Students who are engaged in the community are more likely to achieve greater academic success.
Making an Impact Through Community Engagement
VCU students are making a difference through volunteerism and community service, enhancing their academic experiences while building strong connections in Richmond. Each month, we feature a new student in our newsletter, highlighting their contributions and the positive impact they are making.
Why Volunteer?
- Gain real-world experience and explore career paths.
- Develop leadership and teamwork skills valued by employers.
- Give back to the Richmond community and make meaningful connections.
- Enhance your resume through hands-on service.
If you are a student or know someone who deserves to be in the spotlight, contact us at hamiltonae@vcu.edu to share their story!
Ways to Get Involved
VCU provides a variety of ways for students to engage in service:
- VCU Student Organizations – Many clubs and organizations focus on service projects.
- Service-Learning Courses – Earn academic credit while making a community impact.
- Days of Service-Join us for university-led days of service
- Alternative Breaks – Participate in service trips during academic breaks.
In the Community, Richmond offers many opportunities for students to serve in various of our priority partner communities. Most of these opportunities are advertised through Ramz Connect. Here are some examples of past student involvement:
- Supporting local schools through mentoring and tutoring programs.
- Volunteering at the local food bank or food pantries to address food insecurity.
- Assisting with programs at local community centers
- Helping with neighborhood revitalization through local sustainability initiatives
- Engaging with Richmond Public Libraries, museums, and nonprofit organizations
Online and National Platforms
Looking for flexible or virtual options? Explore:
Succeed in service
- Be punctual. Your supervisor and clients/participants at your service site are relying on your commitment. If you cannot meet your commitment for some extraordinary circumstance, please contact your site supervisor as soon as possible.
- Be professional. Dress comfortably, neatly and appropriately. Remember, when you go to your site you are representing yourself, your class and the university. Refrain from cellphone use during your service hours and do not use the internet for non-work-related tasks.
- Be flexible. No two days at your site will be the same. Be as productive as possible through both high and low times of activity.
- Familiarize yourself with your service site. Acquaint yourself with your site’s mission statement and read carefully through your site’s website. What contributions do you hope to make? How is this experience related to your course content? Discuss these ideas with your site supervisor and course instructor.
- Get acquainted with your service site supervisor. Know how to contact your site supervisor with questions or concerns and solicit their advice when needed. Keep their e-mail and phone number at hand.
- Learn the rules, policies and procedures of your site. Ask your site supervisor and instructor for a copy of rules and policies (if none are provided to you) to avoid violating them out of ignorance. Protect yourself and the agency by becoming familiar with important rules and guidelines.
- Respect the privacy of all clients. Keep all confidential material (organizational files, diagnostics or personal stories) confidential.
- Be respectful and accepting. Never accept or engage in any behavior that might be perceived as discriminating against an individual on the basis of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or ethnicity.
- Be open to learning everything that you can. The service component of your service-learning course is designed to enhance what you are learning in class through real-world experience. Keep an open mind and open perspective.
- Be appropriate. You are in a work situation and are expected to treat your supervisor, co-workers and clients with courtesy, kindness and professionalism.
- Be safe. Make sure that someone knows when you are going to your service site and how to reach you if needed. Let people know your schedule. Do not carry large amounts of cash or wear excessive jewelry that might attract attention. Park in well-lit areas and take extra precautions at night.
- Familiarize yourself with the area. Know where phones, emergency exits, police stations, 24-hour stores, gas stations and staff offices are located.
- When in doubt, ask for help. Your site supervisor understands the issues at your site, and you are encouraged to approach them with problems or questions. Your supervisor can assist you in determining the best way to respond in difficult or uncomfortable situations.
- Work in pairs or groups as often as possible. It is always best to work in pairs or groups so that you are never alone with a client/participant without adequate supervision.
- Trust your instincts and intuition. If you are feeling unsafe or uneasy about a situation, it is best to trust your instincts. You are not required to participate in any activity that makes you feel uncomfortable.
- Maintain boundaries. Maintain a healthy emotional distance with clients/participants. Do not lend clients/participants money, give out your address or phone number, transport clients/participants in your personal vehicle or provide services that you are not trained to provide.
- Expect the unexpected. Your service experiences will not always be completely predictable from week to week. This is why they are fun, but also why they can sometimes be confusing or frustrating. Try to stay flexible and learn from every situation, even the ones that appear at first to be challenging or unsuccessful.
Service opportunities
VCU Transform
VCU Transform as a unit empowers and supports students to become transformative and inclusive leaders through engagement in diverse experiential learning opportunities that foster their career readiness and sense of belonging in the VCU and Richmond communities.
HandsOn Greater Richmond
HandsOn Greater Richmond provides resources to support meaningful volunteer engagement within the greater Richmond region. Service opportunities found through HandsOn Greater Richmond are eligible for up to 16 hours of paid service leave but may not qualify for enhanced community service leave.
Community Engagement Council
The Student Engagement Council at VCU’s Division of Community Engagement provides students with leadership opportunities to support and promote community engagement initiatives. Members collaborate on projects, share ideas, and help connect VCU students with meaningful service opportunities. The council empowers students to make a lasting impact in Richmond through advocacy, outreach, and partnerships.
