Community organizations can tap into the enthusiasm, energy, and intellect of Penn State Berks undergraduates to fill your organization's needs. Organizations work closely with our faculty members to help design and supervise service and research projects on issues that are important to your organization’s goals. Through this collaboration and by linking service work with classroom learning, students contribute both knowledge and research capabilities that enable them to be helpful in ways that volunteerism alone does not accomplish.
Students and faculty members benefit through a partnership with you, your expertise and knowledge of the community, and the opportunities for service-learning you help provide. You benefit by having students work with you to help address community needs.
How community organizations benefit from community engagement
The benefits of community engagement, service-learning, and community-based undergraduate research to community organizations include:
- gathering much-needed data and information about your intended audience, the effectiveness of your programs, the demographics of the community, etc.
- supplementing your own limited resources to accomplish evaluation and planning goals.
- establishing closer ties to Penn State Berks and its students, who often spend many hours volunteering in the community, as well as its faculty, whose research interests often support your goals.
- utilizing the creativity, intelligence, and talents of Penn State Berks students.
- modeling values of community commitment and leadership that influence students’ career choices.
How the OCE assists community organizations
The OCE is here to help you:
- connect with students, faculty, and/or staff.
- verify that students, faculty, and/or staff have Pennsylvania State Clearances when working with minors.
- rent space on campus for your event, conference, or meeting.
Start collaborating
To plan your event on our campus or engage students, faculty, and staff in your community-based projects, contact the OCE at BK-OCE@psu.edu.