Volunteering and Community Service: Making a Difference in Graduate School

No matter where you live, you’ll find no shortage of local organizations eager for your help. These groups may be specific to your town or chapters of larger groups:

• Nonprofit organizations: This describes any organization that dedicates all of its funds to public causes. These organizations run the gamut from animal rescue to child advocacy. You can also use services like Greatnonprofits.org to identify smaller local organizations.
• Underserved communities: Unfortunately, many people in our communities are struggling to get by. You can help by volunteering with groups that offer shelter, food, and other forms of aid to vulnerable populations. If you aren’t sure where to start, look into organizations like Food Not Bombs that distribute food or your local women’s shelter.
• Grassroots efforts: Because grassroots organizations are built on community action, they can be particularly exciting groups to volunteer for. If you’re looking to build skills with activism, organizing, or communication, these groups might offer more leadership opportunities than national organizations.
• Political organizations: If you’re civic-minded or interested in a career in politics, volunteering on a political campaign is an excellent opportunity to network and learn the ropes. Or if you’d rather keep politics out of it, you can still volunteer on behalf of democracy through nonpartisan political organizations such as Rock the Vote.

Working with a national nonprofit gives you the chance to dream big. These larger organizations often have more funding and connections to take on bigger projects. In some cases, this gives them the opportunity to offer volunteers stipends, and there may be more room to move into a full-time position after you graduate.

• AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps volunteers work to provide essential services to communities nationwide ranging from student support to disaster relief efforts. Plus, if you sign on to work for a certain number of hours, you are eligible to receive education benefits to cover tuition, books, or other school expenses.
• City Year: This program places volunteers in underserved schools to provide tutoring, student support, and mentoring to students of all ages. Working with City Year is an excellent way to develop leadership and interpersonal skills and gives you a firsthand look at the challenges faced by urban students nationwide.
• National Conservation Corps: Conservation Corps positions offer a nice change of pace for students who feel chained to their desks or trapped in the city. These postings let you get your hands dirty during 10- to 18-month stints. During your time, you can work on a range of projects from reforestation to environmental education.
• Peace Corps: If you’re interested in volunteering abroad, the Peace Corps is a worthy option to consider. During your post, you’ll live with a host family and assist in community-led development projects. Peace Corps placements are two years long, so they may not be practical in the middle of your degree program, but they can be a great way to build your resume and try something new if you need a break or if you’re looking to travel after graduation.
• Teach for America: This organization connects recent graduates to teaching positions in high-need schools. Teach for America teachers receive guidance and support from the organization to develop their teaching and leadership skills. Additionally, long-term Teach for America teachers qualify for student loan forgiveness.

Colleges understand the importance of giving back to their communities. So more than likely your school has resources to connect students with volunteer opportunities. Your school’s civic engagement office is a great place to start. More and more, schools are building online hubs for student volunteers similar to University of Florida’s Gators Volunteer. These sites make it easy to connect to short- and long-term volunteering opportunities. You can also talk to your advisor about doing an internship with a nonprofit for course credit.

If you can’t imagine fitting volunteering into your school schedule, that’s totally valid. But you can still make time to give back. Volunteering during your summer break can be a great way to recharge while bulking up your resume. Pick up a regular shift at a nonprofit in your area, volunteer as a camp counselor at a program like Camp Ronald McDonald, or join a short-term international project through organizations such as Global Brigades.

Sure, you probably can’t take off to volunteer abroad in the middle of finals, but that doesn’t mean you have to keep your volunteer hours close to home. International volunteer programs can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few years. So there’s definitely a position that fits your schedule and interests. If you check with your study abroad office, there’s a good chance your school is partnered with international volunteer groups. Plus, websites like Go Eco can connect you to a world of possibilities.

Most colleges are heavily invested in giving back to the community. To this end, your civic engagement or student learning offices likely arrange volunteer efforts and have a database of local organizations looking for help. In many programs, you’ll also find that your professors have strong connections to nonprofits in their field and would be delighted to put you in touch with a like-minded organization.

Step one: Load your search engine of choice. Step two: Search “nonprofit organizations near me.” And just like that, you’re connected with dozens, if not hundreds, of organizations that would welcome your support. Find groups that interest you and reach out directly. They’ll be delighted to hear from you.

Even small towns like Boulder City, Nevada, maintain lists of volunteer positions. We’re willing to bet your local government has some as well. Your local newspaper or weekly could be helpful too; even if you don’t find help-wanted ads for volunteers, you may learn about cool organizations in your area. You can also search social sites such as Nextdoor or Reddit for calls for volunteers or to learn about events or projects in your area.

• Go Abroad: If you’re thinking about dusting off your passport and doing some good abroad, Go Abroad is an excellent place to start your research. The site features thousands of volunteer positions worldwide. The site also collects reviews from previous volunteers for each job so you can be sure that you’ll get the quality volunteer experience you signed up for.
• Idealist: With Idealist, you can multitask by learning about social impact jobs, internships, and volunteer positions with one simple search. No matter which posting perks your interest, you’ll rest easy knowing that the site only lists positions from reputable nonprofits and socially responsible companies.
• Points of Light: This hugely influential organization connected five million volunteers with positions last year. They work with reputable nonprofits and NGOs to facilitate essential work globally. Simply type in your area of interest or your zip code and get ready to be connected to hundreds—or thousands—of opportunities.
• VolunteerMatch: This website is one of the best services to connect would-be volunteers with organizations in need. All you need to do is type in your zip code to learn about opportunities in your area. You can filter the results based on your work interests to learn about organizations in your field.

There is no one-size-fits-all volunteer position, so it’s important to take some time to think about what you want and what works with your schedule. For example, do you want to work in the community or travel abroad? Would you rather work with people or behind the scenes? Do you want to do work that aligns with your studies or explore something new? The answers to these questions can guide you to fulfilling, sustainable opportunities.

You’re busy, and there’s only so much time in the day. This is why you need to be realistic about how much you can commit and when. For example, it might be nice to have a few hours a week blocked out to work at a local organization. It guarantees a study break and a change of scenery. For others though, regular volunteer shifts may not be possible or enjoyable. If that’s the case, consider volunteering for one-time events or picking up projects on your breaks.

There are no wrong answers here. Some students volunteer to build job skills, network, and flesh out their resume. Others prefer to dedicate their time to a cause that aligns with a hobby or nonacademic interest. But it’s important to be clear about your goals. If your goal is to develop organizing skills, walking dogs at the local animal shelter probably won’t get you there. Similarly, if you view volunteering as self-care, traveling to a disaster zone might not meet that goal.

If it’s not clear already, you have options. When you’re evaluating opportunities, don’t overlook your current or long-term school plans. Are there opportunities that work with your plans? Or are you willing to make big adjustments for major commitments like joining the Peace Corps?

Many master’s programs allow students to do internships with nonprofits for course credit. This can be a great way to get more service in when time is tight. However, if you’re trying to get school credit, your options may be more limited. Work with your advisor and administration to ensure that the position you’re considering will qualify.

When we talk about long-term goals, we aren’t just talking about your career. You need to consider if and how volunteering can help your future job search. But other long-term goals might be learning about a cause or expanding your community. And if you’re excited about volunteer work but it only fits your short-term goals, that’s fine too.

Volunteering is usually talked about as something we do for others. But it’s also something you do for yourself. Although you can do important work at any number of organizations, you’ll be most impactful in positions that you enjoy and find fulfilling. If you find your work meaningful, you can avoid burnout and will be able to make more time for the cause.