Service
Developing a Greater Community
Give back to the community with your fellow Lions.
The Office of Intercultural Engagement and Leadership wants students to develop a greater sense of social responsibility for local, regional, national and international communities through service. Students can volunteer as a group or independently. We offer year-round opportunities for students to volunteer on campus including Lions for Literacy, Lions Against Hunger, and Operation Blue & Gold. We also offer and facilitate engagement with a variety of off-campus community partners so that students can find the cause or opportunity that is right for them!
Service Opportunities
To find service opportunities, post-service opportunities or to track service hours, visit our volunteer portal GivePulse. Below are some of the initiatives we support through our office.
Advocacy
Students passionate about advocacy and ready to step up and speak out can support and partner with a variety of local efforts as well as current issues. We support students in their efforts for advocacy whether it's on-campus or off-campus. We can connect students with resources to support their own causes as well as connect them with local or regional organizations. Local organizations like The Crisis Center of Northeast Texas, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and Women In Need are always seeking advocates, volunteers and education partners to support outreach initiatives. We also support students and student organizations seeking to advocate for their own issues.
Literacy
The Lions for Literacy program connects students with existing community efforts designed to promote and amplify the value of literacy. Students can participate in Lions for Literacy event on International Literacy Day, adopt a Little Library in partnership with United Way of Hunt County, became a reader in our new partnership with the TAMUC's Children Learning Center, or volunteer at the Commerce Library.
Youth Development
Students passionate about youth development can get involved with our ACE Mentor Program. We partner with the Afterschool Center of Education (ACE) for an ACE Mentor Program. This mentorship program connects high school youth with college students. Mentors support academic and character development while also promoting college and career readiness.
Food Insecurity
Hunger and food insecurity is a local, regional, national and international issue. There are numerous opportunities on and off-campus for students to join the fight against hunger. Through these opportunities, students will learn about the root causes of hunger and food insecurity and discover how to innovatively support communities. Students can volunteer in our annual meal packaging event Lion's Against Hunger, volunteer at our Mobile Food Pantry, as well as volunteer with or host fundraisers and food drives on behalf of our community partners, including The Lion Food Pantry, Commerce Food Pantry, the Bread of Life Food Pantry, Hunt County Shared Ministries or the North Texas Food Bank.
Community Engagement
We strive for students to experience a sense of belonging and unity with the City of Commerce. We want students to meet and engage with community members and support community events like Commerce's annual festival, Bois D'arc Bash. We also host our campus-wide Annual Day of Service, Operation Blue & Gold, and facilitate student interaction with residents and organizations of Commerce.
Alternative Breaks
Alternative Breaks are immersive trip experiences where groups of students engage in service related to specific social issues. Trips are designed to be affordable, educational, provide hands-on relevant experience with the community, and challenge students to think “critically and compassionately” about social issues, and return feeling “empowered to make more informed decisions and to take meaningful action that supports community efforts.” (Breakaway, 2021). Spring Break Trip will be announced in late fall. Summer Break Trip will be announced mid spring.
Service Board
The Office of Intercultural Engagement has a group of volunteers known as the Service Board who helps plan, facilitate and promote service opportunities and initiatives on and off-campus.
Applications to apply to join the service board will open each spring; however, there will be opportunities throughout the year for students interested in promoting and planning service events to support our board with our annual events. Be sure to check out GivePulse for these opportunities!
Contact Us
- Office of Intercultural Engagement and Leadership
- 903.468.3046
- [email protected]
- P.O. Box 3011
- Commerce, TX 75429-3011