Opportunities for Students

There are many opportunities at University of Washington and in the surrounding community for students to be involved in understanding and eradicating poverty. There are several opportunities throughout the year to participate in service learning days. Various student groups, academic and administrative offices sponsor these one-day experiences.

In particular, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has become associated with service learning and volunteer opportunities sponsored by the UW. In 2007, the UW MLK, Jr. Day of Service will have a special focus on issues of poverty and homelessness. Additionally, the University has partnered with the United Way of King County Out of the Rain Campaign to offer educational forums on poverty and homelessness during the week leading up to the MLK Jr. Day of Service. For more information or to register to volunteer, see the MLK Jr. Day of Service website at http://depts.washington.edu/mlkjr/.

There are also many opportunities at University of Washington and in the outside community for more long-term volunteer service. In some cases, students can also earn school credit or money for school while performing public service. At the University of Washington, many students participate in service learning projects under the guidance of faculty. Interested students can start by checking out the following links:

• Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center
  
  The Carlson Center, based at the University of Washington, coordinates service learning opportunities locally, nationally and internationally. Service learning provides students a unique opportunity to connect coursework with life experience through public service. Service learning can increase relevance of academic content by exploring related community opportunities, encourage students to challenge personal and social assumptions, values and beliefs, and develop deliberative, collaborative, and leadership skills. Current service learning coursework covers issues of global hunger, class, and race.
  
  
• Americorps
  
  AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps*VISTA are federally funded domestic Peace Corps programs that provide individuals of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to address some of the most pressing problems facing our country today. In return for providing a year of service, AmeriCorps and VISTA members receive a monthly living allowance, training opportunities, and an educational award to help finance college education or vocational training, or to pay back student loans. Many of these opportunities involve work with youth, the homeless, or the elderly in urban disadvantaged communities.
  
  
• Washington Commission for National and Community Service
  
  The Washington Commission for National and Community Service website offers a listing of all the Americorps and VISTA volunteer opportunities available in Washington. It also provides information about other volunteer and service opportunities in across the state. There are both rural and urban opportunities to eradicate or alleviate poverty.