Volunteering and making a difference in the local community and beyond are important elements of a Hamilton College education for many students.
The infographic above highlights the estimated hours students spent in organized volunteer activity in 2016. The College coordinates much of this volunteer work but additional hours are devoted to opportunities that spring from academic courses and individual student interests.
The Community Outreach & Opportunity Project, commonly known as COOP, coordinates students interested in serving the community through direct service volunteering, internships, and fundraising initiatives.
COOP staff members advise and assist in coordinating the volunteer initiatives of the Hamilton Association for Volunteering, Outreach and Charity (HAVOC), one of the largest student-led groups at the College.
The Levitt Center, which advises students on how to address persistent social problems, also provides a wide range of volunteer opportunities. Two of the center’s programs that have been in operation for more than a decade are Project SHINE, in which students act as English coaches for refugees and immigrants in the Utica area, and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program that provides free tax help for low- to moderate-income families.
On any given day throughout the region, Hamilton student-athletes and Greek life members can be seen tutoring secondary school students, providing clean-up crews for elderly homeowners, and helping local agencies with everything from preparing grants to painting buildings. They also sponsor numerous campus events that provide much-needed funds to these local operations.
