Leadership lived: Student makes service part of her life and future career

University of Illinois Springfield sophomore business administration and accountancy major Abbie Varble loves to give back to her community. She enjoys helping others who are in need and has made volunteering a big part of her life.

At UIS, Varble is co-president of the Habitat for Humanity Club, a resident assistant and member of the Leadership for Life Service Program. She is also a peer mentor for the Capital Scholars Honors Program, a member of the Christian Student Fellowship and plays in the UIS Concert Band.

“I have such a passion for service and doing things for other people, so Habitat and Leadership for Life are a way of showing that to my community,” she said. “Not only talking about it, but actually doing something. It’s just great. I love it.”

The Habitat for Humanity Club recently spent a Saturday volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County ReStore where they helped move donated items to the floor and sold items to the back, so people could pick them up.

“The ReStore is great because people donate items and when those donated items are sold, that money goes towards building a home for someone who can’t necessarily afford it,” she said. “It’s just a great mission that all comes together.”

Varble grew up in the small town of Marengo, Illinois. She says she chose UIS because she loved the environment and it felt like home.

“I think that being able to go to UIS, where it’s a small environment, you get to know everybody and I love that,” she said. “I love that community we can build with each other.”

Following graduation from UIS, she would like to become an accountant or executive director of a non-profit organization.

“UIS taught me that leadership is something you should not take for granted,” she said. “You have these amazing opportunities in such a small school, that you can reach out to somebody by doing something small. That makes a really big impact, a really big difference.”