CLS Newsletter - March 2008
Gator Non-Profit Professionals
The Gator Non-Profit Professionals (GNP) work to prepare and educate students for meaningful careers within the non-profit sector. We hold lectures, presentations, and panel discussions to help students gain a greater knowledge and understanding of the non-profit community. We offer opportunities utilizing the Career Resource Center and various other campus resources for students to learn about whom they are and how they can use their skills to work in the non-profit sector. GNP offers community service projects for students to develop a servant-leader mentality and learn more about the inner workings of the non-profit sector. Leadership opportunities help members learn how to lead effectively, and organize and implement a program just as they would have to in a non-profit, professional setting. GNP acts as the bridge between the Gainesville non-profit community and UF students.
The members and officers of the Gator Non-Profit Professionals come from all types of majors and are committed to growing and enhancing the knowledge base of University of Florida students in the realm of non-profits. It is our utmost goal to give those students interested in the non-profit sector all of the tools they need to succeed in the non-profit field. However, for those not yet sure if the non-profit field is for them, we also want to provide ample experience, whether lecture or community service, to help familiarize the student with the non-profit sector and what they would be getting involved in as a future career.
For those interested in getting involved with the Gator Non-Profit Professionals or just want to get some idea of what we're about we have plenty of upcoming meetings, guest speakers, and service projects where you can come get a feel for the organization. March 28th and 29th we will be participating in Relay for Life and would love for you to join our team. If you're interested in seeing East Gainesville, its historical hotspots and some local non-profits, we're doing a Gainesville Tour on April 5th. If you want to take it slow and check out one of our meetings, we hold them on Thursdays at 7pm in McCarty A, room 2186. The next few meetings will be on March 6, March 27, and April 10. If you're already familiar with us and want to get more involved we are accepting applications for executive positions for next year. If you're interested in the organization or in applying for a position with us, please feel free to e-mail the Director of the Gator Non-Profit, Steven Vutsinas, at mbasteve@ufl.edu.
Raise Your Voice Month: A Month of Action
Raise Your Voice - A Month of Action is nationally sponsored by Campus Compact to increase, celebrate, and deepen the student civic engagement efforts on college campuses around the country. During this month, students will speak in a collective voice about the importance of promoting student civic engagement. Events that electrify students will be planned and organized on over 250 campuses around the country that attempt to creatively activate students in the democratic and community-building process.
Although the specific activities and events taking place during this month will vary from campus to campus, all will facilitate opportunities for students to speak out and act to create a more vibrant democracy.
Do you want to have an impact on your community by giving your time, commitment and service? OF COURSE YOU DO!
ACTIONS! is bringing Raise Your Voice Month to UF. For the next four weeks, ACTIONS! will be planning events for students who want to raise awareness throughout the Gainesville community as well as in the country .
COME OUT AND HELP ACTIONS! PROMOTE AWARENESS DURING RAISE YOUR VOICE MONTH!
We have divided our month into four different types of issues: Human Rights, Domestic Issues, Global Issues, and finally, how to "raise your voice."
Each issue and week will contain a service project, an event, and our well-known lunch series where guests will be able to gain information through statistics while enjoying lunch.
Come and raise your voice in the community on issues that affect all of us.
Schedule:
Week 1: Human Rights (Feb 25th- Feb 29th)
Monday: Tabling on the Colonnade
Wednesday: Lunch at the La Casita: **FREE FOOD** 11am- 12pm
Thursday: Day of Service at the Child Advocacy Center. From 4pm-5pm
Week 2: Domestic Issues (Mar 3rd- Mar 7th)
Monday: Tabling on the Colonnade
Tuesday: Mind, Body and Soul Forum sponsored by ACTIONS! and FACES Modeling Troupe. Begins at 6pm in Fine Arts Building C-120.
Thursday: Day of Service at Gainesville Pet Rescue from 5pm-8pm
***Spring Break****
Week 3: Global Issues (Mar 17th- Mar 22nd)
Monday: Tabling on the Colonnade
Wednesday: Day of Service at VETSPACE
Thursday: Lunch Series at the Institute of Black Culture (IBC)**FREE FOOD** from 11am-1pm
Saturday: Gainesville City Tour: Come and enjoy an environmental tour of the city of Gainesville. Visit locations ranging from the Natural Area Teaching Lab, a nature preserve on UF's campus, to Indigo, a local business that sells all types of environmentally sustainable products. Tour begins at 10am at the Natural Area Teaching Lab (across the street from Southwest Rec). RSVP to regus326@ufl.edu.
Week 4: How to Raise Your Voice (Mar 24th- Mar 28th)
Monday: Tabling on the Colonnade
Tuesday: Day of Service: TBA
Wednesday: Lunch Series at the IBC **FREE FOOD** from 11:30am- 1pm.
Saturday: Milk Cookies and Social Change by Service Ambassadors
For more information on Raise Your Voice Month and Its events, contact its director, Olvin Carias, at olcar16@ufl.edu
ServeFest 2008: The kick-off to a month of action
Serve Fest is the kickoff event at UF for raise Your Voice Month, a national campaign promoting activism and civic engagement among college students. From February 25- March 28, the Raise Your Voice Month campaign will be hosting service events, speakers, round table discussions, and issue fairs addressing pressing issues in our society.
In its third year, ServeFest brought together a couple of bands, several amazing performers, and many community and campus agencies. At our organizational fair, you could have found out about opportunities to get involved in Gainesville on and off campus.
This year's ServeFest was under ACTIONS!, a service organization sponsored by Dean of Students Office's Center For Leadership and Service, who's mission is to create active citizens through a commitment to community service, leadership, and social change.
ServeFest took place on February 22nd at 8:00 PM in the Rion Ballroom in co-junction to Gator Nights. As guests arrived they received a raffle ticket, where throughout the night they had the chance of winning an NFL football, a year supply of Ben & and Jerry's ice cream, or a NBA basketball. Before they viewed the performances, they had a chance to check out our organizational fair that included organizations such as Service Ambassadors, STRIVE, Gator Non-Professionals, and a few more. The event opened with a few words from the ServeFest Chairs and the ACTIONS! Director. Then we had a variety of performers including The Sedoctive: An Acapella Group, a mime, a singer, and finally Theater Strike Force. Between each performance we drew a number for our raffle, gave statistics to the audience about issues that surrounds us such as hunger and homelessness, or gave them the opportunity to check out our organizational fair.
Overall, ServeFest turned out to be better than we expected. The performances varied and were "ahhh-mazing." Throughout the night we had over 250 guests enjoy the show. We had reporters from both the Alligator and the Gainesville Sun interview the Director of ACTIONS! and many other members on the success of the event. The best part was seeing our guests leave with a smile and overhearing them say "That was a good performance."
If you would like to get involved with ACTIONS! and plan events similar to ServeFest, contact ACTIONS!'s director, Olvin Carias, at olcar16@ufl.edu.
THE CLS CHALLENGE
The Center for Leadership and Service Challenge
The CLS Challenge is an opportunity to get the most out of college by learning important skills and giving back to the community while having fun. The components of the challenge provide a diverse experience and teach the core values of the CLS. The challenge is meant to unite students who are interested in service and leadership and provide a structured program for them to learn about the CLS and become involved members. In its first semester, fall 2007, eleven participants collectively completed 277 hours of community service.
To successfully finish the challenge, students will complete 15 hours of community service, attend two of the four activities: (1) CLS Challenge Service Project, (2) CLS leadership workshop, (3) attend a CLS social, (4) CLS social issue event, and then write a brief reflection on one of those experiences on the CLS Blog: ufservantleaders.blogspot.com. This semester we will kick of the advanced track of the challenge as well that requires 30 hours of service, attendance at four events and two blog entries.
Participants will be added to a listserv and updated weekly about opportunities to complete the challenge. In addition, they will meet with the CLS Internal Relations Committee on Wednesdays from 6-6:30 p.m. To get involved or learn more information, please e-mail Sara Rubin: srubin09@ufl.edu.