What can I document?
At Penn State Behrend, students can document work accomplished through community service (direct and indirect) and philanthropy activities. Community service is the act of doing hands-on service to a charity or for a cause (e.g. food pantry). Philanthropy is the act of raising money for charity (e.g. carwash to benefit RAINN). Service will be measured through hours and philanthropy will be measured in dollars.
Service and philanthropy can occur while student(s) are enrolled at Behrend, including outside the academic year. Service and philanthropy can occur on an individual basis, as part of an organization, or with campus programs/departments.
Community Service
Community service can be defined as bettering the community with your efforts in exchange for no compensation. Service is typically done through a non-profit organization. Some examples of community service at Behrend are:
- Adopt a highway (clean up the highway)
- Read books to kids
- TOPS Soccer (Play soccer with kids with disabilities)
- Volunteer your time at an elderly home
- Volunteer your time at an animal shelter
- Special Olympics
Philanthropy
Philanthropy is when you raise money or goods. Philanthropy is also typically done through a non-profit organization.
What cannot be documented?
Community Service
While most activities can be documented, some fall outside the scope of community service. This includes: service directly benefiting a for-profit organization, service that promotes specific political or religious views, travel time, meetings, personal improvement activities such as conferences and training, activities for which you are paid (unless you are an AmeriCorps volunteer receiving a stipend or educational award), activities which serve the interests of a specific student organization or team (unless the organization is service based and time is spent planning a community service initiative), rehearsals and performances.
Philanthropy
Philanthropic contributions will be measured in dollars. The amount of time spent raising philanthropic dollars will not be documented by Student Leadership and Involvement.
What types of partners can I complete service with?
Generally service can occur through partnership with non-profit organizations, government programs, non-governmental organizations, schools, faith-based organizations or churches that serve a community need, and other organizations that serve at-risk or high need populations. Service can occur in partnership with for-profit organizations when the service directly addresses a community need and meets the criteria for documenting service. For information on organizations to partner with, contact Chris Fox at cdf13@psu.edu or Hannah Moran (hur203@psu.edu).
How do I document service hours?
Each chapter is responsible for tracking their members’ service and philanthropy contributions and then reporting that information to Student Leadership and Involvement.