In a world overwhelmed by problems of genocide, poverty and war, the task of changing it seems insurmountable, especially for the individual. Despite these and more impossible issues besetting society, it’s a charge Professor Jennifer O’Neal has assigned her Transpersonal Psychology class.

“I want to help young people empower themselves to go out and rock this world, make a difference, pay it forward,” says O’Neal. “My students are creative and carry unlimited potential and when they reach out and help others, they are the change.”

The project, titled Make A Difference, is part of a larger conversation the class has been having regarding altruism, and the interconnectedness of human beings. In theory, the assignment is simple, go out and do something for someone else that doesn’t benefit yourself, come back and report on the experience.

On the final due date for their project, students arranged their desks in a circle, pulled out final copies of their reports and shared their individual experiences with the class.

Students Micheal Morgan and Zachary Selk, discovered how unaccustomed people are to being beneficiaries of other people’s good deeds when they handed out home baked cookies to DVC students.

Not only were people were hesitant to take the cookies but “every person made the same stupid acid/pot joke,” said Micheal. Although, reflecting on the experience he admitted that, “It must have been odd having two full grown men handing out cookies.”

Concluding his experience, Micheal said, “it gives a disappointing outlook to our society.”

Mathew Condrey chose to tackle the assignment by helping one of the most neglected members of society. He created a care basket filled with a tooth brush, toothpaste, 10 packages of Top Ramen, a canteen of ice water and a note reading “Keep rockin’, not forgotten.”

Although Cordrey chose to only give out one bag, he felt that he gave it to a homeless person in Berkeley who seemed like he needed it.

Monica Foster and Jocelyn Johnson battled spiders while weeding an overgrown Zen garden behind the Concord Library. Not only were garden administrators appreciative of their work, the students actually enjoyed the    experience.

“I felt accomplished, appreciated,” said Johnson.

For Foster, the experience had a spiritual aspect. “You have to feel it and get in touch with the rocks,” said Foster, explaining the process of racking leaves.

As both girls enjoyed gardening, Johnson didn’t think of the experience of altruistic. “For the average Joe, it’s hard to achieve true altruism.”

While students were interested in debating whether their projects were truly altruistic or not, Professor O’Neal insisted that, “The big picture is that we did something and the world is a better place.”

Doug Lindsay added “I like to think of it as mutualism; I’m doing all these things for the world because I live in it.”