Today marks the third Waltham Group Blood Drive of the 2003-2004 year. Behind the planning for this critical event are student coordinators and Brandeis' liaison to the greater community, Diane Hannan.Diane Hannan
Role at Brandeis: Community Service Director
Time at Brandeis: 13 years
justFeatures: What exactly do you do as Community Service Director?
Diane Hannan: Our major priority is identifying needs in the community. I feel like a matchmaker. I match the community needs to students' interests and skills. I primarily advise the Waltham Group, but also other groups-Volunteer Vacations of Hillel, for example. Any student, faculty or staff with an interest in outreach to the community-I help them.

JF: What is one thing that you're most proud of?
DH: I'm passionate about citizenship, about teaching students that they are citizens of Waltham and about their role and responsibility while they're here. Citizenship also extends to the greater mission for the University, on an institutional level... like programs for children at the Rose Art Museum. A few professors are interested now in service learning, an extension of the classroom into the community.

JF: How do you work on a daily basis to meet these goals?
DH: I'm a liaison to the community and an advisor to students. I do everything from financial responsibility and budgets to program and strategic planning to driving the van if need be. That's one of my favorite jobs-I get to speak to students about very interesting things.
JF: How did you get involved here?
DH: My background is in social services. I took a bit of a Mommy sabbatical for a few years, and upon returning to work, I saw an interesting job. It was at Brandeis, working with students and connecting to social service agencies. It was a very serendipitous find. Most of the folks who interviewed me were students. I promised them lots of good food. They hired me, and I've kept my promise.
JF: Do you think that the Waltham Group fills its intended role in the community?
DH: We have a longstanding relationship with Waltham. We're respectful of them and make their needs primary. But the academic calendar is difficult to work with; we're here for a limited time, and the issues are always here... for example, affordable housing and livable wages. Much of what makes Waltham a unique community-socioeconomic and cultural diversity-may not be here much longer. People are proud to be from Waltham.

JF: Do you like to travel?
DH: I love to travel. I don't do it as much as I'd like to. Right now most of my traveling is to see my children in Virginia and Denver. My daughter is 25 and my son is 22; he's a senior in college. I love sunshine and beaches and I always manage to go to the Caribbean at least once a year. This year we went to the British Virgin Islands.

JF: Do you do other community service outside your job here?
DH: I am very involved with a domestic abuse agency in the community and shelters in the community. I am a former board member of the domestic abuse shelter, and I still remain as a general volunteer.

JF: Is there anything else you want students to know about you?
DH: I want students to know that I am here as a resource, not to just think of community service as the Waltham Group. We're not just here as the Waltham Group, but one of our prime responsibilities is to be a good neighbor. Also, I have an open-door policy.
What is interesting now is my connection with former students. Wherever I visit, there's a former student to connect to. There are a number of weddings coming up. I haven't requested that anyone name their first-born after me yet.

JF: Do you have a different relationship with students than faculty do?
DH: I think that some professors do have the close relationship I have. The community service department is only me and the students. My staff is students. We do have a strong working relationship.