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Community Engagement Opportunities: Week of November 18

Posted by: | November 18, 2013 | No Comment |
United Way is seeking Middlebury College students to serve as Community Impact Volunteers, participating in a community grant process as part of an impact team in the areas of Health, Education or Financial Stability. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the operations of local agencies, review grants, and build relationships with community members. Volunteers are ambassadors for United Way of Addison County and read each grant application in their assigned impact area (Health, Education or Financial Stability), develop a list of questions to discuss at site visits, visit agencies, participate in the team scoring process and recommend a funding amount for the board of directors to approve.  The work takes place from approximately January 13th through the last week of March (United Way can accommodate your absence over February Break and Spring Break). Volunteers are expected to be interested in the community, non-profit sector, applying agencies and the United Way grant process.  Confidentiality and professionalism are musts. Enthusiasm, curiosity, and a sense of humor are valued highly! Interested students should contact United Way of Addison County Executive Director Kate McGowan (kmcgowan@middlebury.eduby Wednesday, December 4th for more details.

Apply to be a Habitat for Humanity Break Trip Leader: Habitat leads a trip of 10 Middlebury students to Pungoteague, VA to build for the week (February 2 -8). During each workday we will spend about 8 hours working on Habitat homes, doing everything from constructing wall to painting to building a deck. In the evenings, we hang out, play games, cook dinner, and have outings in the beautiful Pungoteague area. To apply, reply to mrosewilliams@middlebury.edu by TODAY 11/18 with the following 1) Name and class year 2) a short description of your Habitat experience, or any other building or service work you have done 3) a short description of any leadership experience you have and 4) one to two sentences on why you would like to be part of Habitat’s Feb Break trip.

Help Sponsor a local child whose family cannot afford to buy presents for the holiday season through the Giving Trees program!
Each Giving Tree lists gift ideas for an age-range and gender and this year HOPE will allow parents to choose out of the donated items in a “Holiday Shop” in order to best match gifts with their own children’s interests. If you have any questions, please e-mailjcalkins@middlebury.edu. Here’s how to participate:

  • You can sponsor a tree by yourself, with a friend, with your hall, with your Commons, or another student organization.
  • You can pick up a tree (paper cut-out) from the Community Engagement office in 118 South Main on  Monday, November 18th; and Tuesday, November 19thbetween 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.!
  • Gifts must be brought back to the 118 South Main Street on Tuesday, November 26th between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Global Engagement Summit
April 16-20, 2014 at Northwestern University
The Global Engagement Summit (GES) builds the capacity of the next generation of change-makers through our annual summit, yearlong programming, and staff curriculum. By identifying talented, young individuals, providing skills training and connecting driven students with innovative thought leaders, GES empowers them to produce responsible and sustainable solutions to shared global problems. Apply here. If you are accepted to the Summit and need funding support, apply for a Cross-Cultural Community Service Fund Grant!

Clinton Global Initiative University Conference
Middlebury has established a relationship with Clinton Global Initiative to become a CGIU Campus. If you are interested in applying to attend the Clinton Global Initiative University Conference with students from all over the world, the deadline for early decision and travel assistance is November 22, 2014Apply now to attend CGI U 2014 at Arizona State University, which will take place from March 21-23, 2014.  CGI U is President Clinton’s initiative to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world. Students that submit a CGIU “commitment to action” and are selected by the CGIU process are eligible to use this application as a grant application to the 2014 MCSE Summer Grants challenge. MCSE Summer Grants Projects receive $3000 for the summer.

Volunteer as a train engineer! 
Each winter the Midd-Vermont Train Club’s elaborate electric train layout is a delight to all ages in their holiday display at the Sheldon Museum in downtown Middlebury. Volunteers are needed to help set up the display this week, and then to work as “engineers” for the trains between now and the second week of January, welcoming guests and managing the train display. Interested? Contact Ed Mcguire,edmcguire1964@gmail.com.

Sing Christmas Carols at Helen Porter: Annual Holiday Event
Saturday, December 7th from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. 
The Porter Campus is putting on our annual holiday event at Helen Porter on Saturday, December 7th from 2-4 pm.  They are seeking singing groups or individual students who would be willing to stop in to lead a few carols with us?  Porter residents, girl scout troops, families and members of the general public attend this event. There will be a Christmas tree forest, hot cocoa bar, and a final memory tree lighting in the courtyard.  Contact Laurie Borden, LBorden@portermedical.org.

Come get a FREE Professional Head Shot for your LinkedIn Profile! 
Thursday, November 21st 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Abernathy Room,  Axinn

An opportunity from the Center for Careers and Internships! LinkedIn is a valuable online network of professionals that can provide you with important career opportunities, connections, and company research. Your profile picture will say a lot about you. go/saycheese

Digital Citizenship Challenge
Announcing the creation of the Weingartner Digital Citizenship Challenge – a competition designed to address the issues of democratic citizenship in the digital age. Applicants are asked to submit three short essays describing their ideas on how the internet can be used to foster a vibrant democracy characterized, among other things, by civic engagement, civil discourse, an informed citizenry, and a responsible and transparent government. Three awards of up to $2000 are available for the best ideas submitted by January 5, 2014. Those chosen as finalists will have their ideas presented at the Weingartner Digital Citizenship Forum on February 11, 2014. The Challenge is an initiative created by dotDemocracy, a nonpartisan organization founded by the Weingartner Policy Fellows at the College of William and Mary. The application for the Challenge, as well as other information on dotDemocracy and the Forum, can be found at www.dotdemocracy.org.

Become a paid Summer Staff Member or Volunteer for an amazing week!
Tuesday, 11/19  2:00 -4:00 p.m. Adirondack House Library

Representatives from: The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp will be coming to YOU for a presentation on their summer camp program. Founded by Paul Newman in 1988, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp has been serving seriously ill children with a remarkably empowering away experience for more than twenty years. Here, children diagnosed with cancer, sickle cell anemia, HIV/AIDS, hemophilia and other serious and life-threatening conditions enjoy more than they or their parents ever thought possible. What Are We Looking For? Motivated, creative, hardworking individuals who have experience or interest in: Outdoor Education, working in a wilderness therapy setting, Arts & Crafts, Sports & Recreation, Horse Barn, Cabin Counselor and more. Our season runs June 4- August 23, 2014. 12 week and 8 week paid positions or 1 week volunteer positions are available. Application available online January 1st, 2014:www.holeinthewallgang.org. Questions? Contact: Marisa Fezza, Program Assistant,860-429-3444marisa.fezza@holeinthewallgang.org.

Apply to the Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses, games to play with Porter Hospital residents, or turkeys to cook at the local shelter, we want to help you serve others. Visit here to find the SCB Flex Fund application. Email scboard@middlebury.edu for more information.

Questions? If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or want to learn more ways to get involved in the local community, contact Ashley Calkins, Associate Director, Community Engagement, jcalkins@middlebury.edu802.443.3099.

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