SIRIS Volunteer Profile - Amanda Bradley

For someone like Amanda Bradley, SIRIS is an extension of her interests, so becoming a volunteer was a natural step. Originally from Christopher, Illinois, Amanda came to Southern Illinois University Carbondale to pursue a degree in English, which she earned in 2002.
Currently residing in her hometown, she became involved with SIRIS after seeing an announcement at the Carbondale Public Library. Bradley says she was looking for new opportunities to give back to the community and also to maintain her public speaking skills.
"I like giving back," says Bradley. "I also enjoy speaking, and (volunteering at SIRIS) is a low-stress activity. It really helps me practice my public speaking, but it's also an easy way to give back to people, which I try to do as often as possible."
Bradley says she's gained a broader understanding of the services SIRIS provides, beyond the benefit of self-improvement and the assistance it provides to people who are physically unable to read for themselves.
"I think one of the important things about SIRIS is that it helps to preserve newspapers," says Bradley. "When I first started working here, I admit that I rarely read newspapers. Now, I read them all the time, and I'm learning so much more about Southern Illinois. It makes me realize that everyone should have access to newspapers."
In Bradley's free time, you can typically find her either volunteering at The Carbondale Public Library or Free Again Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, or tutoring GED students at John A. Logan's Literacy Program in Carterville.
Bradley also spends much of her time reading "anything and everything," citing the Brontes, Jane Austen, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Thomas Hardy as some of her favorite authors. Her interest in period literature and films has also inspired her to perform in local theater productions.
To date, Bradley has performed in four separate productions at Rend Lake College, Sesser Opera House, and The Marion Cultural and Civic Center. She also has appeared in Oliver Twist, On Golden Pond, MASH, and Arsenic and Old Lace.
She also enjoys working on computers and playing various RPG video games, as well as hanging out with her Shih Tzu, Snags, which she adopted one year ago from the Humane Society of Southern Illinois.
Bradley is a public broadcasting fan and says some of her favorites programs include NPR news in the morning on WSIU Radio and Masterpiece and various concerts on WSIU-TV.
If you're looking for volunteer opportunities, SIRIS is a great place to start. Get involved today by contacting SIRIS at (618) 453-2808 or send an email to wsiu.org/siris.