Volunteer Expo Lets UA Students Explore Ways to Help the Community

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama Community Service Center is hosting the 2012 Volunteer Expo, designed to give students the opportunity to learn about area nonprofit agencies and the volunteer opportunities they offer.

The event will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 5, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Ferguson Center on the UA campus.

Representatives from participating agencies will be on hand to provide information about their organizations and their specific volunteer needs. The CSC works with these and other local nonprofit agencies throughout the year by connecting them with service-minded students to address the needs of the Tuscaloosa community.

“The Volunteer Expo is a wonderful opportunity for students to be able to talk personally with nonprofits in the area where they may want to volunteer,” said Wahnee Sherman, CSC director. “This way, they have a better understanding of volunteer opportunities in the Tuscaloosa area,” she said.

The CSC’s mission is to educate students for service advocacy and leadership, civic responsibility and lifelong volunteerism by increasing awareness of community needs, resources and opportunities for social problem solving. The CSC and UA students were responsible for more than 425,000 hours of service last year in local communities, the state, across the nation and abroad. The CSC aims to foster a spirit of volunteerism that will stick with students through their time at the University and beyond.

A list of the organizations partnered with the CSC can be found at http://slpro.ua.edu. Creating an account at the website allows students to view a list of specific volunteer opportunities and to log their service hours online.

For more information, visit the CSC in 346 Ferguson Center or contact Sherman at wsherman@sa.ua.edu.