Getting involved in the Appleton community can sometimes be imposing for students听new to Lawrence. Volunteering just might be the path you鈥檙e looking for.听
The school鈥檚听(CCE) notes in its recently released annual report that 782 students contributed 6,659 hours of volunteer service during the 2018-19 academic year, and 75 percent of the graduating seniors said they had volunteered during their time at Lawrence.
The CCE, now working within the听(CLC), is looking to keep that momentum going in the new academic year, making it as easy as possible for students to get involved and to follow their passions.
The center, located in the Seeley G. Mudd Library, was previously known as Volunteer and Community Service Center. It rebranded itself to better reflect the wide array of service opportunities available on and off campus.
鈥淲e wanted to be听more true听to our mission, which is not just volunteering,鈥 said听Kristi Hill, director of the CCE.听鈥淲e鈥檙e听really trying to educate Lawrentians on their civic responsibility as citizens of this world. And to not just serve, but to inform them on social justice issues that could be of importance to them. So, the name better reflects what we do.鈥
Being part of the retooled and reenergized CLC also provides new paths, as well as better efficiency in connecting service work with resume building.
鈥淭he benefits have been, we鈥檙e now with a department that is really focused on the experiential education or journey of Lawrence students,鈥 said Hill. 鈥淔ocused on volunteerism and internships and networking and creating your own community, those are听kind of听like-minded things our office shares with the CLC.鈥
Even with the听rebranding,听the CCE听still serves as听a resource on campus for students who would like to volunteer. CCE staffers help students with everything from getting connected with nonprofits they can volunteer with to hosting volunteer opportunities on campus.听
Last year, the听CCE听implemented a new program听called听Viking Ambassadors in听Service and Engagement听(VASE), a program focused on first-year students to help them make connections听and learn about issues in the community.听It drew 33 first-year听students, spread across five听VASE programs 鈥 greater access to the arts, supporting fair housing and hunger, advocating and care for elders, protecting and sustaining the environment and allied health care.
鈥淐ertificate programs are tailored to each service area,鈥 said听Papo听Morales 鈥21 , equal access to听education coordinator at the CCE. 鈥淪tudents, preferably first-years, are really听involved听and engage in this one specific service area.听Last year, they did service trips,听they did events, it was an amazing thing.鈥澨
The CCE will continue the VASE program this year, with听increased听funding that will allow more opportunities.听
Alongside the VASE program,听the CCE provides听Lawrence students with lots of opportunities to serve.听听
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One program is听Service听Corps, run by students on the CCE staff.听 Each听Service Corps enclave is geared toward听addressing social justice issues in the Fox Cities.听The student听in charge of the group partners听with community agencies.听There are seven Service Corps groups: Access to Education, Child Advocacy, Elder Advocacy, Environment and听Sustainability, Arts Advocacy, Fair Housing and Hunger, and,听starting this year, Animal Welfare.听听
Tutoring in area schools has been a big draw for Lawrence students through the CCE鈥檚 Volunteers in Tutoring at Lawrence (VITAL) program. During the 2018-19 school year, the CCE was able to connect 41 Lawrence students with 83 Appleton school听district听students who requested tutoring.听
Nine programs were offered by the CCE to support environment and sustainability needs.听Overall, 62 volunteers served 1,134听hours听toward those causes.
There were 19 programs geared toward the support of elders at Brewster Village, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), and the Thompson Community Center on Lourdes. This allowed 57 Lawrence volunteers to serve 333 hours to support elder rights and care.听
In addition to听individual听service听opportunities available to students,听the CCE听offers assistance听to听Lawrence听University Community Council (澳门六合彩开奖结果CC) student organizations that do volunteer work. Many of these organizations had CCE staff as advisors, and all of them had access to the resources the CCE provides,听including the听GivePulse听software used by the CCE,听financial support, and service 101 training.
鈥淭he CCE really,听really,听really听tries to connect with our service organizations,鈥澨齭aid听Morales. 鈥淲e support them in听any way听that we can. If students听are interested in starting a service organization, we are more than happy to help them. Last year,听some athletes听had come in and听said,听鈥楬ey, we want to start a service organization.鈥 They came in with just an idea and by the end of last year,听they were fund-raising for stuff. So, if you鈥檙e passionate about starting a service organization, all you have to do is come in and we will help.鈥澨
Morales even started听a service organization of his own through his connection with听the CCE. It鈥檚 called Brother to Brother, a men-of-color empowerment organization aimed at cultivating leadership and brotherhood and providing service and advocacy in the community.
鈥淚 really wanted to have service be a part of our messaging,鈥 said Morales. 鈥淪o, our pillars are听brotherhood, leadership, and service.鈥澨
Last year,听Brother to Brother was able to serve a multitude of organizations, including Edison Elementary School.听This听gave the听students in the organization听the chance to explore听parts of the Appleton community they were not familiar with.听
鈥淭hings they wouldn鈥檛 do before, like they wouldn鈥檛 know听they loved听working with kids,鈥 said Morales. 鈥淎nd when we took them to this recess, they fell in love.鈥
When students volunteer, it not only positively impacts the students听they鈥檙e serving, but it also听greatly听benefits the organizations.
鈥淭he teachers there have shared, there鈥檚 too much for them to do in the time they have provided,鈥 said Hill. 鈥淪o, when Lawrence students can spend time with individual students who need extra support, the teachers are relieved and able to focus on instruction and looking for funding and other things to grow the school. They openly talk about it, that Lawrence students allow them to do more. So that鈥檚 been a really cool thing to see at Edison Elementary School.鈥澨
The CCE听will continue to provide Lawrence students听with听resources as the school year ramps up.
鈥淲e really do encourage听people to just walk in and say, 鈥楬ey, I want to volunteer,鈥欌 said Morales.听鈥淲e have a revamped space,听so we really encourage students to come in 鈥 someone is always on staff here to answer questions and to help you volunteer.听But if you don鈥檛 have the time and your schedule is really听busy,听we encourage all student just to go to听GivePulse. You can go on the Lawrence听web site and type in GivePulse on the search bar. That is where we house听all of听our volunteer opportunities.鈥澨