Community Service Opportunities

This is Community Service Opportunities"

Community Service Opportunities

Community Service at UC

Community Service Programs

Community service opportunities and placements are coordinated by the Office of Student Life. Student Life is also responsible for tracking and reporting community service hours performed by individuals and organizations.

How does community service benefit the student?

  • Students obtain skills that are transferable to the classroom, future work experiences, and their work with student organizations.
  • As students work together to complete community service projects, they learn more about the community and each other by connecting with a network of people.
  • Students who participate in co-curricular service learning report a feeling of “giving to others” and “community belonging”.
  • Students are able to build and enhance their teamwork and leadership skills.

    The Office of Student Life assists with community service by:

  • Providing resources on service, volunteerism, and community leadership including a list of volunteer and co-curricular service learning opportunities.
  • Matching service opportunities with individual student or organization interests.
  • Being a contact point for several service projects throughout the county and state (including a listing of over 50 non-profit agencies in need of regular volunteers).
  • Planning, coordinating, and assisting with the administration of campus wide co-curricular service learning experiences.
  • Coordinating curricular and co-curricular service experiences related to UNIV 101 and the Freshmen Living/Learning Communities.

 

Alternative Breaks

During the fall and spring semesters, a number of University of Charleston students may decide to spend part of their winter and spring breaks helping others by participating in Alternative Spring Breaks. These week long service learning experiences provide students with the opportunity to travel locally, nationally, or even internationally and engage in a variety of service projects such as building and repairing homes, facilitating children’s activities in hospitals, or teaching workshops about community service. Students must submit an application and participate in an interview process. Since 2002, students have taken Alternative Breaks to the Dominican Republic, Ireland, Italy, Hawaii, and Brazil.