Ed.  note:

In the previous issue of TC CareerMail, we heard from Anne Lundburg about academic internship possibilities here at Trinity. It should be noted that while academic internships are not available to first-year students, it is never too early to get involved in one or more of the exciting community service projects described below. From our perspective in the CSO, community service is a critical component to building that great base of experience that ALL employers value.      

GREETINGS TO PARENTS FROM THE TRINITY OFFICE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT!

It is an honor and privilege to send greetings to the parents of our students in my new capacity as Director of the Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement, a position I commenced in late November 2002.  It has been a busy time for me attempting to get a handle on all the work in the Office, but as we approach the end of another busy year at the College, it is a pleasure for me to have the opportunity to update you on the work of Trinity’s Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement.

The mission of the Office is to build strong, sustainable partnerships with the Hartford community and make service, community commitment, and civic responsibility central to what it means to be a member of the Trinity College community.  The Office creates and implements a comprehensive array of civic and service programs that students, faculty, administration, staff, and alumni/ae.

With regards to students, the Office assists them to develop and operate a number of ongoing community service projects.  Some examples of the areas in which our students have created and run ongoing programs are as follows: adults (Best Buddies), diversity/empowerment (Operation Reach BLACK), environment (Connecticut Public Interest Research Group (ConnPIRG)), human rights (Students to Unite Science and Humanitarian Interests (SUSHI) and Voices Organized in Democracy (VOID)), hunger and homelessness (Habitat for Humanity, ConnPIRG’s Hunger and Homelessness Project, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship St. Elizabeth’s House project), leadership/community building (Community Outreach Leadership Team, Praxis, Lion’s Club), senior citizens (“Gambling with Granny”--bingo at Trinity Hill Health Care Center), and youth (Adolescent Mentoring Program, Kids in Community Service, Vision Academic Mentoring Program, Rising Stars Program, Dream Camp Mentoring Program, Squash Wise, Boys and Girls Club programs (miscellaneous))

The Office also oversees a number of student-run annual service projects that aim to engage the larger Trinity community in service.  Such projects include: days of service (Do It Day, Hunger Clean-Up), blood drives (semi-annual), youth events (Halloween on Vernon Street, Fifth Graders Go To College, Fun Fair), hunger and homelessness events (Great Pie Project, Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive, and Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Souper Bowl), fundraisers and drives (Sponsor-A-Snowman: Holiday Gift Drive for Hartford Interval House, Annual Auction for Charity, and Get Naked with Praxis Clothing Drive), and alternative spring breaks (Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge).

As you can see, whether your student’s interests are youth, adults, housing, hunger, HIV/AIDS, arts, environment, education, literacy, senior citizens, human rights, voting, or whatever else, the Office can find a connection for your student.  The types of involvement are limited only the imagination and interest of the students.  If we do not have a program in a particular area, students are encouraged to start their own.  If doing as such is not of interest to a student, the Office is well connected with the Hartford community and many its community-based organizations and in almost any case a connection between one’s interest and a relevant community organization can be made.

Besides the Office’s work on student service efforts, we also serve in a number of other capacities including: information clearinghouse (for campus about the community), donation collection point (food, clothing, books, etc.), education and leadership development (speakers series, co-teaching an independent study class for student community service leaders, working one-one-one with student project heads on leadership skills, and running workshops at national service conferences); community employment and promotion (partnering with Career Services to run the Trinity Urban Leadership Program, expanding and promoting Federal Work Study community service opportunities, the U-Pass program--providing free and unlimited access to all CT Transit buses for all students, and promoting Hartford and making information generally available); service or involvement with community-related boards, committees, and initiatives (e.g., United Way, National Youth Service Day, CT Commission on National and Community Service); community resource (volunteer requests and access to campus facilities); and post-graduation citizenship and service (Graduation Pledge).

I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to talk a little bit about the Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement.  If you are interested in more information or are interested in talking further about any related issues, please feel free to contact me at (860) 297-4256 or jbarber@trincoll.edu. 

Best wishes for the summer,

Joe Barber

Director of Community Service and Civic Engagement