Author: Loren Belew

Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Alternative Spring Break trip in Boulder Creek, CA. The trip will be spent volunteering as camp counselors at Camp Campbell, Outdoor Science School.

The California Outdoor Science Association is sponsored by the California Department of Education. WSU volunteers will serve as camp counselors through the week and assist with the Outdoor School’s programming. Volunteers will receive a day long training on the first day of the trip, Monday. The camp takes place from Tuesday-Friday. Activities during the week may include but are not limited to attending field studies with students in the redwood forest, conducting river studies and daily nature hikes traveling around to various communities surrounding the camp. One evening campers will participate in a field study which includes a night walk, emphasizing the nocturnal animal life, nighttime sensory awareness, and astronomy. On Saturday, WSU volunteers will have a “tour day” to spend touring San Francisco and will spend the night in the city and depart the following Sunday to fly back to Wichita.

The cost of the trip is $200 per student. The cost includes transportation (airfare to/from, housing, meals, and excursions). The full payment of $200 must be received along with the application by Dec. 9, 2023. If you are not chosen to participate in the trip, you will be refunded the full amount. For more information about the trip, you may attend one of SEAL’s upcoming informational meetings held Sept. 12 and 26 in the SEAL office in 216 Rhatigan Student Center.

For more information email Loren Belew at loren.belew@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016.

Join the Community Service Board for its weekly meetings to learn more about volunteering, tour local nonprofits, participate in community service projects and have fun. Meetings are held at 3:30 p.m. every Thursday in 142 Rhatigan Student Center.

Join the Shockers Vote Coalition for the second Midwest Student Voting Summit. The summit will be held virtually from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, March 24. It will be an opportunity to come together with fellow students, staff, faculty, administrators and non-partisan campus partners to strategize on getting out the youth vote.

All WSU students, faculty and staff are welcome to participate. The conference is virtual, and attendees may join on their own or they can participate with fellow Shockers from the Shockers Vote Coalition in 240 Rhatigan Student Center. Following the conference, there will be time to debrief and talk about next steps for the Shockers Vote initiative and about ways to get involved. Lunch will be provided.

The summit is in partnership with the Campus Vote Project, All In to Vote and Students Learn Students Vote. To sign-up or learn more, email Loren Belew, civic engagement coordinator with Student Engagement, Advocacy & Leadership, at loren.belew@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016.

Choose from hundreds of volunteer opportunities using VolunteerICT. The platform connects Wichita State’s students, faculty and staff to volunteer work throughout Wichita based on specific agencies, location, interest and more.

To get started, log in to myWSU, go to the “Home” tab, and under the “Campus Involvement” section, select “Log in to VolunteerICT.” Create a profile, find volunteer opportunities and begin volunteering.

Volunteers can track their activities, and VolunteerICT will add the hours to a volunteer resume that volunteers can access anytime.

For questions, email VolunteerICT@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016.

Join the Community Service Board in volunteering at the United Way Give Items of Value (GIV) Warehouse. United Way’s GIV Program accepts donated items from companies and offers them at no charge to nonprofits throughout the state.

Volunteers will meet at the GIV Warehouse to sort and organize items so that they may be given to local nonprofits. The spring 2023 dates and times are 2:30-4:30 p.m. March 31, April 21.

For questions, email csb@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016.

Join the Community Service Board in serving a meal at the Lord’s Diner. The Lord’s Diner provides free meals to the community 365 days a year.

Volunteer duties may include serving food, bussing dishes, refilling drinks, dining hall clean-up and washing dishes.

The spring 2023 volunteer dates and times are 5-8 p.m. Feb. 8, March 8 and April 12.

For questions, email csb@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016.

Join fellow Shockers and Wichita State’s Community Service Board on Feb. 11 to make a huge impact on the Wichita community during Wu’s Big Event, WSU’s largest one-day volunteer project.

Individuals, groups, organizations, students, staff and faculty are all invited to attend. Check-in for Wu’s Big Event will be from 8:30 to 8:50 a.m. There will be a 9 a.m. kick-off in the Beggs Ballroom (third floor of the Rhatigan Student Center) when information about the agencies being served will be shared. Participants will then load the buses and be at a service site by 10 a.m. Volunteers will work until noon and return to the RSC for lunch and celebration. The event will end by 1:30 p.m.

Transportation to and from service sites is provided. A light breakfast, lunch, water and t-shirt also provided.

Do you have Spring Break Plans? Join the SEAL office for an Alternative Spring Break volunteering March 13-18 in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Volunteers will work on hurricane recovery and other service projects related to environmental sustainability and water conservation. The trip costs $210 per person and includes airfare, flight, food, and volunteer programming in North Carolina.

For questions email volunteerICT@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016.

After you’ve voted, it will be time to celebrate your civic involvement. Join the Shockers Vote Coalition as we celebrate Election Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 8 on the North Patio of the RSC. Get free food and t-shirts while supplies last.

Join the SEAL office from March 13-18 for an Alternative Spring Break trip in Wilmington, North Carolina. Alternative Breaks invite students to spend time learning about a specific area and then travel to that area over spring break to participate in a series of volunteer activities that complement their studies.

The trip cost this year is $210 and covers airfare, food, lodging and all program costs. Students must fill out an application and be selected to join the program.

For questions email Loren Belew at Loren.Belew@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7016.