IN THIS ISSUE:
*Events
*Volunteer Opportunities
*Internships, Jobs, and Beyond...
*In the Spotlight, Real Men Do Real Service
EVENTS
A Tent of Hope
Monday Nov. 17th – Tuesday Nov. 24th
10:00am – 3:00pm
The Hutchinson Courtyard
The African and Caribbean Students Association (ACSA) and Partnership for the Advancement of Refugee Rights (PARR) host an University of Chicago fundraising initiative that draws attention to the genocide in Darfur through decorating a canvas refugee tent at the Hutchinson Courtyard. The tent will be set on display for community members to paint/sign on messages of hope. The tents will then be shipped to Darfur as a new temporary home for a family afflicted by the shelter crisis. Direct any additional questions to aruj@uchicago.edu
Teach-in Honoring the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Thursday, November 20
3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
McCormick Lounge, Reynolds Club, 1135 E. 57th Street
As part of the world-wide celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the University of Chicago Human Rights Program will present a teach-in on Thursday, November 20, 2008. Chicago faculty and students present historical, theoretical, and practical perspectives on the context and legacy of the UDHR.
Watoto Wa Mitaani: Children of the Streets
Thursday, November 20
6:00pm
5710 South Woodlawn
The Liwalo Na Liwe Foundation & The African and Caribbean Students' Association present a film that explores the experience of 5 street children in Tanzania, Africa followed by discussion from film maker Michael Stewart. Free Senegalese food from Yassa will be provided.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
UCSC Presents the Autumn Day of Service
Saturday, November 22
8:00am-1:30pm; Registration begins at 8:00am
Meet at the Reynolds Club
It will be an opportunity to meet new people, see Chicago, and engage in the great work that hunger-related organizations are doing around the city. Please RSVP by email to Brooke Fallon at bfallon@uchicago.edu or ucsc@uchicago.edu with Attn: Brooke in subject line.
High School chemistry tutors needed for afternoon 1-on-1 sessions. If there is anyone who is willing to assist in this area, please contact Ms. Brazelton at 312-886-0396.
The Dearborn REALTIST Board, an advocate for education concerning public housing matters ensuring Democracy in Housing for all. They are looking for any direction in obtaining volunteer assistance in updating their current website, www.dearbornreb.com. Please contact Tracey Taylor at 312-980-5182.
November is Chicago Arab Heritage Month and the city is hosting many events throughout November. For information about these events, check out http://www.chicagoarabheritage.com.
Family Focus Englewood is looking for volunteers who can assist with the design and construction of the Children's Peace Statue. They can specifically use art, architecture, engineering, and interior design majors or just anyone who is willing to volunteer their time to make a difference in the community. For more information, contact Mary E. Usdrowski at 773-962-0366 extension: 213.
Common Threads, a non profit organization that runs an after school cooking program for children throughout the city of Chicago, is looking for volunteers who are willing to devote a few hours, once a week for their 12-week program. Cooking experience is not required but they are looking for individuals who enjoy working with children and are committed to making a difference in their community. For more information e-mail Elsa Soto at intern@commonthreads.org.
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 or 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 Patricia Flax at patricia.flax-hatch@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.
Echoing Green Fellowship
Due: 12-01-2008
Awards two-year fellowships to emerging social innovators with innovative ideas for creating new models for tackling seemingly unsolvable social challenges. Individuals: up to $30,000/year for two years. Partnerships: up to $45,000/ year for two years. For more information, visit: http://www.echoinggreen.org/fellowship
Global Engagement Summer Institute 2009
Due: 1-15-2009
The Global Engagement Summer Institute (GESI) is a two-course summer study abroad program focused on community development in a global context and will send 60 students to La Plata, Argentina; Udaipur, India; or Jinja, Uganda. For more information, visit www.mycge.org or contact Ryan Pederson (ryan-pederson@northwestern.edu).
Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship
Due: 02-15-2009
Sponsors six-to-nine month fellowships for recent college graduates (including graduate students) in Washington, DC. Fellows serve as full-time junior staff members working on peace and security issues, at participating organizations. Includes a stipend of $2,100 per month and health insurance, plus travel expenses to Washington DC. For more information: http://scoville.org/.
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
Real Men Do Real Service
Rachel Cromidas, Staff Writer
Fourth-year Luke Rodehorst has a busy weekend ahead of him: from Thursday to Sunday he will be teaching reading skills to local elementary school boys, serving dinner at the Living Room Café, and leading a Day of Service team. But this community service-heavy schedule comes as no surprise for Rodehorst—after all, he is the director of Men in Service.
According to Rodehorst, Men in Service is unique among the University Community Service Center’s fourteen student-run programs because its chief goal is to encourage more University men to engage in service opportunities. As such, Men in Service members make monthly trips to a number of Chicago non-profits, for example the Living Room Café, where they serve a meal during the organization’s “sober living hours” and spend time talking and watching movies with its community members.
This coming Thursday, the men are also volunteering for Real Men Read, a Chicago Public Schools program that places men in elementary schools to promote reading.
“A lot of times kids in the school thing reading isn’t a cool thing to do, especially for guys. So MIS decided to take part in that,” said Rodehorst.
According to Rodehorst, one of MIS’s strengths is the programs ability to translate the members’ ideas into real projects.
“If somebody sees something in the community or an issue, we can rally together to create a program that address that need,” he said.
One example is the college prep program MIS implemented last spring at Hail Franciscan, a local all-boys high school. The school was looking for male role models to encourage their students, Rodehorst said, and MIS was a good fit.
For fourth-year Chris Hansman, the best part of being a member of MIS is spending time at the Living Room Café on a regular basis.
“While it is exciting to go off and do a service project for a few hours or a day, you often never really interact with those people again,” he said. “The Living Room Café is close by, so we interact with the same people and start to develop a relationship with them. It feels like you’re making connections with real people.”
In addition to MIS’s core group of members, the group routinely partners with the University’s male sports teams, fraternities and other undergraduate and graduate organizations to create service project experiences. Hansman remembers one trip MIS took with twenty other students to clean up a beach on the Northside.
“I had a really good time because we all went out together, got really dirty and even convinced the bus driver to stop at Chipotle on the way back—there was a lot of camaraderie.”
Luke Rodehorst would encourage any man on campus to join the group for a service project: “If they’re down to do some service, they should get in touch.”
Rodehorst can be contacted at lsr@uchicago.edu.
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
