My name's Will Paradis and these are more or less the important things to know about me personally: I'm 20 years old. I was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, a city which prides itself on its weirdness, and I'm a third year in a BA/MT program at the University of Virginia, working on a BA in Religious Studies and a Masters in Secondary Social Science Education, with the hopes of eventually using these degrees to become a teacher. Outside of class I'm involved in UVA's chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a national coed community service fraternity. On top of that, I'm in a Big Brothers/Little Brothers mentoring program, and, alongside wanting to participate in Bike & Build, I'm co-leading an alternative spring break volunteer service trip to Peru. In the past I've been involved with dialogue groups (discussing social issues, diversity and the like) and I've driven buses for the University Transit Service. As far as hobbies go, I love hiking, climbing, cooking, reading, playing guitar, pretending to play banjo, playing videogames (despite maybe being too old for them), napping, and anything that makes for a good story
I first heard about Bike & Build through Hilary Heincer, who’d recently applied and was riding a healthy balance between excitement and anxiety about it. When she returned from her summer with Bike & Build, however, she gushed about the experience; she couldn’t run out of good things to say about the journey, the service, the personal growth, the people she’d met, and the memories she’d have for the rest of her life.
I’ve since met a handful of other students from UVA who have either participated or are planning to, to where now I really feel like there’s something pulling me to sign on. After all, I’m young, I’m able-bodied, and I’ve been fortunate enough in my life to want to make a positive change in others’ lives. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the thought of a life-changing personal experience wasn’t attractive, and I can certainly use the exercise, but what drew me to Bike & Build more than anything else was the opportunity to learn more about and participate in the national cause for affordable housing. I’ve learned through my experience serving as a volunteer on a frequent basis in my hometown and my college town that you do not need to travel thousands of miles to see real human strife and suffering, and I believe everyone has the right to a roof over their head and the serenity that comes with a home. Bike & Build is offering young people a chance to not only experience our nation’s struggle with housing first hand, but do something to try and change it for the better.
I could spend my summer mooching off my parents, holding down a job, or flying off to far-away lands for glamorous vacations, but I’m in this because I really want to improve myself, offer my help to others, and surround myself with inspiring people and massive adventures. Later on in life I have a feeling I won’t have the same freedom and ability to make such a potentially profound change in my life and in others’ lives, so I say why hold back? I want this to be something I will remember for the rest of my life.
Show latest update from from Will's blog