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




SAVE THE DATE: 12th Annual Volunteer Recognition Reception
Monday, May 18th 2009
AVRR brings together community partners, students, faculty, staff, and administration to celebrate the hard-work, dedication and exemplary service in the community throughout this academic year. Nominations are now open for the following awards:
• President’s Volunteer Service Award
• Perry Herst Prize
• Faculty Service Award
• Staff Service Award
• CSRSO Award
• Turkington House Award
• Community Partner Award
Visit ucsc.uchicago.edu for award descriptions, eligibility and nomination forms.

EVENTS
Dance Marathon Study Break
Thursday, February 26
8:00-10:00pm
Hutch Commons
Last Dance Marathon Study Break of the year before the event on April 25th! Come get FREE FOOD from Jimmy John's and learn about how you can dance to make a difference. Includes a special speaker from the Children's Place Association and free goodies for our already signed-up dancers. Don't miss out!

5710 One Year Anniversary Celebration
Thursday, February 26
4:30-10:00pm
5710 S. Woodlawn
Celebrate 5710’s first full year of operation with RSO presentations, speakers, movies, games and wholesome fun. Following the cake cutting ceremony, programming includes various entertainment hosted by F.I.E.R.C.E., M.E.Ch.A., the Organization of Latin American Students, and the Organization of Black Students.

Founding Mothers and Fathers of Black History
Friday, February 27
8:30pm
Reynolds Club (McCormick Tribune Lounge)
PAECE (Performing Arts for Civic Education) hosts Black History Month performances featuring students from the University of Chicago, PAECE, and Woodlawn Charter School. Refreshments provided by Edwardo’s Pizza.

2009 Student Activist Conference
Saturday, February 28
10:30am-3:30pm
Ida Noyes Hall, Library/Lounge
Featuring a conversation with Bill Ayers on activism and education, the 2009 Student Activist Conference will bring together activists who pursue social change through a variety of vocations including education, art, religion, sex-work, and law. Panels include: Sex Workers Outreach Project Chicago, People's Law Office, Chicago New Sanctuary Coalition, and the South Chicago Art Center. RSVP to hwjacoby@uchicago.edu

Invisible Children Movie Screening
Tuesday, March 3
7:00pm
International House Assembly Hall (1414 E. 59th St)
The RSO Invisible Children, which works to raise awareness and funds for child
soldiers in Northern Uganda, will be welcoming the roadies from Invisible Children
on March 3rd at 7pm. The roadies will be screening their newest documentary and
discussing a nation wide day of awareness for child soldiers.

Info session for Urban Teacher Education Program
Wednesday, March 4
6:00pm-7:00pm
University Community Service Center – conference room (5525 S. Ellis Avenue)
If you want to hear from someone who has logged more than 40 years in and around schools about the incredible rewards of teaching in general and urban education in particular, this is the event for you. Stop by for pizza, conversation about the Urban Teacher Education program, and insight regarding Chicago Public Schools. **Please RSVP to Marv Hoffman: mhoffman@uchicago.edu**

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteers are needed Tuesday, March 3rd for unloading food for the Hyde Park Food Pantry (Hyde Park Union Church, 5600 S. Woodlawn Ave). 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 UC Comer Hospital Pediatric Mobile Unit is looking volunteers to help team members improve access to primary care for children and teens in communities on the Southside of Chicago. Volunteers will assist in facilitating patient flow, improve patient compliance, and classroom and Health Education classes. To find out more about this opportunity, contact Dr. Icy Cade-Bell at icade@peds.bsd.uchicago.edu.


INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, AND BEYOND...
Due: 02-28-2009
Nourish International is inviting you to be a part of the solution to global poverty by applying for our Chapter Founders Program. Nourish is accepting applications for its Chapter Founders Program and selecting students from 10 campuses across the country to receive professional training, support and $500 start-up capital. To start your application, go to http://www.nourishinternational.org/founders/nominate.php

Due: 03-09-2009
The Dr. Aizik Wolf Post-Baccalaureate Fellowship in Human Rights will fund one year of work, after graduation, at a non-governmental organization, government agency, or international body dedicated to human rights. The award consists of a $24,000 stipend for 12 months of full-time work, with some additional support for travel and/or relocation expenses. For more information on the application, contact Trudi Langendorf at Trudi@uchicago.edu

Due: 03-15-2009
The Fellows Alliance is a year-long paid fellowship program committed to building religious pluralism and organizing interfaith activities on campus. IFYC provides mentorship, a network of peer colleagues, access to a national network of interfaith youth work organizers, internship and professional development opportunities. Contact Hafsa Kanjwal for more information at hafsa@ifyc.org or at 312-573-8926.

Dr. Angela Perez Miller Scholarship 2009
Due: 03-27-2009
Named after the late Dr. Angela Perez Miller, who dedicated her life to the rights of Latinos in education and health, the scholarships are offered to first-year college students who are enrolled in an institution of higher learning in the amounts of $1000. To receive the application or if you have any questions please contact Melissa Gonzalez: (773)542-7077, melissa@latinospro.org

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The Beat Goes On: Service after College
Mutisya Leonard, Staff Writer

Civic engagement has been for Philip Kovoor, AB ‘07, the collection of community encounters that have deepened the understanding of his own personal and professional goals. Now founder and Executive Director of the non-profit, National Coaching Fellows, Kovoor reflects on his work at UCSC a little over four years ago as a second year in the college.

During his tenure at UCSC, he served as Program Coordinator for UCSC’s Men in Service Program. Kovoor led academic programs that engaged neighborhood students with college volunteers in programs such as a Writer’s Studio and a University Service Mentorship Program. He considers that time as an important, impacting part of his life, “it’s altering; it has caused a shift in my perspectives” said Kovoor.

Like most students in the College, Kovoor had a serious academic investment in the educational process at University of Chicago. Classes he took in Public Policy and Political Philosophy cultivated his interest in education. Kovoor considers his academic involvements compare as equally to his service engagements. “In fact,” Kovoor says, “a lot of Truman, Marshall and Rhodes scholars from University of Chicago have been highly civically engaged. These students prove that you can commit time within a Chicago education for service.”

“Equally transformative about service is the experience of being able to connect with people in an arrangement that allows you to offer often life-changing experiences,” Kovoor explains. “The types of people you meet, the kind of interactions you find yourself in, alter your world view. Some of the most passionate people, the most committed, and selfless, the most socially conscious and committed citizens, I met as colleagues in service work. And this benefit, the great people you meet in service work…is often missed when people think about the value of their engagements. I have made such meaningful friendships, friendships I have long held on to ... And among the administrative staff at UCSC I have found mentors.”

“Community service additionally inspired an attitude of openness in me,” says Kovoor. A Marthomite Christian, Kovoor now lives in a Carmalite Pre-Novitiate Monastery, housed at St. Thomas the Apostle, along E. 55th St. The monastery invites religious scholars from around the globe. The guests are at different stages of religious journeying – some are considering joining the Carmalite Religious Order, others are Carmalites. “We pray three times a day, together,” he says, “share up to three meals a day. And I have learnt so much about myself, about my faith.”

Kovoor is quick to add that service engagements inspired his consideration of social entrepreneurship as a useful model for social change. He founded National Coaching Fellows in April 2008 following his graduation and after a short stint as a Teach for America Fellow in Hawaii in 2007. According to Kovoor, National Coaching Fellows, the first service corps of athletic coaches, recruits and trains undergraduate and graduate students to volunteer in high-need schools as athletic coaches leveraging the relationship between coach and player to promote academic achievement, personal development, and athletic success. In its pilot year, National Coaching Fellows recruited 16 corps members to work with up to 300 student athletes on Chicago’s South Side.

Kovoor will be attending Law School later in the fall, and looks to a public interest career. Kovoor’s vision for National Coaching Fellows is to lead it to a fully-fledged efficient national non-profit.

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: Hands on Summer Service Experience












EVENTS
Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference hosts “Hyde Park, Challenging the Next Decade“
Wednesday, February 18
7:00pm
Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, 5480 S. Kenwood
HPKCC celebrates its 60th anniversary by asking you and their distinguished panel three questions: 5 things that most impact our neighborhood over the next 10 years, 5 institutions, aspects of community life, or Hyde Park most important to keep, and 5 assets you think need to change or be changed. These topics will be discussed to paint a picture of Hyde Park’s future.

OUTSpoken Speaker Series: Hate Crimes & Hate Speech
Wednesday, February 18
7:00pm-8:00pm
5710 S. Woodlawn, Community Lounge
Where does free speech end and hate speech begin? What legal rights are available to LGBT targets of hate crimes? Join James Madigan, Interim Executive Director of Equality Illinois in a lecture and discussion about hate crimes and hate speech. Dinner will be provided.

OBS’ Annual George E. Kent Lecture featuring William Julius Wilson
Tuesday, February 24
7:00pm-9:00pm
International House (1414 E. 59th Street)
The Organization of Black Students hosts a talk by former University of Chicago professor William Julius Wilson entitled “Framing the Issue: Political Discourse and Race Relations During the Era of Barack Obama.”

2009 Student Activist Conference
Saturday, February 28
10:30am-3:30pm
Ida Noyes Hall, Library/Lounge
Featuring a conversation with Bill Ayers on activism and education, the 2009 Student Activist Conference will bring together activists who pursue social change through a variety of vocations including education, art, religion, sex-work, and law. Panels include: Sex Workers Outreach Project Chicago, People's Law Office, Chicago New Sanctuary Coalition, and the South Chicago Art Center. RSVP to hwjacoby@uchicago.edu

Info session for Urban Teacher Education Program
Wednesday, March 4
6:00pm-7:00pm
University Community Service Center – conference room (5525 S. Ellis Avenue)
If you want to hear from someone who has logged more than 40 years in and around schools about the incredible rewards of teaching in general and urban education in particular, this is the event for you. Stop by for pizza, conversation about the Urban Teacher Education program, and insight regarding Chicago Public Schools. **Please RSVP to Marv Hoffman: mhoffman@uchicago.edu**

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Blue Gargoyle is hosting an exciting fundraiser opera event on Sunday, February 22, from 2-5 pm. Needed: 12 ushers to support seating and departure at the end of the performance. Some can come early and some can come late, however ALL ushers must be present for a walk-through at 12:30pm. The performance is at the Merle Reskin Theatre – 60 East Balbo. If interested contact: Pam Bozeman-Evans at pboze@bluegargoyle.org or call 773-955-4108 x 305.

The UC Comer Hospital Pediatric Mobile Unit is looking volunteers to help team members improve access to primary care for children and teens in communities on the Southside of Chicago. Volunteers will assist in facilitating patient flow, improve patient compliance, and classroom and Health Education classes. To find out more about this opportunity, contact Dr. Icy Cade-Bell at icade@peds.bsd.uchicago.edu.

Chicago River is looking for 20 – 30 volunteers to participate Saturday, February 21st for the Chicago River Student Congress. Activities include workshop registration, student sign-in, closing ceremony prep, and more. All volunteers will receive event t-shirt, breakfast and lunch for helping out. Times are from 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Contact Cynthia Fox at (312) 939-0490 ext. 13 or via email at cfox@chicagoriver.org to learn about what opportunities are still available.

Students are needed to help with set-up for the “Taste of Hyde Park,” a fundraiser for the Hyde Park Transitional Housing Project, a charitable organization which provides help for homeless families. The event will take place on Saturday February 21, 2009, starting at 6 pm, at Hyde Park Union Church, 5600 S. Woodlawn Ave., but students are needed at 3pm. For more information, contact Susanna Rudofsky radbusa@yahoo.com.

Canter Middle School seeks numerous volunteers to complete hands-on facilities enhancement projects that will improve the learning and teaching environment. You’ll work alongside Canter students, staff and community members to paint, mural and make over the library, transforming the school into an place the where the students can develop a sense of pride in their school and studies. To learn more and sign up for this project contact Sandra Golden at sgolden@chicagocares.org. (Saturday, February 21; 9AM - 1PM)

INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, AND BEYOND...
Due: 02-28-2009
Nourish International is inviting you to be a part of the solution to global poverty by applying for our Chapter Founders Program. Nourish is accepting applications for its Chapter Founders Program and selecting students from 10 campuses across the country to receive professional training, support and $500 start-up capital. To start your application, go to http://www.nourishinternational.org/founders/nominate.php

Due: 03-09-2009
The Dr. Aizik Wolf Post-Baccalaureate Fellowship in Human Rights will fund one year of work, after graduation, at a non-governmental organization, government agency, or international body dedicated to human rights. The award consists of a $24,000 stipend for 12 months of full-time work, with some additional support for travel and/or relocation expenses. For more information on the application, contact Trudi Langendorf at Trudi@uchicago.edu

Due: 03-15-2009
The Fellows Alliance is a year-long paid fellowship program committed to building religious pluralism and organizing interfaith activities on campus. IFYC provides mentorship, a network of peer colleagues, access to a national network of interfaith youth work organizers, internship and professional development opportunities. Contact Hafsa Kanjwal for more information at hafsa@ifyc.org or at 312-573-8926.

Dr. Angela Perez Miller Scholarship 2009
Due: 03-27-2009
Named after the late Dr. Angela Perez Miller, who dedicated her life to the rights of Latinos in education and health, the scholarships are offered to first-year college students who are enrolled in an institution of higher learning in the amounts of $1000. To receive the application or if you have any questions please contact Melissa Gonzalez: (773)542-7077, melissa@latinospro.org

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Hands on Summer Service Experience
Mutisya Leonard, Staff Writer

In its summer internship offerings, the college at the University of Chicago has increasingly supported the idea of experiential education. “In an institution of rigorous, indulgent scholarly research as this,” Associate Dean of Students in the University, and Director of the University Community Service Center, Wallace Goode notes, “there is a void to be filled by substantive, engaging summer work. Summer internships are incredible ways of augmenting classroom work.”

Last summer, Wallace House Resident Assistant, a third year in the College, majoring in History, Philosophy & Social Studies of Science and Medicine, Klara Scharnagl worked as a Wilderness Ranger Intern in Idaho, through the Student Conservation Association.

“In the remote tracks of wilderness, we worked hard clearing trails so people could access the wilderness without destroying it,” Scharnagl recalls, ”and though cognizant of the fact that few would appreciate our efforts, it remained to be valuable work. The appeal of such a summer to me is that it took me from the limiting confines of an office… An important impression of service for me is its diversity of experience –of people you meet, of activities, and the incredible demand on initiative.”

Often, college students as Scharnagl, seek independent summer projects. “In the past though,” Assistant Director for Employer Relations at CAPS, Shayna Plaut notes, “ideas that did not fit the traditional mold for the College’s existing internship programs did not get funding.”

This year, CAPS, through the support of the Dean of Students in the College, offers two new, competitive Grants: the International Experience Grant, to which budget proposals may be written up to $5,000, and the Summer Action Grant, to which budgets may be written for up to $3,000. Both awards support up to six students each towards pursuing independent summer work. The International Experience Grant must be used abroad for at least 350 hours of unpaid work, while the Summer Action Grant may be used in the United States and may be combined with paid work if that secondary compensation does not exceed $500. Though either budget accommodates for personal expenditure, CAPS is looking to see, in an application, thoughtful financial assignments to project tasks.

“This kind of support is quite liberating,” Plaut exclaims, “you may do what always meant a lot to you, where you always wanted to be: at a senator’s office, a theater company, an organic farm, in Northern Uganda working with former LRA child soldiers.”

In embarking on a Grant Application, college sponsored or otherwise, Plaut cautions that students engage a critical eye to discover the spin in the competition. Applicants must pay attention to the precise fellowship requirements, and consider the language of the job description, applying that language to humbly demonstrate their fit. She adds that, “the cover letter too should demonstrate one’s willingness to learn, grow, and be molded. After all, employers want you to support their work.”

Associate Dean Goode considers that public interest work is different from say business or journalism, because of its deliberately experiential element: “this rich hands-on experience of connecting with a community.” Goode admits he went in to his Peace Corps assignment only expecting to help, and to learn more about new cultures, but that in the end, he took away more: “a change of attitude, life altering perspectives.”

“And I hear, many years on, today, students echo to me similar reactions in reflecting on their service engagements,” said Goode. “And what is key to this is that a lot of us don’t go into service expecting to be altered by it. Maybe it could, it might, we think. Students never expect to be changed by it.”

“We have destitute communities in Chicago,” he adds, “communities that have no hope, no options… and meeting them, knowing their situation, tears your heart in a different way.”


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: Undergraduate Experience Panel










EVENTS
Green Empowerment and Sustainability Initiatives: Panel Discussion with Majora Carter
Saturday, February 14
2:00pm
Museum of Science and Industry
This symposium will address questions regarding African Americans and the green initiative with panelists including green activists who run non-profit organizations, teach college courses and study environmental science. Dr. Majora Carter will discuss her work at Sustainable South Bronx and her mission to empower underserved populations.

"Sons of Lwala" Film Screening
Monday, February 16
9:00pm
Max Palevsky Cinema (in Ida Noyes Hall)
“Sons of Lwala” is a documentary about Milton and Frederick Ochieng, 2 medical students currently attending Vanderbilt University who are building a health clinic in their home village in Kenya while taking their full medical course load. The film won a few awards at the Nashville Film Festival including one for best documentary. For more information go to www.sonsoflwala.org

Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference hosts “Hyde Park, Challenging the Next Decade“
Wednesday, February 18
7:00pm
Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, 5480 S. Kenwood
HPKCC celebrates its 60th anniversary by asking you and their distinguished panel three questions: 5 things that most impact our neighborhood over the next 10 years, 5 institutions, aspects of community life, or Hyde Park most important to keep, and 5 assets you think need to change or be changed. These topics will be discussed to paint a picture of Hyde Park’s future.

2009 Student Activist Conference
Saturday, February 28
10:30am-3:30pm
Ida Noyes Hall, Library/Lounge
Featuring a conversation with Bill Ayers on activism and education, the 2009 Student Activist Conference will bring together activists who pursue social change through a variety of vocations including education, art, religion, sex-work, and law. Panels include: Sex Workers Outreach Project Chicago, People's Law Office, Chicago New Sanctuary Coalition, and the South Chicago Art Center. RSVP to hwjacoby@uchicago.edu

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
The UC Comer Hospital Pediatric Mobile Unit is looking volunteers to help team members improve access to primary care for children and teens in communities on the Southside of Chicago. Volunteers will assist in facilitating patient flow, improve patient compliance, and classroom and Health Education classes. To find out more about this opportunity, contact Dr. Icy Cade-Bell at icade@peds.bsd.uchicago.edu.

Chicago River is looking for 20 – 30 volunteers to participate on the day of the Chicago River Student Congress. Activities include workshop registration, student sign-in, closing ceremony prep, and more. All volunteers will receive event t-shirt, breakfast and lunch for helping out. Times are from 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Contact Cynthia Fox at (312) 939-0490 ext. 13 or via email at cfox@chicagoriver.org to learn about what opportunities are still available.

Angelic Organics Learning Center will be offering workshops for young people at the Museum of Science and Industry part of Black Creativity Month, and need some help from volunteers who are interested in gardening, composting, and/or education. Volunteers with all levels of expertise (skills or experience in gardening or composting are helpful but not essential). If you are interested, contact Thea Carlson at thea@learngrowconnect.org or 773-288-5462.

Students are needed to help with set-up for the “Taste of Hyde Park,” a fundraiser for the Hyde Park Transitional Housing Project, a charitable organization which provides help for homeless families. The event will take place on Saturday February 21, 2009, starting at 6 pm, at Hyde Park Union Church, 5600 S. Woodlawn Ave., but students are needed at 3pm. For more information, contact Susanna Rudofsky radbusa@yahoo.com.

INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, AND BEYOND...
2009 Humanity in Action Fellowship
Due: 02-12-2009
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. Check out humanityinaction.org

Chicago Studies’ Calumet Quarter
Due: 02-13-2009
The Program on the Global Environment announces a one-quarter, intensive, experience-based program in environmental studies during the Spring Quarter, 2009. Open to all College students by application, students must enroll in all four courses simultaneously. http://pge.uchicago.edu/undergraduates/calumet.shtml or contact calumet@uchicago.edu for more information.

Samuel Huntington Public Service Award
Due: 02-13-2009
The Samuel Huntington Public Service Award provides $10,000 to a graduating college senior to pursue a public service project anywhere in the world.

William E. Simon Fellowship for Noble Peace
Due: 02-15-2009
The William E. Simon Fellowship encourages undergraduate students to pursue lives that will benefit others. Three fellowships - one for $40,000 and two for $5,000 - are awarded each year. Use of the grant is unrestricted. (Only open to 3rd or 4th year students in the college).

**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/.

Chicago Humanities Festival
Due: 02-23-2009
The Chicago Humanities Festival Internship Program seeks candidates eager to find creative uses for a large multimedia archive of public programs featuring the world's foremost authors, scientists, intellectuals and personalities. Tasks include developing ideas for high-quality content and making content requests of presenters for the upcoming 2009 Festival. This internship requires a commitment of 15-28 hours a week, starting in early April and ending in June 2009. Please submit a cover letter, resumé, two letters of recommendation, and a brief personal statement to: Mary Kate Barley-Jenkins at marykate@chfestival.org


IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Undergraduate Experience Panel: What Students in College are Learning Outside the Classroom
Klara Scharnagl, Staff Writer

"Unless you push yourself to the edge, you'll never know how far you can go." On Wednesday, February 4th, thirty University of Chicago students gathered in a classroom to attend an ‘Undergraduate Experience Panel’ hosted by PSI CHI of the Undergraduate Psychology Department, another example highlighting experiential education in action. Of the seven panelists speaking that night, at least four of them had chosen an unconventional path; not working in a lab or office doing research, but working more directly with people – doing service.

The first of these, Khaled Allen, a fourth year, had spent his past summer in Jordan working through the Institute for Family Health with children. He was involved in a music therapy program, playing guitar and singing with the children. He was also there ‘just to play.’ It turns out, he said, the young boys especially needed a guy around to play with, as most of the women working there did not want to get into the sports. By the end of the summer, Allen remarked, “the children helped me the most.”

Anya Thetford, a third year, also worked with children over the summer at an orphanage that housed children who were victims of broken homes, violence or displacement. Thetford said it’s important to know that you are acting as a constant role model to these children; it is not for the faint of heart. In addition, coming from traumatic circumstances, many of the children were difficult to approach. But, said Thetford, “give them time. It’s all about being constant and patient and just loving the kids.” She too saw that the young boys needed a playmate in sports; someone willing to get dirty, so she took on that role as well. In either case, both Thetford and Allen agreed, “it’s amazing how much you can accomplish just by playing with kids.”

Misha Stallworth, a third year, worked over the summer at the Gary Comer Youth Center, and is working there still. Though the title of her position is a ‘tutor,’ she too serves as a mentor and role model for the students she interacts with. The remarkable thing is that these students, even in a classroom on a summer day or a Saturday during the academic year, are here. They come to learn.

This is the same for the students whom Thetford works with during the year at both the one-day SPLASH event in Autumn Quarter each year where 400-500 students come, by their own means, to take classes from University of Chicago students ranging from knitting to astrophysics, and the CASCADE event, a five-week course also taught by UofC students. Again, the students are not provided transportation – they come here because they want to learn.

And even when University of Chicago students find themselves teaching from the front of the classroom, they are still learning; each of their experiences they have brought back to class discussions, papers, even BA theses. How does one get involved in such experiences? “It’s really effective to tell people what you want” said Stallworth. “Throw yourself out there,” said Allen, “and ask what you want to do – people always need help.”


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: Calumet Quarter










EVENTS
University of Chicago’s Red Cross Club Blood Drive
Thursday, February 5
10am-3:45pm
Ida Noyes
With more than 38,000 blood donations needed every day, do your part to help thousands by donating blood. Please visit www.givebloodgivelife.org, or send an e-mail to rgrooms@uchicago.edu to set up an appointment time. Be sure to include your full name, e-mail address, and preferred times.

4th Annual Food and Clothing Drive
Friday, February 6
Women’s game at 6:00pm; Men’s game at 8:00pm
Ratner Athletics Center
As the Maroons host Brandeis basketball, fans should bring clothing and non-perishable food items to benefit a local pantry. Each article of good clothing, each non-perishable food item, or $1 is good for 1 raffle ticket to WIN AN iPOD! The house that brings the most items also wins $100 dollars. Support your maroons and the Food/Clothes Drive.

Chicago Wilderness Conference: Wild Things 2009
Saturday, February 7
UIC Student Center East (750 South Halsted)
This day-long conference features 70 large and small group discussions with the region’s best experts, most dedicated volunteers, and anyone interested in nature. There is special focus on empowering citizen scientists, stewards and advocates with information, networking and good ideas. If you have questions, call (847) 328-3910 ext. 21. [Note: student registration is $15]

AYUDA-American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad, Inc. Information Session
Wednesday, February 11
7:30-9:00pm
Ida Noyes, West Lounge
AYUDA hosts an information session for volunteers interested in working with children from low income communities in Belize or Ecuador, many of whom suffer from alienation and preventable complications as a result of their diabetes. For more information contact Danielle Ennis at ennisd@ayudainc.net or Kendra Hennig at khennig@ayudainc.net

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
UCSC and Cultures in Action invite you to become a tour guide for their Investment in Diversity Program, which gives FREE campus tour to Chicago-area, first generation, low-income, and underrepresented junior high and high school students! Show off U of C and give back to the community! Apply online by: February 6, 2009. Questions can be directed to Lauryn Nwankpa (lauryn27@uchicago.edu).

Chicago River is looking for 20 – 30 volunteers to participate on the day of the Chicago River Student Congress. Activities include workshop registration, student sign-in, closing ceremony prep, and more. All volunteers will receive event t-shirt, breakfast and lunch for helping out. Times are from 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Contact Cynthia Fox at (312) 939-0490 ext. 13 or via email at cfox@chicagoriver.org to learn about what opportunities are still available.

Angelic Organics Learning Center will be offering workshops for young people at the Museum of Science and Industry part of Black Creativity Month, and need some help from volunteers who are interested in gardening, composting, and/or education. Volunteers with all levels of expertise (skills or experience in gardening or composting are helpful but not essential). If you are interested, contact Thea Carlson at thea@learngrowconnect.org or 773-288-5462.

Students are needed to help with set-up for the “Taste of Hyde Park,” a fundraiser for the Hyde Park Transitional Housing Project, a charitable organization which provides help for homeless families. The event will take place on Saturday February 21, 2009, starting at 6 pm, at Hyde Park Union Church, 5600 S. Woodlawn Ave., but students are needed at 3pm. For more information, contact Susanna Rudofsky radbusa@yahoo.com.

Volunteers are needed various activities on the days of the blood drive. This is a very rewarding opportunity! One blood donation can save three lives. So, whether you’re donating or volunteering, participating in the blood drive is a fulfilling experience. If interested in volunteering for the blood drive, contact Russell Grooms at rgrooms@uchicago.edu.

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. To volunteer, please visit: http://uofcfolk.org/2009/Volunteer2009.html, or email: folkfestvolunteers@googlemail.com .


INTERNSHIPS, JOBS, AND BEYOND...
2009 Humanity in Action Fellowship
Due: 02-12-2009
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. Check out humanityinaction.org

Chicago Studies’ Calumet Quarter
Due: 02-13-2009
The Program on the Global Environment announces a one-quarter, intensive, experience-based program in environmental studies during the Spring Quarter, 2009. Open to all College students by application, students must enroll in all four courses simultaneously. http://pge.uchicago.edu/undergraduates/calumet.shtml or contact calumet@uchicago.edu for more information.

**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/.

Dr. Angela Perez Miller Scholarship 2009
Due: 03-27-2009
Named after the late Dr. Angela Perez Miller, who dedicated her life to the rights of Latinos in education and health, the scholarships are offered to first-year college students who are enrolled in an institution of higher learning in the amounts of $1000. To receive the application or if you have any questions please contact Melissa Gonzalez: (773)542-7077, melissa@latinospro.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
Calumet Quarter: Understanding Chicago's Environment
Rachel Cromidas, Staff Writer

This Spring, University of Chicago students can take part in an intensive study abroad-inspired program without ever leaving the Midwest—at least, that’s the idea behind the Calumet Quarter. This quarter-long Environmental Studies program aims to immerse students in the Calumet region, which extends from The South Side to Indiana along Lake Michigan, through concrete field work in such areas as “Prairie Ecosystems” and “Economic Evaluations of Ecosystems.”

“A lot of students aren’t from Chicago,” said Justin Borevitz, assistant professor in the department of ecology & evolution, so the program was designed to help students get to know the Chicago environment, “with a focused curriculum around the place and its history. [The Calumet Quarter] is a way for them to really understand the social sciences and the natural sciences together as a system.”

The Calumet region has been shaped by urban development over the past two centuries, and is host to significant levels of biodiversity. These traits make it an apt place for ecological research in the urban environment, Borevitz said.

“Its important for our science students to know that cities are very social organisms and kind of sloppy. They absorb a lot of nutrients and discharge a lot of waste.”

Borevitz is teaching a course about examining the prairie as a model ecosystem. Other classes will analyze pollen from local wetlands, scrutinize the use of economic methods to evaluate ecosystems and guide policy decisions, and listen to Chicago community leaders discuss the Calumet region from diverse perspectives.
David Hays, assistant director of the University Community Service Center and a Chicago Studies spokesperson, thinks the Calumet courses will have an important impact on beyond teaching environmental science. “It focuses on the Chicago area as a partner in the learning process—so this is a way to imbed academic studies in Chicago, not just the University.”

Hays, who supervises the UCSC-sponsored Days of Service, said the Spring Quarter Day of Service, usually hosted during Earth Week, will focus on the environment and possibly incorporate the Calumet Quarter’s areas of study.

The University has a history of studying the southern tip of Lake Michigan, from the Point to the Indiana Dunes, according to Hays since, the botanist Henry Cowles led students on fieldtrips around the Midwest—particularly the Indiana Dunes—in the early 1900s. Thus, the Calumet Quarter is part of both a tradition of Chicago-focused environmental studies at the University and emblematic of the recent push to integrate more coursework with the topic of Chicago via the interdisciplinary Chicago Studies Program launched last year.

According to Dean of the College John Boyer, who spearheaded the creation of Chicago Studies, Borevitz’s comparison of the program with Study Abroad is apt. “Many students study the culture and history of cities in our Civilization Abroad courses,” Boyer said at the launch event for the Chicago Studies Journal, “but it’s incredibly important that our students have just as many opportunities to understand and enjoy their home city, Chicago.”

Students can apply for the Calumet Quarter program at http://pge.uchicago.edu/undergraduates/calumet.shtml. The deadline to apply is Februrary 13. More information can be found at http://chicagostudies.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