There are many ways you can volunteer with the WashU Engage Network and share your passion, knowledge, experience, and current community involvement with other alumni, parents, and friends of WashU:
- Organize and lead a community service project in your city (site leader)
- Share expertise and advice as a guest speaker at an event
- Provide career support to students and young alumni through mentorship, internships, mock interview assistance, and resume feedback
If you are interested in any of these volunteer opportunities or would like to learn about other ways to get involved, please submit a volunteer interest form.
for more information
Thinking about planning a community service project?
Explore the issues facing your community and consider issues that interest the alumni in your regional network
- If you are already a volunteer at an agency, ask what needs the alumni volunteers could address.
- Talk to friends and neighbors about community needs and local volunteer organizations.
- Consult with local umbrella organizations such as the United Way.
- Reach out to fellow alumni who work in the non-profit sector—the Alumni Association can provide you with some alumni to contact.
- Reach out to fellow alumni who sit on agency boards—the Alumni Association can provide you with some alumni to contact.
- One or more alumni can share the duties and responsibilities of site leader for a community service project at the local level.
- Identify a need in the local community and collaborate closely with a non-profit to organize a service project.
- Coordinate with agency staff to set a date for the project during a time that is convenient for you and doesn’t conflict with other events in the city.
- Work with agency staff to plan a brief educational orientation to the service project, the agency,
- and the need in the community for the service.
- Work with agency staff to compile information about the agency and the service project for marketing materials.
- Serve as a communications liaison between agency staff, local alumni volunteers, and the Alumni Association.
- Attend any orientations required by the agency prior to the service project. Communicate information from this orientation to the Alumni Association and other alumni volunteers.
- Assist in recruiting volunteers by reaching out to personal networks and classmates.
- Arrange appropriate meals, snacks, or drinks for volunteers before or after the service project.
- If required, ensure waivers are collected for all participants.
The Alumni Association and the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement will use a variety of media to publicize all projects:
- Email blasts bi-weekly to all alumni in your city
- Social media updates on WashU Network and Gephardt channels
- Washington University Alumni Association Website
We encourage you to reach out to classmates and friends to encourage them to participate in your project.