How Lakers Create Change: Volunteer With Your Peers!
Written by Andreas Fields
Posted on October 5, 2021
With Make a Difference Day coming up on October 16, it’s time to start thinking of all the ways you can become an involved citizen. By giving your time to help uplift a cause you care about, you’re assisting your community and making it a better place. Grand Valley recognizes the significance of volunteer work and offers lots of great opportunities for you to aid your community.
GVSU’s Community Service Living Center returns with their annual Make A Difference Day event on October 16, 2021. Become part of a national tradition by helping out community partners from all across the region. Students can fill out a registration form on LakerLink in order to participate in this day of service and reflection.
#2: Padnos College Outreach Volunteer Opportunities
If you like working with kids, being involved in STEM programs, or both, then Padnos College of Engineering and Computing has some great opportunities for you. Each summer, Padnos hosts a program for rising seventh graders called Science Technology & Engineering Preview Summer, or STEPS, which encourages middle schoolers to get excited about math and science. Padnos also recruits volunteers to help with Science Olympiad and FIRST Robotics. If you are a science-minded person looking to volunteer, don’t be afraid to reach out.
A staple of Grand Valley’s community since 1991, Alternative Breaks provides students with the opportunity to make their winter and spring breaks about more than just taking time off from school. With Alternative Breaks, you can use your time to travel across the country, complete service learning projects, and learn about social and environmental issues. You can also reach out to Alternative Breaks and learn more by finding them on LakerLink.
#4: Children’s Enrichment Center
The Children’s Enrichment Center (CEC) serves as a preschool for Allendale children, and the center welcomes Grand Valley students to assist throughout the school year. This “Home to the Little Lakers” performs an important service by allowing young children to get educated while their guardians attend classes and fulfill important duties of their own. As a volunteer, you can work with preschoolers during the school day or older kids during after-school hours.
Habitat for Humanity is a nationally recognized organization providing housing to people in need. Through affiliation with the Kent County Habitat for Humanity, members of the GVSU community can volunteer their time to help provide affordable and quality housing while learning what it truly means to serve the public.
With all these opportunities, you’re bound to find a place to spend your time giving back. If you would like to find out about more volunteer opportunities happening on campus, be sure to check out the Community Service Learning Center for more information.