Alumni Spotlight: Beth Awalt, HOBY Maryland '04
Monday, December 19, 2011 at 9:30AM 
Beth, pictured here (2nd from left) with Ecuadorian students from her year of service in Ecuador.
Tell us a little bit about your HOBY story. (when did you first encounter it, how you’ve been involved since your ambassador year).
I encountered HOBY in late 2003 when my Key Club advisor told me he had selected me for the conference in May. He told me some names of people who had gone in the past, but no one I knew well, so I just kind of signed up and went into the experience blind. I participated in HOBY Maryland 2004, and was overwhelmingly in love with the experience. My facilitator was awesome, and I really believed in the lessons we were taught. I knew I wanted to be a part of HOBY for years to come.
So I've stayed in touch! I was on TA in 2005, was the Director of Public Relations for the Alumni Association for three years in college and was a junior facilitator at HOBY Maryland starting in 2007. I loved HOBY so much that one weekend just didn't seem like enough. I contacted some HOBY friends and applied to volunteer with both HOBY Central PA and WLC. I am so excited I was able to join the Central PA HOBY family in 2008 - for three years (and counting!), I've led great groups! It's been a blessing to see another seminar, network with more incredible HOBYs, and see the transformation in more Ambassadors. I also facilitated a group at HOBY NJ 2010 - the year that Pete Cangemi and I did three HOBY weekends in a row!!
You’ve been involved with several different seminars, what do you think is the best part of your HOBY year?
The best part for me is in June. The Ambassadors are just processing their experience, and sometimes they write back and explain what their transformation was like. Seeing the incredible transformation they experience is so motivating. June is also about the time when the staff are all over Facebook and email, reliving photos and memories, organizing reunions to stay together. It's beautiful to see that HOBY spirit so strong.
What other volunteering do you during the year?
The biggest news right now is that I'm starting a nonprofit organization! A fellow volunteer from my year of service in Ecuador and I began The Starfish Foundation, Inc. to empower Ecuadorian students to complete their high school degree. Check out our website at www.thestarfishchange.org or our Facebook at www.facebook.com/thestarfishchange!
Also, I spend about 15 hours a week in the Immigration Legal Services Department of the Esperanza Center (part of Catholic Charities Maryland), helping with administrative tasks and speaking as much Spanish as possible! I also volunteer with Hand in Hand, a nonprofit that mentors youth ages 14-17 in the Baltimore City Detention Center who are being tried as adults. At my church, I am in charge of the high school Catechism class, and I am conducting a campaign (www.mycharitywater.org/sjpmd) to raise money for clean water!
Who is your HOBY hero? (the one person you’ve met via HOBY who blows your mind)
Anna Custer from HOBY MD. She was my facilitator, and she has stayed involved in HOBY throughout the years. She taught me the best ways of keeping the HOBY spirit alive in Ambassadors (evident by the SEVEN Anna Alums that returned in 2009, all from various years! Many of us still return yearly). Anna is involved behind-the-scenes for HOBY MD, too, realizing the importance of working during the year to keep the program going. She was my first face of HOBY, and I am blessed to still have her in my life!
What is your advice for alums out there?
Stay connected. And if you've lost that connection - it's NEVER too late! My roommate from HOBY MD in 2004 didn't stay too involved, but she and I Facebooked occasionally. We finally met up for lunch in 2009, and it was like nothing ever changed. During my year of service in Ecuador, I didn't have a lot of means to keep in touch - so imagine my surprise to return home and find that my former 1K group member Matt Hockney has started an anti-bullying assembly program to share his story with high schoolers! HOBYs will continue to surprise and inspire you each day, and it's that HOBY spirit that is so important.