Kieran Maingot, USC Charity Coordinator
For Kieran Maingot, the opportunity to act as the USC Charity Coordinator has allowed him to connect his Sociology degree to his passion for charity work. “It was difficult to see how I could make changes in society due to the theoretical nature of my degree. I’m passionate about helping others and making a difference and with the USC I’ve been able to do this on a large scale with creative freedom,” says Maingot.
The Charity Coordinator is responsible for running all charity focused events with the support of the USC and its resources. This includes the annual Halloween Haunted House, The Children’s Holiday Party, and Relay for Life. These three events are the pillars of the charity portfolio and have been running for more than 25 years.
This year the Haunted House successfully raised close to $1000 and 100 items of non-perishable food for Food Support Services, another USC service available to students experiencing food insecurity. Last year’s Relay for Life saw Western students raising over $67,000 for cancer research. Kieran was impressed by this number, but with the right motivation and marketing, his team believes they can raise over $75,000 this year. Maingot never backs down from a challenge. “It’s an ambitious goal, but I know with the portfolio we have, it’s possible. And if it’s possible, we’re going to do it.”
Maingot first became involved with USC Charity when he was in first year as the Relay for Life team captain for his residence floor team. The following year, he became a member of the charity portfolio responsible for running Relay for Life. For Maingot, it’s not all about the monetary fundraising. As this year’s coordinator, he hopes to bring a greater emphasis on the organizations which the portfolio supports, creating connections at the local and national level. His vision is to push charity beyond monetary donations and educate the Western student body about the value of donating time to make a meaningful impact in the London community. He has done so by ensuring that the USC Volunteer Database Portal is known and accessible to all students. Maingot looks forward to pursuing a possible career in event planning where he can continue to use the programming skills he has acquired to make a difference.
Carina Gabriele, the USC’s Student Programs Officer which oversees Kieran’s portfolio, touted his leadership and the work of USC Charity. “Kieran is a phenomenal leader to a team that needs no introduction. Year after year, USC Charity provides Western students with the opportunity to raise funds, increase awareness, and give back to our London community. Kieran’s hard work and leadership as the USC Charity Coordinator has already led to the incredible success of multiple charity events this year.”
The role, however, has not been without challenge. Each of the causes that the USC supports are all worthy of time and attention, so it is difficult having to pick and choose what organizations the USC can meaningfully dedicate their resources to, says Maingot. The role also demands excellent communication skills, as it can be difficult to coordinate with the organizations, his portfolio, and the student body. Maingot insists the triumphs far outweigh the challenges. “It’s really incredible to see the real-life impact the portfolio has the capacity to make within our campus community.”
In addition to annual events, Maingot is piloting an event with Indigenous Relations Committee in January which hopes to highlight how Indigenous and non-Indigenous student communities can connect with one another.
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Kieran Maingot, USC Charity Coordinator
USC charity opportunities are continually posted at https://westernusc.ca/jobs/
For more information about USC Charity and the portfolio’s events including Relay for Life, please see their Facebook page.