UW-Madison was recently awarded the top spot on the Peace Corp’s 2019 ranking of top volunteer-producing colleges and universities. This is the third year in a row that UW-Madison has received this honor. Seventy-five students are currently volunteering in various countries around the world. While it may not be possible for all of us to hop on a jet and give some of our time to help others, there are many other ways to give back in our own Madison community. Here are some places to get involved:
Located just a few miles from campus is a 1,200-acre nature sanctuary. There are many different plant species and 17 miles of trails. If you enjoy environmental projects, this could be the opportunity for you! They offer a few options to provide your service. First, they have restoration work parties from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday mornings. Each week they focus on a different area of the arboretum on a rotating basis. Next, they have a variety of longer-term volunteer positions that range in skill level and time commitment. They also can be done individually or in groups. Finally, you can schedule a one-time group service project with some friends or an organization you are in. You will work with coordinators to choose a project and all instruction will be given the day of.
At certain times of the day, happy squeals of children can be heard when walking by Nancy Nicholas Hall. This building his home to a daycare that specializes in promoting multiple kinds of development in kids. As a volunteer, you’ll have the opportunity to work with kids one-on-one as well as oversee group activities. Candidates have to fill out an application for the semester during which they want to work in the lab. The only requirement is that you can commit to at least three hours per week for at least 10 weeks; this is to ensure some degree of consistency for the children who attend.
3. UW-Madison School of Vet. Med Pet Pals Program
Have a dog? Then this opportunity is for you! Thanks to a partnership between UW’s vet school and UW Children’s Hospital, this program allows volunteer dogs to visit young patients. The process for acceptance into the program is a bit extensive, but it is well worth it to ensure safe, encouraging interactions between the patients and dogs. Your dog must work through a behavior and health information questionnaire, a behavior evaluation and a physical examination. In addition, you must complete the general volunteer orientation and shadow other volunteers before going on your own. Before each visit, dogs are treated with bathing and grooming services. They also get to wear blue vests to identify them as volunteers during their visits.
4. Greater University Tutoring Service
Becoming a tutor is a great way to help your fellow peers who may be struggling with a subject you happen to really excel at. There are several kinds of tutoring opportunities available. First is an academic match that places students together for a semester. This is on a “need” basis, so you may not have students each semester. The nice thing is that when you do get placed with one student or a small group, you will be able to build relationships with them all semester. Another tutoring option is for drop-ins. This form of the program needs students who are able to help in a variety of subjects and can hold office hours at several locations so that students who need help can stop by and ask questions. There are also two language options. One looks for volunteers to work with a group of diverse students to facilitate an English conversation with them. The other is for those fluent in a foreign language to help non-native speakers better learn and understand the language. There are different sign-up forms for each position and are available at different times throughout the semester.
5. Slow Food UW
The mission of this organization is to bring awareness to food sustainability – including fair access to healthy food and clean eating. It is a division of the Slow Food brand that was first launched in Italy in 1989. One volunteer opportunity is to help with family dinner night. This occurs every Monday at 6:30 p.m., but volunteer shifts can be Sunday night, Monday afternoon or Monday evening. The tasks include set up, cooking and clean up. The other volunteer opportunity is working the Slow Food Café. This extension of the program serves lunch to the public every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Different jobs include delivering food to customers, cooking, set up and clean up. As a bonus, all volunteers eat for free during both meals.
Who knew UW-Madison had so many interesting volunteer opportunities to meet every interest area? If you are looking to expand to the greater Madison area, Morgridge Center for Public Service’s website offers several suggestions for ways to find regular or one-time volunteer opportunities. No matter what you choose to do, becoming a volunteer is rewarding for you and the organizations you serve – and it certainly adds to the positive reputation UW-Madison has built within the volunteer community.