Clarkson men's hockey players read at a local school.

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of humanity."
–Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Clarkson women's hockey players skate with a child.

Volunteering

Reaching Beyond Yourself

Volunteering in community service can be one of the most fulfilling opportunities you'll find at Clarkson. By reaching out and offering your energy, talent and compassion, you can make a real difference in people's lives. Through service to others, students gain a better understanding of themselves, demonstrate classroom learning, and increase leadership, teambuilding , and management skills.

That's why service is a core value of Clarkson; it benefits both the students and the community. Service helps develop a sense of social responsibility and civic pride. By helping others in need, your participation in volunteer experiences will lead to the betterment of the larger community while enriching your own life.

G.I.V.E.
At Clarkson, you can get connected with those who need help through a volunteer program called G.I.V.E., run jointly with neighboring SUNY Potsdam. This liaison mechanism can match your interest and available time with requests for service from various groups.

Few things can compare with mentoring a youth at risk, befriending someone who is developmentally disabled, caring for an elderly person, repairing or building homes, serving as a crisis counselor, collecting canned goods for Thanksgiving, or raising money for a worthy cause. When you give of yourself, you gain more than you can imagine.

More than 150 agencies or nonprofit groups in our surrounding communities need volunteer help on a wide variety of tasks and projects. These range from one-time commitments to regularly scheduled commitments for either an individual or a group.

G.I.V.E. is administered by the Office of Co-Curricular Programs and Service Learning. A referral guide in the office contains agency or group names, contact information, and opportunities. For more information, contact Director Randy Lamson at 315-268-6680 or e-mail her at randy@clarkson.edu.

Volunteer Service Organizations

Alpha Phi Omega
A service fraternity at Clarkson that is open to both male and female students. One of 615 chapters across the U.S., APO was founded in 1925 to promote leadership by providing services to benefit the campus and larger community.

Circle K Clarkson
Members become involved in numerous community service projects.