CSLTC: Training the Future Leaders

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Events
*Volunteer Opportunities
*Internships, Jobs, and Beyond...
*In the Spotlight, CSLTC: Training the Future Leaders



EVENTS
Men In Service: Living Room Cafe Halloween Party
Friday, October 31
4:30 PM - 7:00 PM
The Living Room Cafe
Men in Service will be heading to the Living Room Cafe on Halloween for a party they are having during the Sober Living Hours event.

Hyde Park Food Pantry
Tuesday, November 4
Hyde Park Union Church, 5600 S. Woodlawn Ave.
Volunteers are needed for unloading food for the Hyde Park Food Pantry. When there are enough volunteers, the work goes fast and takes only 20-40 minutes. Please contact MarleneVellinga (Marvellinga@aol.com) for instructions. The Pantry distributes emergency supplies and groceries to residents living between 39th and 60th, Cottage to the lake.

The Redemption of Reason Conference
Saturday, November 8
1:00pm
Divinity School (Swift Hall)
Conference centers on social justice and human rights. The conference is hosting Chicago-based NGOs, ministries, food pantries, legal aid services, and health centers as a way to get the university community connected with social justice programs.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Heartland Alliance’s National Immigrant Justice Center is looking for Mandarin speakers to help with legal intakes for Chinese kids. It would mean going to the International Children’s Center (in Rogers Park) every two weeks for about two hours. Contact Alexandra Fung, afung@heartlandalliance.org 312-660-1330.

Tutors and mentors are needed by Chicago Youth Centers to work at Bret Harte School for Mondays from 2:50-4:20pm and Tuesdays from 2:50-4:00pm. If interested, please contact Christy Beighe-Byrne Christy.Beighe-Byrne@chicagoyouthcenters.org.


INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, AND BEYOND...
Human Rights Internship
The Human Rights Internship Program offers a select group of Chicago students the opportunity to learn the skills and understand the difficulties inherent in putting human rights into practice. The Internship Program is unique in its flexibility, awarding $5000 grants to afford all interns the freedom to explore their interests. Apply and learn more at http://humanrights.uchicago.edu.

Federal Work Study (Off-Campus)
UCSC seeks out and posts part-time and summer work-study positions with
Chicago area nonprofit and public sector organizations. Opportunities are geared toward identified interests and skills of our College, graduate and professional school students. View this list for the most current off-campus works study positions.


IN THE SPOTLIGHT
CSLTC: Training the Future Leaders
Rachel Cromidas, Staff Writer

As an international student from Nepal, second-year Prakriti Mishra came to the University of Chicago wanting to understand American culture better while engaging in community service. Thankfully, she found a program at the University Community Service Center that accomplishes exactly that: The Community Service Leadership Training Corps.

The program, affectionately referred to as CSLTC, has an intensive, two-year curriculum designed to connect its members with community issues and teach them leadership skills that will serve them well in public service-related internships and jobs. Though CSLTC was founded eight years ago as a four-year program by Pamela Bozeman Evans, former director of the UCSC, the program has undergone a series of transformations in recent years that have molded this dual mission.

The program is structured to follow students through their first two years
in the college, according to first-year coordinator Caroline Ouwerkerk, who has been a Corps member and program coordinator throughout her four years in the college, while at the same time encouraging them to branch out into the community and put their leadership skills into action.

During their first-year in the program, the twenty first-year students selected each year for the program attend weekly meetings on topics ranging from the problem of food deserts in Woodlawn to effective management and communication skills. Every other weekend the students travel to a different Chicago neighborhood to assist a public service organization with one of their projects.

In their second-year, students will use the UCSC’s resources to connect with an organization and construct a meaningful internship program around it.

“It’s a lot of fun; I really liked our second service project painting Sullivan
House because it gave the group a chance to really bond,” said Mishra, who is now interning at La Rabida Hospital for CSLTC.

This quarter CSLTC’s focus is on civic engagement, according to Curriculum Development Coordinator Emma Scripps. “The people we bring to speak to the first-years during meetings often relate what they back to the whole issue of social justice.”

Last week, the first-years and second-years met with Susan Campbell, associate VP for civic engagement to discuss the role the University plays in the surrounding communities. This week students are focusing on the importance of communication in effective leadership.

“We want first-years to think about how being a good communicator has personal implication, and is critically important for a helping your group or civic organization communicate a single, unified goal.” said Scripps.

Scripps is a fourth-year, but this is her first year of involvement in the program. “I’m pretty impressed with the whole structure of CSLTC. It’s uniquely different from RSOs [Registered Student Organizations] because it is directly supported by the UCSC and shares that social network.”

According to third-year Leslie Farland, CSLTC’s second-year program coordinator, the next issue students will focus on his hunger. “We’re hoping to bring people from the Illinois Hunger Coalition and the Greater Chicago Food Depository to speak at a meeting.” This focus was meant to coincide with the upcoming UCSC-sponsored Day of Service, which will also address hunger in Chicago.

For Ouwerkerk, one of the program’s standout features is its student leadership. The program curriculum was designed and implemented by upperclassmen in the college, who played a crucial role in shaping the program two its current form. “I think it’s really cool that the program is so receptive to student involvement. If I come in today and say, “We should do this!” People will want to make it happen.”

“And when a student joins CSLTC, it’s more than just joining a group that does service,” Ouwerkerk added. “They join a network that will support them throughout their time [at the college], and beyond.”

The University Community Service Center (UCSC) fosters the development of civic-minded students by providing substantive community service opportunities through community partnerships based on mutual trust and respect. If you have questions - how to get involved as a student or how to connect to students as a community organization - please contact us.



University Community Service Center

5525 S. Ellis Ave., Suite 160

Chicago IL, 60637

Tel: 773.753.4483

Fax: 773.834.1160

ucsc.uchicago.edu

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Events

*Volunteer Opportunities

*Internships, Jobs, and Beyond...

*In the Spotlight, The 2008 Public and Social Service Immersion Camp

EVENTS

Men In Service: Parents Weekend Activity Coordination
Saturday, October 25
8:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Ratner Athletics Center
Men In Service is playing games and running arts and crafts activities for the Mini Maroons event.

Men In Service: Living Room Cafe Halloween Party
Friday, October 31
4:30 PM - 7:00 PM
The Living Room Cafe
Men in Service will be heading to the Living Room Cafe on Halloween for a party they are having during the Sober Living Hours event.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Haunted House and Family Festival
Friday-Sunday October 24th-26th, 2008
Wicker Park
Volunteer to help out at a fun-filled festival run by UofC alums! Volunteer to do face painting, ticket-taking, magic tricks, game supervising, and much more. For more info contact Dana Kroop.

INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, AND BEYOND...
Public and Social Service Immersion Camp (PASS)
Saturday, October 25, 2008

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Ida Noyes Hall
Interested in a career in public or social service? UCSC partners with Career Advising & Planning Services (CAPS) to offer PASS - a one day program that introduces students interested in public service, social service and non-profit careers to alumni and organization representatives working in these fields. Come have your questions answered and learn more about internship, career or graduate school options relating to the fields of public and social service in this all day immersion camp. Students are required to sign up for this event before it occurs. For questions, contact Max Brooks.

Federal Work Study (Off-Campus)
UCSC seeks out and posts part-time and summer work-study positions with Chicago area nonprofit and public sector organizations. Opportunities are geared toward identified interests and skills of our College, graduate and professional school students. View this list for the most current off-campus works study positions.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The 2008 Public and Social Service Immersion Camp
Mutisya Leonard, Staff Writer

The University of Chicago’s Career Advising and Planning Services (CAPS) and the University Community Service Center will host the annual Public and Social Service Immersion Camp (PASS) Saturday, October 25^th, 10.00am through 4.00pm, at the Ida Noyes Third Floor Theatre. “It’s a one day intensive career explorative activity… collecting a broad range of representatives from what we call public interest and social service work,” said Shayna Plaut, Assistant Director, Employer Relations at CAPS. “And these are huge categories, encompassing direct service, advocacy, community organizing and government policy work, even to the municipal level. PASS showcases this variety to hone in on the particular skills needed in a career industry whose central motive is change – working to negotiate a better social environment.”

Max Brooks, Assistant Director for Undergraduate Preparation at CAPS says that, “domestic and international nonprofits, and government agencies don't frequent campuses to recruit the way that banks and consulting firms do and students seeking these careers need to engage in a more independent job search. CAPS and UCSC recognize that, and we know that it's critical to provide students tools to navigate that search process. PASS is a big part of those educational efforts. Even for students not clear about their public service interests, PASS is a great way to be familiar with the protocol of non-profit work, and to take the first steps towards deciding whether or not public interest work is a good fit.”

A special highlight for the event is the keynote address from Prexy Nesbitt. Nesbitt, who coincidentally shares a College alma mater with Plaut and grew up in the South Side, brings to his address a long history of global activism, academia, and thought. “He’s an authority in the anti-apartheid process, PanAfrican social movements and has, as an academic, frequently brought his transnational involvements to classrooms, creating new leaders in public interest work,” Plaut explained.

PASS also features break-out sessions that have small working groups examine community organizing, policy and advocacy, development and fundraising, outreach and training, direct service and non-profit consulting. Groups will include professionals in their respective areas facilitating discussions that reveal the skills needed to excel in public interest work. There will also be networking opportunities and an informational interviewing component. Altogether, this should work to have students realize “the network they already have here, and how they could best utilize it”.

At least fifty students RSVPed to the event. Udodi Okoh, a third year in the College, majoring in History and Public Policy Studies, and the CSRSO Program Manager at UCSC, says of her RSVP: “I am interested in attending the PASS because it provides a space to interact with influential leaders in public and non-profit work. Oftentimes, it is not clear how one interested in civic engagement can apply their U of C education in improving society, and make money while at it. Saturday though, offers such an opportunity.”

Brooks expects “students to leave with more questions than they arrived with, but with a better understanding of where to find the answers.” “Some participants will walk in the door knowing exactly what they want to do with their careers, and this will be an opportunity for them to get closer to that goal,” he says. “But for most, this is a chance to expand their horizons, realize new ways of accomplishing their professional aspirations, and get energized about the job and internship search process.” At a conclusion of a phone interview Plaut said “the humanitarian qualities of public interest work demand a unique kind of creativity, and abilities of multiple reinventedness. PASS is a great opportunity to engage this idea. It’s not a career fair – let me make it clear – it’s not a career fair at all.”

The University Community Service Center (UCSC) fosters the development of civic-minded students by providing substantive community service opportunities through community partnerships based on mutual trust and respect. If you have questions - how to get involved as a student or how to connect to students as a community organization - please contact us.

University Community Service Center

5525 S. Ellis Ave., Suite 160

Chicago IL, 60637

Tel: 773.753.4483

Fax: 773.834.1160

ucsc.uchicago.edu

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Events

*Volunteer Opportunities

*Internships, Jobs, and Beyond...

*In the Spotlight, Volunteering: Behind the Myth

EVENTS
Healthcare Info Session

Wednesday, October 15

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

UCSC Conference Room

5525 S. Ellis Ave. (Across from Ratner, south side of Ellis Parking Garage)

Come hear presentations by coordinators of volunteer programs at local healthcare organizations.Tutoring Info SessionThursday, October 166:00 PM - 7:00 PMUCSC Conference Room5525 S. Ellis Ave. (Across from Ratner, south side of Ellis Parking Garage)Come hear presentations by Directors of tutoring programs at local organizations.

Tutoring Info Session

Thursday, October 16

6:00PM-7:00PM

UCSC Conference Room5525 S. Ellis Ave. (Across from Ratner, south side of Ellis Parking Garage)

Come hear presentations by Directors of tutoring programs at local organizations.

Youth and Civic Engagement
Saturday, October 18
6:00 AM airing on WCIU (Channel 26)
Allen Linton II, UCSC Communications Coordinator, discusses UCSC programs, and the importance of youth involvement in civic engagement on Channel 26's "26 N. Halsted".

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Haunted House and Family Festival
Friday-Sunday October 24th-26th, 2008
Wicker Park
Volunteer to help out at a fun-filled festival run by UofC alums! Volunteer to do face painting, ticket-taking, magic tricks, game supervising, and much more. For more info contact Dana Kroop.

INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, AND BEYOND...
Federal Work Study (Off-Campus)
UCSC seeks out and posts part-time and summer work-study positions with Chicago area nonprofit and public sector organizations. Opportunities are geared toward identified interests and skills of our College, graduate and professional school students. View this list for the most current off-campus works study positions.

Public and Social Service Immersion Camp (PASS)
Saturday, October 25, 2008

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Ida Noyes Hall
Interested in a career in public or social service? UCSC partners with Career Advising & Planning Services (CAPS) to offer PASS - a one day program that introduces students interested in public service, social service and non-profit careers to alumni and organization representatives working in these fields. Come have your questions answered and learn more about internship, career or graduate school options relating to the fields of public and social service in this all day immersion camp. Students are required to sign up for this event before it occurs. For questions, contact Max Brooks.


IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Volunteering: Behind the Myth
Klara Scharnagl, Staff Writer

Volunteering, to some, can appear to be a huge time commitment. The reality is that hundreds of students have taken advantage of the flexibility that one-time or long-term volunteer opportunities offer. Not everyone can afford the same level of time commitment to service projects over the academic year. Similarly, we each possess individual interests that need not be isolated from volunteering. In a recent interview Trudi Langendorf and Savannah Felix, who oversee volunteer referrals, debunk the myths of volunteering.

How does a referral begin?
There are two basic ways. One option is to visit ucsc.uchicago.edu and fill out a form in the ‘Volunteer Opportunities’ section; we then follow up with you about your inquiry. The other option is that you can walk-in or schedule an appointment to meet with us. Through conversation and exploration, the process is designed to match you with the perfect fit for a rewarding and workable experience. One of the advantages of this is that we can help anyone find a volunteer opportunity within their interest and availability.

So, why not just search a database for volunteer opportunities?
Each prospective volunteer is a unique and dynamic individual. There is no set mold. We’re here to help you find the best fit, to help you think through your options, and we are dedicated to promoting and nurturing your shared passion for engagement in the community.

Where do people volunteer?
We have developed relationships with hundreds of community organizations, in fields ranging from literacy, to LGBTQ issues, from health care to homelessness, environmental issues and more. We know of volunteer opportunities available in Hyde Park as well as across the Chicago area. Ideally, we would like to match you with volunteer opportunities in a way that provides you a new perspective to complement your academic study.

What happens next, after a match is made?
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, you contact the organization(s) to make an appointment or informational interview and get your foot in the door; from there you decide if you like what you see. We’re available to support you making the first contact.

And what can I do if my interests shift direction?
We’re here to help you to try something that might work out better for your lifestyle, personality, or schedule. Occasionally in the volunteering process, a stumbling block is reached. We’re happy to talk it through with you; walk-in or schedule an appointment to meet with us.

Any last words of advice?
Yes: once you get involved in the process, keep in touch! Not only are we interested in your progress, but it’s important for you to talk about your experiences with folks who have been through it – you never know what you might discover!

The University Community Service Center (UCSC) fosters the development of civic-minded students by providing substantive community service opportunities through community partnerships based on mutual trust and respect. If you have questions - how to get involved as a student or how to connect to students as a community organization - please contact us.

University Community Service Center
5525 S. Ellis Ave., Suite 160
Chicago IL, 60637
Tel: 773.753.4483
Fax: 773.834.1160
ucsc.uchicago.edu

CSRSO's Hit the Ground Running

IN THIS ISSUE:
*Events
*Volunteer Opportunities
*Internships, Jobs, and Beyond...
*In the Spotlight: CSRSO's

Photo credit: Partnership for the Advancement of Refugee Rights

Brooke Fallon, Chairperson of PARR's Committee on Community Service speaks to students during an information session.

EVENTS
Healthcare Info Session
Wednesday, October 15
6:00 PM-7:00PM
UCSC Conference Room
5525 S. Ellis Ave. (Across from Ratner, south side of Ellis Parking Garage)
Come hear presentations by coordinators of volunteer programs at local healthcare organizations.

Tutoring Info Session
Thursday, October 16
6:00PM-7:00PM
UCSC Conference Room
5525 S. Ellis Ave. (Across from Ratner, south side of Ellis Parking Garage)
Come hear presentations by Directors of tutoring programs at local organizations.

African Women in America Conference
“The Voice of African Children: The Mission of Women”
October 17 – 18, 2008 @ Loyola University Chicago

All women and men who are interested in learning more about human rights and quality of life issues related to women and children in Africa are invited to attend, including: women’s professional and service organization leaders, business executives, ministers and religious groups, foundation directors, NGO board members, education administrators, medical professionals, politicians, lawyers, social workers, researchers, student service leaders, human rights advocates and community leaders.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference

The Hyde Park Used Book Sale is October 11-13, and volunteers are needed to sort through donations before the sale setup on Friday, October 10. If you don't want to sort, volunteers are also needed to pack boxes with sorted books, and some muscle power to move those boxes to the staging area. Contact Jane Ciacci or Jane Comiskey at 773.324.0750.

Comer Children's Hospital

Comer Kids' Classic 5K Run/Walk and Kids' Dash needs volunteers for Saturday, Oct. 18th from 8 am to 1 pm. Volunteer opportunities include: *Registration *Information and Directional Greeters *Packet Pick up *Water Stations *Course Marshals *Gear Check *Finish Line *Post Event Refreshments *Clean up. Please email Dawn Brown or call 773.702.7529.

Blue Gargoyle Community Services
On October 26, 2008 Blue Gargoyle Community Services is holding the 26th Running of the Gargoyle Gallop 8k race and looking for volunteers to help with registration, course management and other assignments as needed. If you are interested in volunteering please email Kathy Barrett or call 773-955-4108 ext. 320.

Inspiration Corporation

Inspiration Corporation helps people who are affected by homelessness and poverty to improve their lives and increase self-sufficiency through the provision of social services, employment training and placement, and housing. General Volunteer Orientations are required for all new volunteers. They are scheduled twice a month at Inspiration Cafe, 4554 N. Broadway Suite 305 and once a month at The Living Room Cafe, 806 E. 64th Street. The next available volunteer orientations are:
October 9 Inspiration Cafe 6-7pm
October 25 Inspiration Cafe 10-11am
October 25 Living Room Cafe 1-2pm
November 6 Inspiration Cafe 6-7pm
November 15 Inspiration Cafe 10-11am
November 15 Living Room Cafe 1-2pm

INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, AND BEYOND...

Public and Social Service Immersion Camp (PASS)

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Ida Noyes Hall

Interested in a career in public or social service? UCSC partners with Career Advising & Planning Services (CAPS) to offer PASS. Attend panel discussions on topics including Community Organizing, Policy and Advocacy and Non-Profit Consulting. Learn more about opportunities available in the public service field and networking with non-profit professionals. Come have your questions answered and learn more about internship, career or graduate school options relating to the fields of public and social service in this all day immersion camp. Students are required to sign up for this event before it occurs. For questions, contact Max Brooks.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

CSRSO's Hit the Ground Running

Rachel Cromidas, Staff Writer

When first-year Tiera Johnson attended the RSO Fair on Oct. 3, she was overwhelmed by the number of diverse community service organizations to chose from.

“I knew I wanted to do a volunteer program that had to with kids,” Johnson said.

In the end, she joined Friends of Washington Park, an after-school tutoring group that works with children in kindergarten through ninth grade at the School of Social Service Administration (SSA).

UCSC advises nearly 50 community service-related Registered Student Organizations (known as CSRSOs), and more than a dozen of them involve tutoring students from around Chicago. Johnson said she chose to join Friends of Washington Park because the program allows volunteers to work with students of many different ages.

Friends of Washington Park is run by Chicago Youth Programs, a non-profit organization serving at-risk youth in Cabrini Green, Washington Park and Uptown. The program pairs each tutor with one student for the entire year to foster a one-on-one learning environment and create lasting bonds between the programs participants. The program meets every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 6:30 p.m., and often schedules weekend activities, such as a trip to the Midway ice skating rink, for tutors and their students.

For Andrew Seeder, a fourth-year and co-president of Friends of Washington Park Tutoring , the program has helped him stay in touch with the “real world” during his time at the college.

“There’s more to being 18 to 22 years old than studying for your next midterm,” Seeder said. “Even though this might not relate to my class on Nietszche, I still get an education here.”

Seeder, a Tutorial Studies major, joined the program as a first year and immediately developed a rapport with his tutee, Marquis. “He became a part of my life.”

Malika Krishna, also co-president, shares Seeder’s sentiment about the co-curricular value of their CSRSO.

“I’m an economics major, so a lot of stuff I do is quantitative. It’s nice to come here and get in touch with why we’re doing all that.”

Other mentoring CSRSOs include WYSE, a curriculum-based program that pairs female college students with girls in middle school from Little Village; South Side Scribblers, an organization that teaches creative writing to elementary school students in Hyde Park; Peer Health Exchange and Project Health—both of which are branches of national non-profits and mobilize Uchicago students to educate Chicago’s underserved populations about the health resources available to them.

UChicago students with an interest in policy-making and prevention also have a panoply of options, from environmental groups like Green Awareness in Action (GAIA), to the UChicago branch of Colleges against Cancer, which is planning to host the college’s first 24-hour Relay for Life fundraiser for cancer research this Spring.

One such CSRSO is the Partnership for the Advancement of Refugee Rights (PARR). This new student group, formed in winter of 2008, is engaging human rights issues by connecting UChicago students with Chicago’s refugee community.

According to Aruj Chaudhry, the founding chair and president, PARR is a great organization for students in “all facets of refugee rights work.” This is because PARR is organized into three committees: a Committee on Global Vigilance, a Committee on Community Service, and a Committee on Advocacy and Activism, all of which will work on different projects, Chaudhry, a fourth-year, said.

The Committee on Community Service, for example, is planning to partner students with World Relief, a refugee center offering resettlement aid and legal services, and lead visits to refugees’ homes.

“We will also go up north to do some ESL tutoring,” Chaudhry said. “We want to involve the University community in global and local issues.”

One important aspect of the program, she added, is shared leadership. “Everyone has a chance to lead the meetings. Our mission is mutual education.”

The University Community Service Center (UCSC) fosters the development of civic-minded students by providing substantive community service opportunities through community partnerships based on mutual trust and respect. If you have questions - how to get involved as a student or how to connect to students as a community organization - please contact us.

University Community Service Center

5525 S. Ellis Ave., Suite 160

Chicago IL, 60637

Tel: 773.753.4483

Fax: 773.834.1160

ucsc.uchicago.edu

1,500 hours of service: '08-'09 Experience Chicago Through Service

IN THIS ISSUE:
*Events
*Volunteer Opportunities
*Internships, Jobs, and Beyond...
*In the Spotlight

500 first years gave up to 1,500 hours of service last Saturday afternoon, at more than 20 sites around the South side of Chicago.

Photo Credit: David Hays

EVENTS
Literacy Works Benefit
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
7:30 PM
57th Street Books, 1301 E. 57th St., Chicago
Join Literacy Works at 57th St. Books for a stimulating evening with Rick Perlstein (AB '92), author of Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America. Requested donation is $10, with proceeds benefiting Literacy Works. Literacy Works promotes adult literacy and family literacy in Chicago through training to volunteer tutors, unique workshops for adult literacy students, and an array of services that strengthen community-based adult and family literacy programs.

Student Activities and Resource Fair
Friday, October 3, 2008
3:00 - 6:00 PM
Main Quad

The leadership, teamwork and organizational skills that you can develop from being involved in a RSO can benefit both you and the larger community. Join UCSC and our nearly 50 Community Service Recognized Student Organizations (CSRSO's), as well as over 200 other student organizations and many University offices.

Chicago Studies: South Side History Bike Tour

Saturday, October 4, 2008
10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Bartlett Quad

The College and UCSC kick-off the Chicago Studies Program with the South Side History Bike Ride. Participants will take the “road less traveled” through historic neighborhoods. Get a first-hand look at historic Bronzeville, sneak a peek at the residence of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley, admire the rugged limestone Union Stock Yard Gate, and learn about the Settlement House movement at the Jane Addams Hull House Museum. Tour guides include John W. Boyer, Dean of the College; Terry Nichols Clark, Professor in Sociology; and J. Mark Hansen, Dean of the Social Sciences Division.

Chicago Conference on Human Rights

Saturday, October 4, 2008
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (registration at 9:30 AM)

DePaul University - Student Center, 2250 North Sheffield Street, Chicago

Join local NGOs, students and faculty from DePaul University, Columbia College, Roosevelt University and Harold Washington College for a day of speakers and workshops covering racial discrimination, poverty, inequality, housing, police brutality and more. Journalists and others will speak from 2:45 to 4 p.m. during a "Telling Your Social Justice Story from a Human Rights Frame" panel discussion.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Hyde Park Food Pantry

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

8:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Hyde Park Union Church, 5600 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago

Volunteers are needed for the unloading of food for the Hyde Park Food Pantry. When there are enough volunteers, the work goes fast and takes only 20-40 minutes; when there aren't enough it is a real drag! Please contact Jay Mulberry (773-288-1242) for instructions. The Pantry distributes emergency supplies and groceries to residents living between 39th and 60th, Cottage to the lake.

Chicago Humanities Festival

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Chicago Humanities Festival needs your help! This year, they have organized 15 incredible events in Hyde Park on Saturday, October 11. *Work alongside leading thinkers and performers, share your passion for the humanities, and help bring outstanding cultural programming to your community. *Volunteers needed to greet and usher patrons, manage crowds, and sell tickets at Festival events. *Work 3-5 hour shifts, based on your availability. *In addition to an invaluable behind-the-scenes Festival experience, all volunteers receive free Festival tickets. Download and print the form and email to Dana Lambert (312-661-1028 ext. 21).

INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, AND BEYOND...

Federal Work Study (Off-Campus)

UCSC seeks out and posts part-time and summer work-study positions with Chicago area nonprofit and public sector organizations. Opportunities are geared toward identified interests and skills of our College, graduate and professional school students. View this list for the most current off-campus works study positions.

Public and Social Service Immersion Camp (PASS)

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Ida Noyes Hall

Interested in a career in public or social service? UCSC partners with Career Advising & Planning Services (CAPS) to offer PASS - a one day program that introduces students interested in public service, social service and non-profit careers to alumni and organization representatives working in these fields. Come have your questions answered and learn more about internship, career or graduate school options relating to the fields of public and social service in this all day immersion camp. Students are required to sign up for this event before it occurs. For questions, contact Shayna Plaut .

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

1,500 hours of service: '08-'09 Experience Chicago Through Service

Mutisya Leonard, Staff Writer

500 first years gave up to 1,500 hours of service last Saturday afternoon, at more than 20 sites around the South side of Chicago. Now in its third year, Experience Chicago Through Service (ECTS) continues to attract a growing number of first-years to service during O-Week. “The size of this event makes me much happier about being at the U of C,” said Allison Ross, a third year in the College and ECTS volunteer team leader.

For a number of students, ECTS was another good way to get their hands dirty and make some friends. ECTS made explicit the cohesiveness within the University community, but also between the University and the city. From purging files away at La Rabida to rolling walls with paint at St. Thomas the Apostle, Deneen Elementary and Reavis School, there was a generous array of service projects.

At the Day’s preflection address, David Kay, Executive Director of METROsquash, called new students to consider committing some of their time beyond the day’s activities in continually re-engaging their education with the sometimes-beset urban system that is Chicago. Kay also supervised one of UChicago teams visiting his site later in the day.

Upon arriving at the Partners In Community Building Inc. site some students were at first bowled over. “We were painting the doors, cleaning windows, and completely organizing a basement for homebound elderly,” said Caroline Weisser, a fourth year in the College. “Discussing among ourselves most of us acknowledged though [that our work] made a real tangible difference. The home repairs, small for us, make the lives of these women easier for a considerable time.” The visit not only introduced the team to the Burnside neighborhood which they may not have otherwise visited casually, but also, Weisser added, “[it provided for] fun conversation between generations and across community lines.”

What Megha Shankar, a second year in the College, finds most pleasing about direct service is its immediacy. Reflecting on her team’s painting activities at Deneen Elementary, Shankar said, “We came in, painted the classroom, and immediately saw the positive consequence of our service.” “Education is such an important aspect of empowerment for youth,” added Shankar, “and the fact that all of us share that need for empowerment makes volunteering in education appealing and significant.”

Dorothy Pytel, garden organizer at Brickyard Community Garden, wrote, “We love your service days! They motivate our own gardeners to come out and work. Five of our gardeners came out, and a group of six U of C students came. Together we turned our huge three-bin compost system, weeded all of the pathways and spread about two-thirds of a truckload of woodchips. Wonderful results for a mere three hours of work by a group of twelve!”

The University Community Service Center (UCSC) fosters the development of civic-minded students by providing substantive community service opportunities through community partnerships based on mutual trust and respect. If you have questions - how to get involved as a student or how to connect to students as a community organization - please contact us.

University Community Service Center

5525 S. Ellis Ave., Suite 160

Chicago IL, 60637

Tel: 773.753.4483

Fax: 773.834.1160