The Office of Community Service has many programs for students to volunteer for. Here you will find programs that keep you on campus or allow you to volunteer in the community. In addition, you will find our annual service events and compensated service programs. So step up and volunteer with the Office of Community Service.
Cooking For Kids
Cooking for Kids is a sustainable program that prepares meals for Kid’s Cafés programs – Foodbank programs that bring hot meals or nutritional snacks to needy children in organized summer and after-school programs.
Members of the Virginia Wesleyan community join forces with on-campus
dining service professionals and the Kid’s Cafes program of the Foodbank
of Southeastern Virginia to prepare the meals on a weekly
basis.
» For more information, refer to the Cooking
For Kids Manual [PDF]
Neighborhood Tutoring
Since 1997, this program has provided homework assistance and mentors for up to 20 neighborhood children weekly. It is a student-led service supervised by the Community Service Director. The program is held at Heritage United Methodist Church in the neighborhood adjacent to campus and is funded by the Virginia Beach Foundation. It was founded by the College's Circle K International Club.
ACCESS Mentoring
The ACCESS Foundation is a non-profit organization designed to help high school students attend college. Virginia Wesleyan students serve as mentors in the program. Some receive the McIntyre Mentors Scholarship for their role in ACCESS. For more information visit www.accesscollege.org.
Empty Bowls Charity Dinner
In association with the Ceramic Designers Association, the Empty Bowls Charity Dinner is an annual event that draws 600 participants to campus to select a hand-made bowl and enjoy a modest soup meal. VWC students make bowls to contribute and serve as volunteer hosts at the event. Proceeds from the event benefit the hungry in South Hampton Roads; $15,000 was distributed in 2005.
Other Programs and Resources Offered
Resource for Volunteer Placements and Service-Learning
Student requests to serve and community requests for service are linked through this office. Counseling on volunteer placements is offered. Independent student volunteers and faculty members seeking to develop service-learning courses find community references in our Resource Area.
Clearinghouse for Community Service
The Office attempts to coordinate service activities on campus, as many Virginia Wesleyan individuals, clubs and organizations volunteer independent of the Office of Community Service. For example, the athletic teams give free clinics at area schools and recreation centers. Fraternities and sororities pledge funds to philanthropies. Other service and religious organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, Circle K International, and the Student Environmental Awareness League participate in direct service and have headquarters located in the Office of Community Service. Annual registration with the Office and the service log are methods of self-reporting these activities.
Annual Service Events
Marlins Make A Difference Days
Modeled after the National Day of Service in October, students fan out to service the community on designated days in the fall and spring.
National Volunteer Week
Activities designed to heighten an awareness of service opportunities among students is held the third week in April each year. Annual National Volunteer Week events include a Day of Generosity, a Celebration of Service, and a Campus-wide Service Project.
Compensated Service Programs
Community Service College Work-Study Program
This program enables Virginia Wesleyan to meet community needs for pay. They serve as tutors, mentors, program assistants and art therapists for organizations such as Pipeline schools, Techriders, and Virginia Wesleyan's Learning Resource Center and Community Service Office.
McIntyre Mentor Scholarship
Students who serve as mentors in the Tidewater Scholarship Foundation's ACCESS Program are eligible for one of five annual scholar-ships designed to solidify a relationship between VWC and ACCESS.