Give and get back.
Looking to make a difference in the world? Look to Rutgers, where community service is a cornerstone of campus life. Whether you take small steps (like running in the Big Chill charity race) or bold actions (like embarking on an international service mission), you’ll have endless volunteer opportunities at Rutgers. Two great ways to start out: join the hundreds of student-volunteers who sign up for Student Involvement Fair and Scarlet Day of Service each year. Or join one of these Rutgers service projects:
Phone Hope. Rutgers was the first campus in the nation to participate in UHopeLine, a project that collects used cell phones, distributing them to victims of domestic violence and raising funds to support domestic violence prevention services.
Embrace Others. Alternative Breaks take students to New Orleans, Appalachia, and other struggling areas of the United States, allowing them to do good while gaining an in-depth understanding of a specific community-based issue.
Stop Hunger. In just one month,
Rutgers Against Hunger collected $12,000 and 3,000-plus tons of food for the hungry. Student-volunteers harvested produce at a local farm, ran the Dorm Storm food drive, and cooked up the Great University Bake Sale.
Connect Cultures. The students of the Community Interpreter Project break barriers to better health. These volunteers, who are fluent in both English and Spanish, serve as translators between doctors and patients at local hospitals and clinics.
Want another, not-so-altruistic reason to volunteer? Community service is a great way to learn skills and gain experience for the workplace. In fact, many of the top qualities demanded by employers—such as teamwork, cultural competency, and the ability to work with and for all kinds of people—are central to community service.