For Robin Hamilton, volunteering with a CASA program felt like a natural progression. From her time as a Theta collegian, to being an alumna and adviser, to when she took a break from volunteering with the Fraternity, her local CASA program offered a way to stay connected. “Volunteering with the CASA program felt like an opportunity to continue living out Theta values,” she says.
Being a CASA volunteer also felt like a logical outgrowth from her career in higher education admissions; she saw volunteering with youth as a way to use her professional experience and expertise. She began training to become an advocate with CASA of Los Angeles and has been working with her current case for about two years, building a relationship and advocating on the child’s behalf.
Robin was a founding member of Theta’s Eta Mu Chapter at Occidental College. She did not plan to participate in recruitment, she recalls, but when she learned that Theta was joining the campus community, she was excited by the possibilities. “It felt like an amazing opportunity to be a part of a legacy at Occidental and connect with other women who shared the same passion for leading something from the ground up.”
A passion for leading also infuses Robin’s work with the CASA program. “A CASA volunteer has the chance, through big or small actions, to change the course of a child’s story. Your involvement in a child’s life might spark something in them or adjust their course even slightly—and that could mean all the difference in their success.”
“CASA volunteers come from all backgrounds and experiences. All you need is an openness and a willingness to listen and get involved.”