Philosophy
The Community Service Office strives to provide the Grinnell College community with opportunities to serve collaboratively with local organizations and individuals in addressing and improving the critical concerns of our larger community. The program takes seriously the College’s core values of social responsibility, diversity, and excellence in liberal arts education by seeking to engender skills necessary for students, faculty & staff to make socially responsible and responsive differences in the community; by serving as a resource for personal insight, growth and social justice leadership; by broadening the scope of the educational experience through service and reflection; and by promoting service that is just, meaningful and collaborative.
Student, faculty & staff commitment to social responsibility has been a large part of Grinnell College’s history. Grinnell was a center for abolitionist activity before and during the Civil War, and later it played a key role in the Social Gospel Reform Movement. During the New Deal, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Grinnell alumni, including Harry Hopkins, Paul Appleby, and Hallie Flanagan, to positions in his administration.
Today community service at Grinnell is unique in that most projects are student initiated, led and organized. This model empowers students to become socially responsible civic leaders who then educate their peers and the larger community about the issues, organizations and people with whom they are working.
How Might the Community Service Office Help You?
- Susan Sanning, the College's Community Service Coordinator, is available to help students, faculty & staff find service opportunities in the area and network with others who are interested in similar issues and opportunities.
- At the beginning of each semester the Office sponsors a volunteer fair that is held in the Joe Rosenfeld Center. Both student service groups and local organizations are present at this fair to explain how you might be able to volunteer!
- The Office coordinates the Community Service Work-Study Program which allows students to use their federal work-study award while working with a local non-profit service organization.
- The Office serves as a liaison between Grinnell College and community organizations who need volunteers. If your organization has an opportunity that may be of interest to the campus community please let us know!
- The Office works with the Student Governement Association to facilitate new student service groups and organizations on campus.
- The Office may help individuals, student groups, classes or other organizations reflect on the service they do.
- Office staff are available to talk to classes or groups about balancing work, leadership & service; creating & leading sustainable service organizations; the role of social justice when doing service work; service, values & avocational meaning making, etc.
- The Office has transportation funding for groups of students to travel to local service desitinations that are not within walking distance of campus .
- Information about volunteering, community service work-study positions, and summer opportunities are all available on our Web page.
- The Office has a digital camera available for students to use to document their service projects. The Office is more than willing to place your photos on our web page!
- If you need any other help with regard to service just ask -- we might be able to help!
