Community Involvement provides participants with the opportunity to earn academic credit for a variety of service projects, as approved by the sociology department chairperson. This program enables participants to enrich their classroom experiences through fieldwork in schools, hospitals, social work agencies, nursing homes, government organizations, businesses, and the like, while concurrently providing outreach and interaction between the college and the community. More broadly, Community Involvement is designed to expose students to real-life sociology, so that they can better understand the world around them and be able to assess the social world more critically.
This 3-credit class is graded on a pass/fail basis. Community fieldwork and appointments with the instructor replace class meetings. Sixty (60) hours required in the field.
Please note: This course is open to all students, with the permission of the instructor/department chairperson and a maximum of six (6) credits may be earned with no more than three (3) credits in any given semester.
Finding Community Involvement Sites
Look at the websites of local nonprofit organizations. There may be a menu with a link to volunteer opportunities. Contact the appropriate staff member at the site for more information.
Additional Sources
Below is a partial list of websites that might offer volunteer opportunities:
greatnonprofits.org
indeed.com
nsmc.partners.orgvolunteermatch.org
simplyhired.com
volunteermatch.org
How to Apply for Community Involvement
- Gather preliminary information about what the sociology community involvement entails. Start by either meeting with the department chairperson and/or reading the community involvement course syllabus.
- Investigate fieldwork/volunteer sites of interest.
- Contact the supervisor/director or the appropriate staff member at the site. Discuss the possibility of volunteering at the organization. Secure approval from a supervisor for your site.
- Complete the preliminary data sheet, which requires the site supervisor’s contact information and signature. Your participation cannot proceed without this!