2008-2009 Community Service Fact Sheet

Service Hours

1,880 students, faculty, and staff volunteered
66,362 total service hours were provided by the Willamette community
- CLA Undergrad - 29,415 hours
- CLA Service-Learning - 16,583 hours
- Atkinson - 2,632 hours
- College of Law - 3,300 hours
- School of Education - 6,781 hours
- WU Faculty and Staff - 7,651 hours self-reported
  - WU Staff - 4,393 hours by 67 staff
  - WU faculty - 3,258 hours by 34 staff
203 community organizations were impacted by the Willamette community
- 143 community organizations in Salem
- 30 community organizations in cities throughout Oregon (Portland, Dallas, etc.)
- 30 community organizations in cities located throughout the United States and various countries

Action and Awareness Events

Purple State of Mind Screening and Discussion - 7 students attended this film screening and participated in rich discussion focused on the importance of engaging in discussion about differing viewpoints, model conversations for addressing differences, and pragmatic steps for approaching these conversations.
Hunger Banquet - 35 students attended this simulated experience of global hunger and the inequities that result from food shortages to learn more about hunger in our community, global aid, and sustainable eating practices. Representatives from Marion-Polk Food Share and Ten Thousand Villages presented at the event. Five-hundred and seventy-five meal points were also donated by 50 students in conjunction with the event.
Backpack Project - 30 backpacks and 50 bags of supplies were collected to support at-risk youth receiving assistance through the HOME Youth Resource Center
Giving Tree Project - 150 holiday gifts collected for families who are connected to Family Building Blocks
Into the Streets - 100 students volunteered at 13 service sites throughout the Salem community, providing approximately 200 hours of service. The Into the Streets program received $300 in grant funding from the Oregon Volunteers MLK Jr. Mini-Grants Program.
Zena Forest Service Project - 24 TIUA and WU students provided approximately 48 hours of service clearing blackberry bushes and scotch broom plants at Zena Forest
Community Homeless Connect -- 20 TIUA students provided approximately 80 hours of service in the Friendship Café at the Community Homeless Connect, a one day resource fair to connect individuals who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless with as many sources of direct support as possible.
"Abled or Disabled: We're More Alike that Different" Presentation by Karen Gaffney - 30 students and community members attended this presentation to learn about inclusive education and the possibilities and accomplishments of individuals with disabilities.
Sustainability Service Day - 30 WU and TIUA students provided approximately 120 hours of service to the community. At Zena Forest 8 volunteers continued the ongoing invasive species; at the Chemawa Indian School, 9 volunteers worked on an on-going wetland restoration project; and at the Marion-Polk Food Share, 8 volunteers provided assistance with activities at the Community Garden Resource Fair.

Bush Elementary Tutoring and Mentoring Program

Over 60 Willamette student volunteers provided over 1000 hours of service through in class room assistance and after school programming at Bush Elementary School
The Tiger Club program included 28 Willamette student volunteers and 44 Tiger Club participants (Fall 2008 - 11 Willamette volunteers and 20 Tiger Club students; Spring 2009 - 20 Willamette volunteers and 44 Tiger Club students)
Initiated an assessment plan to measure the impact of Tiger Club participation on participating students' academic progress
Received $6,050 in grant funding from the Ralph Hull Foundation to continue the Bush Elementary-Willamette University Mentoring and Tutoring Program
Developed a spring training period to ensure the successful transition of Tiger Club student leadership
Developed an incentive program to increase Bush Elementary students' participation in the program, resulting in a 120% increase in participation from the fall 2008 semester to the spring 2009 semester

JumpStart: New Student Orientation to Community Outreach (NSOCO)

4 student leaders, 19 participants, and 2 TIUA participants provided 520 hours of service to eight community organizations (SOLV, Family Building Blocks, Jason Lee Retirement Home, HOME Youth Resource Center, Juntos Podemos Centro Familiar, Colonia Libertad, A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village, and Oregon Garden)
Coordinated two NSOCO reunion events to assist participants in maintaining a supportive social network during their first two months of college
Improved the JumpStart evaluation and created a follow-up evaluation six months later to measure the impact of JumpStart on students' first semester at Willamette
Implemented a panel discussion by faculty members who discussed the difference between charity, community service, and social change and the opportunities available for students to connect community service and their coursework at Willamette

Take a Break (TaB) alternative spring break

5 trips were offered to New Orleans, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Native Oregon
1 program director, 2 coordinators, 10 trip facilitators, 10 trip advisors, and 50 participants provided approximately 1,675 hours of service to 14 non-profit organizations

Service-Learning

14 service-learning courses were offered
205 students participated in service-learning classes/class components
16,583 hours of service were provided by service-learning students
9 disciplines were represented (Anthropology, Education, English, Environmental Studies, History, Interdisciplinary Studies, Latin American Studies, Politics, Psychology)
6 service-learning courses were assisted by the Office of Community Service Learning
Hosted service-learning conversations with faculty members to assess current service-learning interest/needs at Willamette
Initiated and developed a system for designating service-learning courses in the online course descriptions and on course proposal forms through collaboration with the Dean's Office and the Office of the Registrar

Student Organizations

Best Buddies - Approximately 10 members provided 225 hours of service by spending time one-on-one with their buddies, individuals in the community with developmental disabilities. Best Buddies' new president has formed a new partnership with the Willamette Down Syndrome Association to enhance the one-on-one buddy relationship and to increase the organization's recruitment efforts.
BOOM - 25 members provided 350 hours of service to the community by serving bi-weekly hot breakfasts at the Salvation Army to individuals who are homeless.
Circle K - Approximately 10 members provided 125 hours of service through monthly service projects at the Marion-Polk Food Share.
Greek Days Service Project - 15 students provided 40 hours of service at the Deepwood Historic Estate.
Kaneko Commons Service and Morale Committee - The committee hosted a Service Information Session to educate Kaneko residents on service opportunities in the community. The committee also hosted a leaf raking service project with the SESNA community, providing 50 hours of service to individuals in the neighborhood.
Opening Days Service Project - Approximately 400 students provided 800 hours of service to 24 community organizations through collaboration with the United Way Volunteer and Mentor Center. The Opening Days Service Project was nominated as a Days of Caring Team of the Year for their outstanding service to the community.
SGAC AIDS Walk - 55 students provided 220 hours of service through their participation in and clean up after the annual AIDS Walk in Portland.
Created the Service Organization Council to bring together the leaders of all service organizations and the community service representatives of residence halls and Greek organizations for monthly training/networking opportunities.

Community Partnerships

Initiated partnership with South Salem High School to create the South Salem Tutoring Program with approximately 20 Willamette students providing 650 hours of service through class room assistants and study hour tutors.
Expanded Willamette's partnership with Southeast Salem Neighborhood Association (SESNA) by attending monthly meetings, developing strong working relationship, and connecting students to SESNA community needs.
Enhanced Willamette's relationship with the Salem-Keizer school district placement coordinator through frequent email communication and site visits.
Performed site visits to 24 community agencies to learn about volunteer opportunities, enhance relationships with organizations, and develop stronger understanding of community services (United Way Volunteer and Mentor Center, Youth Impact, Isaac's Room, Marion County Volunteer Department, Western Oregon University Service Learning and Career Development, Willamette Academy, St. Jude's, Family Building Blocks, Garten Services, Teach for America, SESNA, Bush Elementary, Salem-Keizer School District, Marion-Polk Food Share, EBZEF, Chemawa Indian School, Language in Motion, Willamette Family Medical Center, South Salem High School, McKay Area Coalition for Student Success, Signature Hospice, Oregon Campus Compact, SENC After School Program, and Jason Lee Retirement Center)
Attended monthly Mid-Valley Volunteer Managers Association meetings to network with approximately 45 volunteer managers
Three Willamette students attended the CAPITAL Conference at Western Oregon University, sponsored by the Oregon Campus Compact, to network with students from universities across Oregon and to discuss community engagement initiatives in higher education. Two students provided a presentation at the conference on current social justice initiatives at Willamette University.

Recognition and Awards

Willamette University received the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll distinction for Willamette University's exemplary service to America's communities
Willamette University was nominated for the United Way's Days of Caring Team of the Year for Willamette University's Opening Days service projects.