The SCNG Premium article we referenced in our initial post of this series, interviewed Susan Phillips, the co-founder of College PathLA. In it, she says that volunteering "opens a connection with another human being."

She's right. It's deeper than networking.

When you work alongside someone toward a shared goal, you form bonds that social media and conference small talk can't replicate. You see how they solve problems, handle setbacks, and celebrate small wins. You watch someone navigate a difficult conversation with grace. You experience the moment when your idea merges with someone else's and becomes better than either of you could have created alone.

But equally important: you get to witness what's possible. You see how experienced practitioners think through ambiguity. 

"The stereotypes get challenged," Phillips said. You challenge your own assumptions about what you're capable of. And you challenge your assumptions about the field itself—what seemed simple from the outside reveals its complexity. 

The Insight: Volunteering is where you discover what you're actually capable of by doing it alongside people who:

Reflection: Who has actually watched you work through a challenge lately?