Service Areas
Environment & Sustainability
This service area focuses specifically on topics and opportunities related to climate change, environmental justice, individual and systemic sustainability, and the ethical treatment of animals. Join other Lawrentians as they advocate for clean energy campaigns, investigate issues of environmental inequity, and support local animal welfare organizations.
Arts & Education
The Arts & Education service area focuses on connecting Lawrence students and faculty with local nonprofit organizations that are working to expand equal and equitable access to arts programming and educational excellence. Longstanding community partners in this area include the Boys & Girls Club of the Fox Valley, Appleton Area School District, and Kaukauna High School, among others.
Child Advocacy
The Child Advocacy service area seeks to understand the issues facing children in the Fox Valley and partners with community organizations devoted to serving and advancing the welfare of children.
Civics & Society
This service area is designed to connect students with local opportunities for meaningful civic engagement and advocacy in the Fox Valley. By partnering with community organizers, nonpartisan social movements, and other local nonprofits, students who engage in Civics & Society programs will be exposed to the mechanisms for creating sustainable social change.
Fair Housing & Hunger
The Fair Housing and Hunger service area focuses on two core issues: the affordable housing crisis and food insecurity. Through partnerships with local shelters, municipal agencies, and food distribution networks, students who engage in these programs will be exposed to the complex and entangled nature of these systemic issues and will explore different strategies for ensuring our community is securely housed and well-fed.
Public Health & Wellness
The Public Health & Wellness service area will connect students and faculty with organizations and projects that focus on improving public health – physical and mental – in the Fox Valley. Organizations you might encounter in this service area include ThedaCare and Ascension health networks, NAMI, Prevent Suicide Fox Cities, and local hospice and elder care facilities.
Signature Programs
First of Many
First of Many is a volunteer program that matches first-generation college students at Lawrence University with potential first-generation students at local high schools. Completion of Youth Protection Training and a background check is required for all volunteers. During this 8-week program, Lawrence students and the high school students will meet once weekly for about an hour to discuss topics including the FAFSA, college applications, and scholarships.
Note: We are currently accepting interest applications, but the program will not begin until Winter Term.
LARY Buddy Mentoring Program
The Lawrence Assistance Reaching Youth (LARY) Buddy program matches Lawrence students with Edison Elementary students for academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support, in and out of the classroom. Completion of Youth Protection Training and a background check is required for all volunteers. Lawrence students can join their buddies in class, visit during recess, stop by Edison for lunch, or take short trips to campus or local parks with their buddy. Lawrence students can expect to commit 2 hours per week with their buddies.
VASE Program
The Viking Ambassadors in Service & Engagement (VASE) program is our flagship co-curricular service-learning program. We offer VASE programs in each of our service areas during the Winter and Spring Terms. Students who participate in a VASE program can expect to commit 1-2 hours each week to learning about and discussing a particular social issue. Each program also contains multiple opportunities for meaningful action in the Fox Valley. For more information about our VASE program, please reach out to staff in the CCE.
VITAL Tutoring Program
The Volunteers in Tutoring at Lawrence (VITAL) program serves K12 students in the Appleton Area School District. We are committed to ensuring that all tutors and tutees have productive and academically effective sessions. Completion of Youth Protection Training and a background check is required for all volunteers. VITAL fully commits to providing families with the support necessary to further their students' academic success. Tutors are expected to commit to 1-2 hours per week during the academic year.
