Community Service Programs

OFFICE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS

Alternative Spring Break

The Alternative Spring Break program provides teams of students with an opportunity to spend their spring break serving and learning about communities in need.

In the past, students have been involved in siding, shingling, insulating and putting up windows and doors on Habitat for Humanity homes. Daily reflection, community building, and leadership activities also characterize these rigorous hands-on-breaks.

Lesley students have been participating in Alternative Spring Break with Habitat for Humanity since 2000. in 2007, 11 students traveled to Spartanburg, South Carolina for their Alternative Spring Break. You can read about their adventures below or about the 2006 trip, which focused on hurricane relief efforts.

Stay tuned for more information about the 2008 Alternative Spring Break!

 Alternative Spring Break 2007 Blog

2007: Lesley Today Article

Alternative Spring Break Student Tales from 2006

2006: Lesley Today Article

America Reads

Lesley University participates in the America Reads Tutoring Program at the Baldwin School in Cambridge.

The America Reads mission is two-fold:

1. To provide quality literacy tutoring for public elementary school students in Cambridge.

2. To build a strong and active network of Lesley students, faculty, administrators, and partners who share a commitment to youth, education, and social change.

The program matches tutors with elementary school students to master important reading skills, as well as develop self-confidence, motivation and a love for learning. In addition to tutoring at the schools twice a week, tutors meet twice a month to receive literacy training, share ideas and reflect on their experiences.

For more information, please contact Dan Flynn, Director of Community Service in the Division of Student Life and Academic Development, at (617) 349-8567 or email dflynn@lesley.edu.

Community Service Fair

On Tuesday, September 11th, local non-profits and community organizations came to Lesley University to meet with students and recruit student volunteers. Students learned about opportunities for one-time service opportunities as well as semester-long service programs and the variety of ways that they can make a difference in the community. Participating organizations included Cambridge School Volunteers, Somerville Home, The Women's Center, Tutoring Plus, Big Sister, Boston Partners in Education, Partners for Youth with Disabilities, and Peace Games.

Day of Service

On their first full day at Art Institute of Boston and Lesley College, freshmen and transfer students can opt to explore the Cambridge and Greater Boston community while making a deeper connection to its needs and resources. These students disperse to a variety of service-sites, where they are given an orientation to the site itself, a description of how the organization serves the community, and a chance to converse about issues like environmental preservation, educational inequalities, hunger, homelessness, access to the arts, and low-income housing. During this time, students also help the service site in a wide variety of ways to match the site's current needs.

The 2008 Day of Service, held on Tuesday, September 2nd, included such organizations as Community Art Center, Habitat For Humanity - Greater Boston,  Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House, On the Rise, Parents' Nursery School, Somerville Home, The Women's Center, and Tutoring Plus. Other organizations that have participated in previous Day of Service events include the Eviction Free Zone and Friends of Alewife Reservation.

Federal Work Study and Community Service

Existing partnerships with Boston and Cambridge agencies allow Lesley students to receive federal work-study employment for non-profit community work. Students can also create new work-study opportunities by contacting Dan Flynn, Director of Community Service, at (617) 349-8567 or contacting the Office of Financial Aid.

R.E.A.L. Retreat

The R.E.A.L. (Retreat Experience At Lesley) Retreat is a chance for students to "build community through service." Students are able to take a break from their academic lives, get off of campus, and do meaningful community work. Moreover, it's a chance for students to meet new people, learn more about one-another, and engage at a deeper level. The R.E.A.L. Retreat occurs once each semester. The next R.E.A.L. retreat is happening October 31-November 2, 2008 and students interested in signing up may contact Dan Flynn, Director of Community Service, at (617) 349-8567 or dflynn@lesley.edu.

Scholarships for Service

The Scholarships for Service program, through Massachusetts Campus Compact, gives students the opportunity to receive a $1,000 education award in return for completing 300 hours of service. Participants receive support from the Office of Community Service, and meet regularly to reflect on their experience.

For more information, contact the Director of Community Service, Dan Flynn, at (617) 349-8567 or email dflynn@lesley.edu.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

For more information about student organizations,
contact the Office of Student Activities at 617-349-8565.

ALANA

ALANA is a resource, support, academic and social network group for students who make up the rich and diverse heritage of the African/Caribbean/multi-racial, Latino, Asian and Native American populations. Membership is open to all students who are interested in being part of a strong multicultural student support network and promoting cultural awareness to the Lesley community.

Community Service Club

The Community Service Club provides many opportunities for students to follow their passions while doing service. Past projects have included cooking and serving food for the homeless, blood drives, clothing drives, and helping community centers paint murals. There are many more opportunities to come and the club is always open to new ideas as well.

Hillel

Hillel is a national organization for Jewish students on college campuses. The purpose of Lesley's Hillel is to support Jewish students through cultural, educational, and social events, speakers, brunches, and traditional holiday celebrations. The club is open to all students interested in the preservation of the Jewish heritage.

LEAP

LEAP serves as a forum for discussions on homosexual and heterosexual issues on campus. It works to foster an accepting, supportive and confidential environment for all students regardless of their sexual orientation. The group designs and sponsors programs and activities to educate the community on sexuality issues and provides outreach to groups in the community and other colleges.

Student Government

The SGA is established to represent the interests and concerns of undergraduate students to the larger university community, while working to build an excitingly vibrant life on campus for students. The elected leadership of the SGA, along with the general student body, will work together to realize these goals.

Students for Social Justice

SSJ is a group focused on getting students within Lesley to increase their civic awareness by engaging in volunteer work for the poor and deprived in the greater Boston area. As students who are in the process of learning to become socially oriented professionals, this group is committed to reaching out to the community that surrounds Lesley University.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

• Hunger Awareness Week
• Project Bread's Walk for Hunger