Community Engagement

Service Cluster Board Coordinator Application
Do you plan on working for not-for-profits in the course of your career? Do you have the skills to watch the bigger picture as well as track important details? The Service Cluster Board is the student-run advisory umbrella for the nearly twenty campus organizations and continuing initiatives who do service in the Addison County community and it’s currently accepting applications for one coordinator to start in January Term 2015 and serve at least two semesters. Coordinators work paid weekly hours in the Community Engagement Office to fulfill their responsibilities. If you’re interested, fill out this application and mail it to scboard@middlebury.edu by Sunday 11/16!

Volunteer Services Organization Co-Chair Application
Have you volunteered with VSO before? Are you impressed with their ability to bring students and community partners together? You could help VSO take it to the next level! VSO is currently accepting applications for a co-chair to start in January 2015 and serve at least two semesters. If you’re interested, fill out this application and email it to vso@middlebury.edu by Sunday 11/16!

The Service Cluster Board is seeking individuals passionate about community service to serve as Coordinators for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Founded in 2009, the Service Cluster Board is an umbrella organization whose goal is to support student-run service organizations and initiatives on campus. Duties of this position include:

• Managing the leadership development and finances of 17 student-run service organizations and continuing initiatives;
• Advising the Flex Fund Review Committee, which screens service project proposals and approving award allocations;
• Working closely with service leaders, Community Engagement staff, and other students interested in service work;
• Orchestrating and conducting yearly trainings, monthly meetings, and regular audits of organizations’ budgets;
• Proposing a budget annually on behalf of the 17 service groups before the SGA Finance Committee.
• Weekly paid office hours in the Community Engagement office.

It is requested that the Coordinators serve through Spring 2015. Please submit this SCB_Coordinator Application 2014-2015 (Microsoft Word Doc) and your resume to scboard@middlebury.edu by Sunday, April 6, 2014. Successful applicants will be contacted for an interview during the week of 7-15. Questions? Contact current SCB Co-Coordinators Mackenzie Walsh and Daniela Barajas at scboard@middlebury.edu

–
Serving you serving others,
Service Cluster Board
Daniela Barajas and Mackenzie Walsh

Website: sa.bsdvt.org

 Issue:  Environmental Sustainability

Cost per person: $30 (financial aid is available if necessary). Fee covers transportation, lodging in Burlington, all meals, and volunteer activities.

Questions? Contact Ashley Calkins, Associate Director, Community Engagement, jcalkins@middlebury.edu.

Application here: Mini-MAlt participant application Spring 2014.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 26th to middalt@middlebury.edu.

This week’s community engagement opportunities are out! Thoughts? Questions? Let us know!

http://eepurl.com/M_RI9

This week’s community engagement opportunities are out! Thoughts? Questions? Let us know!

http://eepurl.com/MiV5P

Learn more about this summer’s Shepherd Internships!

This summer the Shepherd Internship Program has over a hundred internships available for undergrads in dozens of fields, including Business Administration, Immigration/Refugee Services, Policy Reform, Women’s Advocacy, Youth Outreach, and more. The deadline to apply for this summer is approaching fast: January 15th! Learn more about what the SIP has to offer and how the application process works in an info session at 118 South Main this Wednesday. There is one at 4:30 p.m. and one at 7 p.m. Questions? Contact Tiffany Sargent, Director of Community Engagement, at tiffanys@middlebury.edu.

Produce the 2014 Guide to Local Food & Farms with ACORN!

ACORN is looking for a team of staff writers and researches for our 2014 Guide to Local Food and Farms. The Addison Independent publishes 15,000 copies of the Guide and we distribute it all over the Champlain Valley. This is a great opportunity to meet local food producers and do research that will have a lasting impact on our community. Volunteers can write an article, complete 3-5 hours of research or contribute illustrations/graphic design work. Interested? Email lea@acornvt.org. All content is due February 7, 2014, so sign up soon!

Help local families navigate the tax season!

Addison County Action/CVOEO is looking for volunteers to assist in preparing basic Federal and State income taxes for low-income families and individuals. Training is provided through the IRS VITA program through online self-study and testing. Volunteers will be assisting Debbie with greeting clients, completing intake sheet/review sheet and preparing basic returns. Tax assistance starts February 3 through April 15, Monday through Thursday. Office space is provided and hours are flexible. Contact Debbie at 802-388-2285 or dgoodri@cvoeo.org.

Dance your heart out!

Instructor Chris Giorgio invites Middlebury College students to volunteer with Middlebury Parks and Recreation dance classes on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday afternoons for ages 5-18. Styles of classes include tap, ballet, hip hop, and lyrical dance. Contact Chris, cgiorgio@comcast.net, to learn more about specific class times and volunteer information.

Mentor the next generation of reporters!

Bridport Central School hosts a student newspaper club and needs a volunteer writing coach for the newspaper during J-Term and/or spring semester! On Friday mornings from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m. the volunteer will work with two groups of 4th and 5th graders (8 kids total) to brainstorm, take photos, interview, and write articles for their student newspaper. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants hands-on experience in Elementary Education or Media/Journalism. If you need transportation funding for a campus vehicle is available. Interested? Contact Community Engagement, communityengagement@middlebury.edu.

Attend a lecture about cultural competency in education!

Liria C. Evangelista, Graduate Program Director for Middlebury’s program in Buenos Aires, Argentina, will give a lecture called “Touching Selves, Expanding Lives: The Desire for Teaching and the Politics of Cultural Understanding”, addressing the complex issues that a teacher confronts when working with culturally diverse students. Her research is built on many years working with Middlebury College students in various cross-cultural settings, and this J-Term Evangelista is teaching a course titled “Political Violence, Memory, and Cultural Representations”. The lecture is Wednesday, January 8, 4:30 p.m. in the Robert A. Jones ’59 House conference room.

Go to the Active Citizens Conference in Williamsburg!

William & Mary is hosting their Active Citizens Conference this February. Workshop sessions include “Defining the Outcomes: How Learning-Focused Service Enhances Active Citizenship” and “How Does Social Change Happen? An Exploration of Theories for the Every-Day Activist and Educator”. The conference is held Friday, February 15 through Saturday, February 16. Note that students are encouraged to apply for a Community Engagement mini-grant to subsidize the cost of their attendance!

Go to the IMPACT conference in Chicago!

In a similar vein to the above, Valaparaiso University is hosting the annual IMPACT conference at the end of February. As per their website, IMPACT is a long-standing annual conference “focused on the civic engagement of college students in community service, service-learning, community-based research, advocacy and other forms of social action.” It features networking blocks, an opportunities fair, and over ninety workshops! The conference is held Thursday, Febuary 27 to Sunday, March 2. Note that students are encouraged to apply for a Community Engagement mini-grant to subsidize the cost of their attendance!

Chaperon at the Sustainable Living Expo!

The Sustainable Living Expo is an annual day-long exposition promoting sustainable living in the Champlain Valley on March 29 at Middlebury Union High School. The Expo hosts hundreds of exhibits, presentations and workshops, and they’re expecting more than a thousand visitors this year! They’re looking for volunteers for everything from setting up Friday night, greeting people at the front table, assisting exhibitors, monitoring workshops, directing traffic, and supervising little ones in the children’s playroom. All volunteers will get first-hand experience at event planning, meet new people, have fun, and get a free Expo t-shirt. If you would like to be an Expo volunteer, email lea@acornvt.org.

Questions?

If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or you want to learn even more opportunities to get involved with the communities above, contact Ashley Calkins, Associate Director of Community Engagement, at jcalkins@middlebury.edu.

Staying local over winter break? Volunteer at the Charter House!
The Charter House winter housing facility serves as an emergency home staffed 24/7 by trained volunteers who provide a warm, welcoming environment for families in stress. Volunteers are needed to take shifts over winter break! Contact James McMillan (jmcmillan@middlebury.edu) to sign up.

Community Friends Feature of the Week
Do you enjoy dancing, playing, reading stories, drawing, and identify as a woman of color? Community Friends, a campus-based one-on-one mentoring program that matches Middlebury students with Addison County children ages six to twelve, is seeking a big sister for a five-year old child of color, whose parents would like to see her spend time with a female student of color in order to help their child in a predominately White school district.  If you are creative and responsible, you could easily be a role model for this young girl just by meeting with her for two hours each week. Flexible meeting times on your own schedule; only requirement is enthusiasm and willingness to build a meaningful, consistent relationship. For more information about our program and/or how to apply to be this or another child’s mentor, please visit our website (go/cf) or email us at comfriends@middlebury.edu .

Mentor needed! [2-3 hours per week commitment]
The Vermont Center for Child, Youth, and Families, an outpatient psychiatric clinic and research center affiliated with the UVM College of Medicine and Fletcher Allen Health Care, is looking for a female, college student to serve as a mentor for one of a patient in Middlebury. She is 16 years old, athletic, funny, and kind. Besides being a companion and role model, we are also hoping  the mentor will participate in a mindful activity with her, such as yoga or tai chi. It would probably require about a 2-3 hour weekly time commitment. It would not be necessary to have a vehicle. An excellent opportunity for anyone interested in psychiatry, psychology, counseling or social work! Interested? Contact Merelise Ametti, 207-399-8417 or Merelise.Ametti@med.uvm.edu.

Five-year-olds playing violin: Volunteers needed for J-Term/Spring Semester
Mary Hogan Elementary School is in second year providing violin instruction for kindergarten students and needs volunteers to help out! String/violin experience helpful but not mandatory. The classes will be held Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and volunteers could come on a day that matches their schedule! Interested? Contact Mary Gill, mgill@addisoncentralsu.org.

Lunch: Environmental Law, Vermont Law School Scholarship Opportunity
Thursday, December 5 11:15a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Franklin Environmental Center at Hillcrest 1^st floor lounge
Are you interested in possibly pursuing an environmental law degree at some point after graduation? Join a lunch/info session/career conversation this Thursday to learn more about a full scholarship opportunity for Midd alumni to attend Vermont Law School. RSVP to Janet Wiseman, jwiseman@middlebury.edu. Topics will include Melissa Scanlan’s career path, social entrepreneurship, Vermont Law School offerings, and the VLS/Middlebury scholarship opportunity. Bring your questions and topics of interest. Following lunch at 12:30p in The Orchard, Franklin Environmental Center 103, Melissa Scanlan will give an ES Colloquium talk entitled, Social Entrepreneurs: Be the Change You Want to See.

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.edu, 802.443.3099.

Help sponsor a local child whose family cannot afford to buy presents for the holiday season through the Giving Trees program,in collaboration with the local organization H.O.P.E (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects). 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.

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.
  
• We ask that you consider spending a minimum amount of $50 per tree – but please don’t let this discourage you from participating! We strongly encourage you to team up with your hall or other friends to maximize the fun and impact of each Giving Tree!
• Do NOT wrap gifts.
• You can pick up a tree (paper cut-out) from the Community Engagement office in 118 South Main on Friday, November 15^th; Monday, November 18^th; and Tuesday, November 19^th between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.!
• Gifts must be brought back to the 118 South Main Street on Tuesday, November 26^th between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, please e-mail jcalkins@middlebury.edu. Take care and have a great Thanksgiving break and upcoming Holiday Season!
Please note a few key changes to this year’s Giving Tree program, in collaboration with HOPE, (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects):

• HOPE is creating a “Holiday Store” that will enable parents to come in and make their own selections. To accommodate this approach, the “Giving Trees” will still work as they have, in that you’ll have a child (boy or girl with corresponding ages), etc., but we won’t be matching specific gifts with specific children.
• The store will open at HOPE for parents by Dec. 2^nd, so we need to collect the gifts before Thanksgiving break (note highlighted dates)!
• Finally, remember that Community Engagement moved this summer; we are now at 118 South Main St., on the corner of South Main and Storrs Ave., behind the Library!

As always, thank you for your support and participation.

MiddVOTE Voter Registration Event Tomorrow!
Need to register to vote? Want to apply for an absentee ballot for your local elections? Then come by the non-partisan MiddVote voter registration drive this Tuesday, October 15th from 4:30-7:30pm in Axinn 105 (the computer lab). We have everything you will need to make registering a simple and easy process either in your home state or Vermont! Questions? Contact Ezera Miller-Walfish, emillerwalfish@middlebury.edu.

On-Campus volunteer opportunity for the HOPE foodshelf
Groups welcome to sign up!
HOPE needs help peeling and slicing apples and sweet potatoes for their foodshelf. Get together with your hall, sports team, or Super Block and spend a 1-2 hours volunteering for the foodshelf. Produce can be brought to campus and picked up when finished! Contact Gretchen Cotell, gleanaddison@gmail.com.

Local J-Term internship opportunity at the Charter House emergency winter shelter – application due October 20!
Spend your January Term interning at the Charter House Emergency Winter Shelter in Middlebury, which provides emergency housing to individuals and families through the winter months. Interns will support the management staff of the Charter House Emergency Winter Shelter in meeting client needs, maintaining a spirit of welcome and community within the building, and staffing the Shelter. Interns will gain an in-depth understanding of how The Charter House Coalition and the broader community support the transition of homeless families to stable housing. Visit go/internships and click on “Winter Term” for information on receiving course credit for this internship. Visit MOJO and search for “Charter House” to find more information and apply for the internship.

Put your skills to work in the community: Latin and AP Calculus tutors needed
Volunteers are needed to tutor high school students at the Middlebury Union High School Learning Lab. One tutor is needed to help a student with Latin 4 and one student is needed to help with AP Calculus. The students have flexible afternoon schedules and could meet during the week based on your schedule. Interested? Contact Tammi Beattie, tbeattie@addisoncentralsu.org.

Event feature from the Rohatyn Center for Global Affairs
A Changing World, A Changing Aidscape: How International NGOs are Adapting, an International and Global Studies Colloquium
Friday, October 18, 12:15, Robert A. Jones ’59 House
Bill O’Keefe P’13, ’17, Vice President, Government Relations and Advocacy, Catholic Relief Services. Lunch will be available for people who RSVP to rcga@middlebury.edu by October 14.

Community Friends Feature of the Week
Like to read or spend time with kids? Community Friends, a campus-based one-on-one mentoring program that matches Middlebury students with Addison County children ages six to twelve, is seeking a big sister for an eight-year old girl. She loves to play and learn and enjoys both active and calm activities. If you are creative and responsible, you could easily be a role model for this young girl just by meeting with her for two hours each week. Flexible meeting times on your own schedule; only requirement is enthusiasm and willingness to build a meaningful, consistent relationship. For more information about our program and/or how to apply to be this or another child’s mentor, please visit our website (go/cf) or email us at comfriends@middlebury.edu .

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.edu, 802.443.3099