Published: July 20, 2016
Student volunteers

This summer, faculty and staff from across campus participated in the first-ever Student Affairs Service Days. Seventy participants volunteered with four local organizations over three different days, donating 246 hours of their time.

“Many of us only know Boulder through our work at CU, which means that we only see a sliver of a bigger community that we participate in,” said Daniel Easton, senior conduct coordinator in the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution. “[Service] helps bring members of our CU community together by having us work together on a shared project or experience.”

Easton serves on the Student Development Committee, which facilitated this summer’s Student Affairs Service Days alongside the Volunteer Resource Center. Participants sorted donated food—including repackaging 900 pounds of rice—at Community Food Share; organized clothing and supplies for A Precious Child; built trails for Boulder County Open Space and Mountain Parks; and helped senior citizens with yard work through Boulder County Care Connect (BCCC).

“When I was growing up, a lot of people helped my family,” said Jimmy Macias, a debt counselor in the Bursar’s Office. “I grew up in the San Juan area of Boulder. CU students would come tutor us at the learning center, and our family was always the adopted family around Christmas time. Now, I am able to do something to help other people in need. It came full circle.”

Macias and four other staff members cleared pine needles, trimmed hedges, pulled weeds and removed yard debris at a senior citizen’s house with BCCC.

“Helping seniors is really important,” said Cairon Moore, associate director of Campus Dining Services. “The university takes up a major portion of Boulder. It’s necessary for us to feel connected to the community, to value the older population of Boulder, and it helps us set a great example for students.”

The next service opportunity for faculty and staff occurs this August; volunteers are needed to help with Move In and other events during Fall Welcome. Participants can serve in a variety of roles, including giving tours, providing information, unpacking cars and shuttling families. To see a complete list of positions, dates and times, visit the VRC’s Fall Welcome Move In Volunteer SignUpGenius website.