the need is even greater now.”
Ryan explained the importance of helping the center, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With COVID, everyone was at home, and it was terrible for all kinds of abuse,” Ryan said.
Because of this increase in abuse, the center is busy and in need of help from organizations such as the Exchange Club. There are two Carl Perkins Centers in Jackson, both of which help children who have been abused.
The Collegiate Exchange Club plans to continue to raise awareness on- campus and do service projects throughout the rest of the year. Ryan and Wibbenmyer hope that students feel encouraged to join and participate in child abuse prevention.
“You can’t completely prevent it, but maybe you can stop it—stop it from continuing, and that is what we are trying to do, and that is the role of the Carl Perkins Center,” Ryan said.
Students are encouraged to contact Alicia Wibbenmyer and Dr. Ryan through email at alicia.wibbenmyer@my.uu.edu and gryan@uu.edu for information on meeting times and future projects.
