Student Spotlight: Ashley Allen

Year: Junior
Major: Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing

Community involvement is very important to the students of GGC. Ashley has fostered an interest in caring for children and she helped bring the organization “Fight Back for Children” to GGC.  This coterie of students began in 2007, and it was started because Ashley “felt a passion for doing something with children and having a cause. I really wanted to start a club here to help bring people aware of doing great things in their community. The mission of  “Fight Back for Children” is to help bring awareness of unprivileged children throughout the world, such as Invisible Children in Uganda, Foster Children’s Foundation, Street Grace (child- sex trafficking) and other organizations.” For her involvement with Fight Back for Children, Ashley received the Creative Award at Convocation in 2007.

The club raises money toward these causes and also volunteers with different nonprofit organizations. Every semester, the club hosts an information day called “A Day for Children” where the awareness to the students of GGC as to what is going on in their communities and within the world. The club will host a movie, provide food for students and present information about the causes and tell the students what they can do to make a difference. In fall 2008, the club hosted its first “Fight Back for Children” benefit concert where the goal was to raise $350; they exceeded their expectations by more than $100.  When the event was held in fall 2009, the goal was exceeded by almost $200 and the participation of students had also increased exponentially. “It is amazing to see how young people want to be an impact in this community. I have a heart for helping, volunteering and bringing awareness out to people about things that are going around in the world they might not know about such as, Invisible Children in Uganda, child-sex trafficking, etc. “Fight Back for Children” welcomes any student who wants to help bring awareness within our community and loves to help children in need.”

After earning her degree at GGC, Ashley hopes to one day do marketing for a non-profit organization, like TOMS shoes. She suggests that students “get involved, look around and take up some great opportunities here at GGC and study” if they want to succeed at GGC. “The faculty and staff here are very understanding and willing to help you as much as they can.”