Paws and Purpose: Understanding Volunteer Motivations in ‘DLSU PUSA’ Among Undergraduate Students in DLSU
Document Types
Paper Presentation
School Name
De La Salle University
Track or Strand
Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS)
Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)
Cortez, Romina Gracia, C.
Start Date
23-6-2025 1:30 PM
End Date
23-6-2025 3:00 PM
Zoom Link/ Room Assignment
Y503
Abstract/Executive Summary
Volunteerism is a reflection of one’s values, personal experiences, and sense of purpose. This study investigates the motivations behind why students decide to volunteer in De La Salle University's Professors for the Upliftment of Society's Animals (DLSU PUSA), an organization devoted to caring for cats on campus. The study uses a descriptive phenomenological approach to explore the experiences, motivations, problems, and individual effects of volunteering. Semi-structured interviews with purposively selected undergraduate volunteers were used to collect data, and responses were analyzed thematically and contextually to identify recurring themes. The findings indicate that the factors motivating volunteers include societal influences, a sense of ethical obligation, and a deep compassion for animals. Participants also indicated that volunteering made them feel better about themselves, improved their advocacy for animal rights, enhanced their social skills, and heightened their commitment to Lasallian principles of faith, service, and communion. This research adds to the existing literature on volunteering at the university level, specifically in the Philippine context.
Keywords
volunteerism; motivation; advocacy; animal welfare; DLSU PUSA; student organizations
Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)
Living Culture and Contemporary Societies (LCS)
Initial Consent for Publication
yes
Statement of Originality
yes
Paws and Purpose: Understanding Volunteer Motivations in ‘DLSU PUSA’ Among Undergraduate Students in DLSU
Volunteerism is a reflection of one’s values, personal experiences, and sense of purpose. This study investigates the motivations behind why students decide to volunteer in De La Salle University's Professors for the Upliftment of Society's Animals (DLSU PUSA), an organization devoted to caring for cats on campus. The study uses a descriptive phenomenological approach to explore the experiences, motivations, problems, and individual effects of volunteering. Semi-structured interviews with purposively selected undergraduate volunteers were used to collect data, and responses were analyzed thematically and contextually to identify recurring themes. The findings indicate that the factors motivating volunteers include societal influences, a sense of ethical obligation, and a deep compassion for animals. Participants also indicated that volunteering made them feel better about themselves, improved their advocacy for animal rights, enhanced their social skills, and heightened their commitment to Lasallian principles of faith, service, and communion. This research adds to the existing literature on volunteering at the university level, specifically in the Philippine context.
https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2025/paper_lcs/5
