“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead
|
|
Message from the Associate Director |
|
A few things have been going on since the last edition of the Community Outreach Newsletter. Our programs have been working on their recruitment and selection process and getting going with their programming. We also have a new Alternative Breaks Program Coordinator, Carl Soares (more on him below). We are still adjusting to being in-person again and learning to do things in-person during COVID-19. However, there is a positive energy driving the Community Outreach programs this year!
Miguel A. Colón
Director of Community Outreach
|
|
Recruiting Volunteers at the Involvement Fair
On September 13th and 17th, UConn hosted its annual Involvement Fair! Students, faculty, and staff came together to present +400 student organizations and university programs to find new ways to connect, make friends, and get involved.
Each COP ran a table at the Involvement Fair. Student coordinators and leaders talked to interested students about opportunities to engage in service. Online, the COPs held open Zoom calls. They directed students to the CO website, which provides UConn and local communities with information about initiatives related to volunteerism, community service, service-learning, and community partnerships.
CO is excited to continue serving the community with a group of newly recruited volunteers! Spreading awareness about these programs will not only aid local communities but expand the horizons of students' educational experience at UConn.
|
|
Alternative Breaks:
Welcoming Our Newest Staff Member!
|
|
Carl Soares, Alt. Breaks Coordinator
Alternative Breaks is excited to officially welcome new staff member Carl Soares to the team! Alt. Breaks has not had a full-time staff member in many years, making Carl's leadership especially welcome. CO looks forward to seeing the wonderful program organization and service Carl will facilitate for the community.
|
|
Kaitlyn Luft
Class of 2019
Kaitlyn graduated from UConn in 2019 with a degree in Global Health Promotion and a minor in Human Rights. During her freshman and sophomore years at UConn, she volunteered as a participant in Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS). As a junior, she served as a BBBS Site Manager and went on her first Alternative Break. She led the Community Development Alternative Break to Costa Rica during her senior year.
After graduating, Kaitlyn served as the interim Alt. Breaks Staff Coordinator from January 2020 to June 2021. She loved serving in this role, and it has influenced her desire to continue doing meaningful work in the community.
Currently, Kaitlyn is attending medical school at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Portland, Oregon. She’s pursuing her doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a master’s of science in global health. She’s interested in the intersection of policy, holistic individual-level care, and effective human-centered solutions.
|
|
Community Service Days
Community Service Days (CSD) is in full swing for the fall semester! CSD runs a variety of events happening every weekend on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. CSD encourages anyone looking to get involved in service for a few hours to sign up on UConntact.
Not only can students immerse themselves in the communities surrounding Storrs, but CSD is an excellent way for students to meet like-minded friends in a small-team setting! Alternatively, if CO programs or other UConn clubs are looking to reserve one-time events, CSD is happy to book events just for their members.
|
|
America Reads
America Reads has been connecting with the American Sign Language (ASL) department here at UConn! America Reads hopes to have ASL students volunteer with children who are deaf or hard of hearing in schools and sign book recordings for classrooms in the near future.
In addition to ASL outreach, America Reads is reconnecting with Kinsella High School (Site Manager Kaitlin Buttofuco) in Hartford to offer in-person tutoring for English, algebra, integrated sciences, and civics. America Reads will also facilitate in-person opportunities with Kinsella Elementary in Hartford (Site Manager Hunyee McCollum). At Chase Elementary in Waterbury (K-5), America Reads is initiating synchronous virtual tutoring during intervention blocks.
Administration is very excited about providing positive connections to literacy for kids who struggle to read!
|
|
Cross Cultural Connections
Cross Cultural Connections (CCC) has finished pairing all of its international and domestic students! Students began meeting the week of Monday, September 27. CCC recently held its first in-person meeting to begin creating a sense of community for student pairs. CCC looks forward to seeing all of the new connections that students make on campus!
|
|
Special Olympics
Special Olympics Assistant Coaching is starting in the upcoming weeks! Volunteers will be traveling to West Hartford to assist with bowling practices.
|
|
Check Out Our New LinkedIn! |
|
UConn CO is excited to launch its new LinkedIn page!
Click Here to connect with us on LinkedIn, get more CO updates, and showcase your knowledge, leadership, and expertise.
|
|
Election Day is Tuesday, November 2nd!
Get out there and make your voice heard!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
