buildOn in Every Chapter: Morgan’s Service Journey

In every chapter of Morgan Dickerson’s life for the past decade, buildOn has been there. Whether she was seeking adventure, connection, purpose, or community, buildOn was part of her story. This is her journey with buildOn, from a college student on Trek to a valued member of our staff!

The Spark of Global Service

As a senior at the University of Delaware, Morgan was eager to make the most of her last year. When her Honors Program hosted a book club to read Walk in Their Shoes by buildOn founder Jim Ziolkowski, she didn’t hesitate to join.

One quote from the book stuck with her so much so that she still has it saved in her phone years later: “They didn’t just visit these places. They lived them.”

At the time, Morgan was itching to see the world, but wanted her travel to feel meaningful and real.

That inspiration led her to join the University of Delaware’s buildOn chapter, where she volunteered locally, organized fundraisers, and traveled on Trek to Burkina Faso to help build a school in the village of Pissa.

Her experience there changed everything. She remembers children walking five kilometers to reach school, while their parents worked their entire lives to bring education closer to home.

Seeing that caused Morgan to reflect on how she could see her elementary school from her bedroom window. “It was then I realized how lucky I was,” she says. “Once I realized how lucky I was, I wasn’t going to stop trying to help others access the education I was gifted.”

That moment sparked a lifelong commitment to expanding access to learning.

“Once I realized how lucky I was, I wasn’t going to stop trying to help others access the education I was gifted.”—Morgan Dickerson

Bringing Trek Into the Workplace

Morgan returned from her first Trek on a Saturday night and started her first day at PwC the following Monday. Still wearing the vibrant henna given to her by her host mother, she knew she wanted to stay connected to buildOn and bring others along.

She soon led a team of colleagues to fundraise for a school in Nicaragua and travel with buildOn to help build it.

“The experience of building a school from the ground up with my colleagues was really a defining moment in my career,” Morgan reflects. “It helped me connect on a deeper level with other people at PwC, and it definitely solidified my determination to focus on social impact work.”

Through that experience, she transformed her workplace into a community of changemakers while deepening her own connection to service.

New City, New Connections

A few years later, Morgan moved across the country and wanted to find community in her new home. She turned once again to buildOn.

Still at PwC, she was thrilled to discover the company’s partnership with buildOn and began volunteering with buildOn in Oakland.

“I believe that passion and excitement for a mission can really bond people together in unique ways,” she says.

Through service, she explored her new city, met new people, and built a community that felt like home.

Aligning Passion with Profession

Another quote from her notes app—written during that same college book club—reads:  “There is a reason, perhaps divinely inspired, why each of us is on this Earth.”

As Morgan advanced in her career, she reflected on that idea often. Some of her earliest memories were rooted in service: making cards for members of her church, creating flag pins with her Girl Scout troop for veterans, and running bake sales for cancer research. Service wasn’t new to her. It was foundational.

So when the opportunity arose to join buildOn’s staff, it felt like coming full circle.

Today, as a Community Engagement Manager at buildOn, Morgan helps others begin their own journeys of service.

“I feel like I have my dream job now, which is so fortunate,” she reflects. “And I love talking about what we do with others.”

“I feel like I have my dream job now.”—Morgan Dickerson

A New Chapter

This year, Morgan and her husband, David, got married—and in lieu of a traditional wedding registry, they set up a fundraiser to build a school with buildOn. Their friends and family gave generously, celebrating not just their union, but their shared commitment to service.

A few weeks later, David joined Morgan on his first Trek to Nepal for their honeymoon. After years of hearing her buildOn stories, he finally experienced the work firsthand, and together, they made new memories that will last a lifetime.

When the local community learned they had recently been married, the buildOn Nepal team organized a traditional Nepali wedding celebration, complete with dancing, music, and blessings from the village of Basanta.

It was truly a special experience, one that they’ll cherish for the rest of their lives.

From student to professional, from local service to global connection, buildOn has been part of every chapter of Morgan’s journey.

And as she looks toward the future, one thing is certain: wherever life takes her next, buildOn will be part of the story.

Want to start your own Trek journey with buildOn? Sign up to build a school in a low-income country today.