IN THIS ISSUE:
*Events
*Volunteer Opportunities
*Internships, Jobs, and Beyond...
*In the Spotlight: Federal Work Study
EVENTS
Panel on Public School Funding
Thursday, January 22
5:00pm-7:00pm
Swift Hall, 3rd Floor
Presentation and discussion of collective reports by Catalyst Chicago and the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability on public school funding formulas in Illinois and the resulting inequities across school districts. Prof. Charles Payne will serve as the moderator and Ralph Martiere (Center for Tax and Budget Accountability) will give the initial presentation along with Al Sharp (Protestants for the Common Good).
Launch Your Career as a Peace Corps Volunteer: Information Session
Thursday, January 22
6:00pm-7:30pm
Ida Noyes Hall – 2nd Floor (East Lounge)
University of Chicago held on to its No. 1 spot on the Peace Corps’ top 25 list of small schools producing Peace Corps Volunteers. With 35 alumni currently serving as Peace Corps Volunteers, University of Chicago is at the top of the ranking in its category for the second year in a row. Take this opportunity to meet local returned Peace Corps volunteers who lived and worked in international communities, hear their inspiring stories, and ask questions about being a member of the Peace Corps.
Mercy Housing Front’s Homeless Count
Tuesday, January 27
7:00pm
4946 N Sheridan
Mercy Housing Front is gathering volunteers for an accurate count of homeless people throughout Chicago; the figures from these counts determine allocations for homeless resources. The training session is at 7pm and the counting will occur around 1am. For more information, contact Steph at slane@mercyhousing.org
Post Graduation Volunteer Dinner
Wednesday, January 28
6:00pm
Calvert House, 5735 University Avenue
Join Calvert House for an informational dinner on domestic and international post-graduate service opportunities. Representatives from several faith-based organizations will talk about their programs and their volunteer experiences. For more information, contact Laura at llecompte@uchicago.edu.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
The Campaign for better Health Care is seeking students interested in being Health Care Helpline Volunteers. Volunteers will be asked to assist callers in connecting them to health care providers, data base entries, organize resources, etc. For more information, contact Quekan Ibidunni at qibidunni@cbhconline.org or 312.913.9449.
The University of Chicago Folk Festival is seeking volunteers, and has been entirely volunteer run since 1961! As a volunteer, you get to help make the 49th Folk Festival, February 6-8, 2009, a truly fantastic event, listen to some excellent traditional music, and volunteers get a FREE TICKET to a festival performance for every three hours worked. Help of all kinds is needed, including stage and sound crew, CD vending, ushering, selling cookies, and schlepping. All of this takes place on the University of Chicago campus, at Ida Noyes Hall or the Reynolds Club. To volunteer, please visit: http://uofcfolk.org/2009/Volunteer2009.html, or email: folkfestvolunteers@googlemail.com .
Jumpstart AmeriCorps is a non-profit organization that pairs college students with preschool aged children in low socio-economic communities nationwide to give them one-on-one support in developmental literacy and language that is not often provided in low-income preschools. If interested contact Moriah Bailey Stephenson at Mstephe9@depaul.edu or via phone at (405)203-3675.
In January 2009, the Food Depository will participate in Feeding America’s National Hunger Study, Hunger in America 2009, a nation-wide hunger study that will be the most comprehensive study on hunger in the world. They need reliable, adult volunteers who can commit to a training session (multiple training sessions will be available at the end of January), and can visit at least two agencies over a three-month period. E-mail now to volunteer.
Murray Language Academy is seeking students interested in tutoring kids during the "Homework Club" program, which is Monday-Friday 2:30-3:30pm. Also looking for students willing to share their passion (art, singing, journalism, etc.) with their students (these types of enrichment programs occur Monday-Friday between 4:00pm and 6:00pm.). If interested, contact Megham Freytag at (773)619-0408 or Megham_Freytag@YMCACHGO.org
INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, AND BEYOND...
2009 Humanity in Action Fellowship
The HIA Fellowship brings together university students from the United States and Europe for a rigorous, interdisciplinary inquiry into human rights, diversity, and minority issues. Students participate in the five-week fellowship in one of six different countries: Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, or the United States. Upon completing the fellowship, Fellows join an active international network of young professionals and are eligible for internship opportunities at the United States Congress, European Parliament, International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and other civic and political institutions. Check out humanityinaction.org
SPN/IHS Koch Summer Fellow Program
Due: 1-31-2009
SPN/IHS Koch Summer Fellow Program at the Illinois Policy Institute offers a 10 week program featuring workshops in career building and policy analysis at James Madison University in Virginia and the Illinois Policy Institute here in Chicago. Fellowship compensates for travel costs and offers a $1,500 stipend. For more information and an application visit the Institute for Humane Studies website.
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/.
The Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC), a prospective International Baccalaureate school that offers a relevant, engaging, and challenging educational program, is seeking interns to assist with fundraising development. The internship requires students to research donors, compile a database, and manage fundraisers. Compensation is included. Email resume and cover letter to: sarahelizabeth@agcchicago.org.
Jeff Metcalf Fellowships are up on line - over 150 Jeff Metcalf Fellowship positions are posted on Chicago Career Connections and many more are sure to come. The Jeff Metcalf Fellowship Program provides University of Chicago 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students the opportunity to spend the summer learning by doing. You will be paid a minimum of $10/hours for 400 hours of work. Deadlines for Metcalfs run from early January through mid February.
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
Federal Work Study: A Balance Between Academics and Exposure
Klara Scharnagl, Staff Writer
Why Work/Study? For the civically-minded student, there is no question.
Federal work study employment is one of many programs run through the University Community Service Center. Under the direction of David Hays, it provides an opportunity for both Undergraduate and Graduate students of the University to work with nonprofit and public sector organizations throughout the Chicago area.
According to Hays, the students who pursue these work study positions are generally civically minded and enthusiastic to engage in the community. Of the program itself, Hays said, “work study gives you a real world experience in substantive work,” while still pursuing a University education.
The Blue Gargoyle, a family learning organization whose mission is to “assist children, adults and families in developing the skills and confidence necessary to become independent and self-reliant in today's increasingly competitive society,” employs many of our work study employees. Of those engaged in working with children at the center, Sherri Hayden of the Blue Gargoyle said, “We think they are excellent. They are committed, full of ideas, and flexible, which is important when you are working with children. Unlike others we might employ, the work study students are able to shift on a dime, yet they are also ever-present and enthusiastic.”
Another organization, La Rabida Children’s Hospital, focuses not only on the medical needs, but also on the developmental and emotional needs of children with chronic illnesses and disabilities. They too employ a number of our work study employees, though unlike many other work study positions, the times required are strictly structured: two days a week, four hours each day at specified times. Judy Blakemore, who works with these work study employees, says that given such a rigid structure, she is very impressed with how extremely reliable they are. Blakemore has worked with seven or eight different students over the years, and she says the work study experience has gone “wonderfully.” Of the students, Blakemore said, “They’ve all been great, possessing many more strengths than weaknesses.” In addition, the students “have taken a real interest in the patients they tutor, and work well with the student volunteers as well as the families of the patients.” Overall, it is a very enriching experience for patient and work study student alike.
A third organization to which many of our work study employees are directed is STRIVE tutoring at Ellis Avenue Church, where positive relations between work study tutors and children from the community have been going on for fifteen years. The STRIVE program provides essential tutoring for children who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford or get tutoring. Paula Hatfield, the director of the STRIVE, says that the work study students are “responsible, and good workers.” In addition, tutors’ wide gamut of backgrounds (Divinity School, SSA, History majors and the like) actually works to the advantage of the program. Work study employees are able to tailor their own studies and expertise to what the students need to learn. According to Hatfield, there are a greater number of Graduate students in the program this year, bringing a nicer, more mature element to the dynamic enthusiasm brought by all work study students.
Though most students come into the work study program out of necessity, through UCSC and these nonprofit organizations, these students are able to find fulfilling and enriching work by fulfilling and enriching the lives of others; thus forming strong and lasting relations within the broader Chicago community.
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
