Community Service

What does the Community Service Committee do?

The goal of the Community Service Committee is to involve SWE members in volunteering on campus and in the Champaign-Urbana community. We work with local organizations that need help on a regular basis and for special events. We also have our own events. Each semester we run a Girl Scout Workshop to teach the girls about science and engineering in a fun way that sparks their interest. In the spring we have a Relay for Life team that fundraisers to support cancer research. We also help to keep out campus clean at our regular Green Street Cleanings. Some of the other causes we focus on include hunger, health/wellness, mentoring, and community development. Contact Julie Lima at julie11@illinois.edu or Kayla Goldstein at kaylang2@illinois.edu with any questions!

Why volunteer?

Volunteering has a positive impact on the community by helping people. However, the benefits of volunteering are not one-sided. Those who volunteer get to meet new people, have fun, and learn new skills. They feel an increased sense of community and satisfaction from helping others. Volunteering with SWE also helps promote a positive image both for our organization and for individual members. If you would like to learn more about volunteer opportunities in the Champaign-Urbana area, visit http://cuvolunteer.org/

Events & Activities:

iHelp

During Homecoming at U of I, student organizations including SWE help with various service projects.

Adopt-a-Highway

1-2 times a season we set out to clean up our community a.k.a. Green Street.

Girl Scout Workshops

In the fall we host a Junior Girl Scout Workshop, and in the spring we host both Brownie and Cadette Girl Scout Workshops.

Relay for Life

We form a team and raise funds to support cancer research. At the spring event the team walks laps on a track for an extended period of time.

Project Paplet

The goal of the project is to reduce paper waste, and educate people on the environmental benefits of recycling.

SWE GARDEN

We maintain our own SWE garden in front of Engineering Hall and volunteer with other planting and gardening projects in the community.

Misc

Have an idea for a volunteering project?  Come to our committee meetings to pitch your idea.

Directors:

Chairs:

Chair Roles:

• SWE Garden Chair: Oversee and maintains the SWE garden design and organizes the Back to School Planting Event and Spring Planting Event

• Girl Scout Workshop Chair: Organizes and executes a Junior Girl Scout Workshop, Brownie Girl Scout Workshop, and Cadette Girl Scout Workshop

• Small Event Fundraising Chairs: Manage Relay for Life team for SWE and organize other fundraising events to raise money for Relay for Life (restaurant fundraisers, bake sales, penny wars, etc.)

• Large Event Fundraising Chairs: Organizes any large charity fundraisers to raise money for Relay for Life (Committee Feud, Trivia Nights, Top Engineer, Dance Marathon, Thrift Auction, etc.)

• Community Chairs: Organizes one-time special events (iHelp, Trick-or-Treat for Unicef, Operation Christmas Child, etc.) and find and schedule monthly community volunteer events throughout CU.

• Social Creativity Chair: Creates icebreaker and service activities for weekly committee meetings, organizes monthly committee bonding events, and designs committee t-shirts/swag

• Secretary: Records meeting minutes, attendance, and weekly email updates for the committee while also helping the Community. Service Director with event advertising

• Environmental Chairs: Organizes environmental volunteering events such as Green St. Cleaning, Boneyard Creek Clean-up Day, Illini Lights Out, SWEco-Week, and Sustainability workshop and encourage sustainability in SWE