Dear Colleagues:
I am pleased to invite undergraduate and graduate students in your college or unit to participate in the Spring 2022 We CU Community Engaged Scholars program.
This program supports our mission to serve our community and expand high-quality and interdisciplinary community engagement activities for students across our campus. So far more than 1500 students from across campus have participated in We CU, making a positive impact in the community while building their resume and enriching their university experience.
“My service deeply enriched my understanding of a group of people with different beliefs from my own, and by understanding and serving that new community, I have become a better global citizen.” – Justin, We CU Volunteer
We CU honors students for their community-based work and provides them with training, connection to like-minded peers, support from program leaders, and access to virtual and in-person service opportunities with We CU community partners. The program also offers mini grants to offset any costs related to service and to make service opportunities accessible to more students. Students completing 20 hours of service each semester will be honored at an awards ceremony at the end of this term, with distinct recognition given to those who complete 200 hours of service prior to graduation.
This opportunity will be particularly attractive to the following groups of students:
- Students enrolled in academic programs that have built-in service requirements: These service hours can count toward We CU scholar recognition.
- Students participating in service learning courses or groups: We CU matches projects from community organizations with service learning courses and groups. These service hours can count toward We CU scholar recognition.
- Students motivated to enrich their university experience, build their resume and make a positive impact in the community: We CU allows students to view and sign up for open service opportunities. Students may also gain recognition for self-identified service projects.
This program is supported by units across campus committed to community-engaged work. Please encourage representation from your college, department or institute in this program by sharing the one-page program summary with appropriate faculty, staff, and students in your unit.
Students can enroll in the Spring 2022 program by visiting wecu.illinois.edu/join-we-cu.
Sincerely,
Wanda E. Ward
Executive Associate Chancellor for Public Engagement