Community Engagement

Nearly all UMR students engage in the Rochester community. Many students engage through volunteer opportunities.

Resources to Help Connect You to Your Community

Attend the UMR Involvement Fair during the first week of classes in the fall.
The United Way of Olmsted County offers a volunteer search feature that can help connect you to local needs.
You can also search using Volunteer Match.
Watch for opportunities in the Raptor Report student e-newsletter.
Consider joining a Club. UMR student clubs often participate in volunteer and service opportunities in Rochester.
Take Community Collaboratory - CLI 2522, This course extends the student learning experience into the Rochester community, partnering with local organizations to analyze and approach community needs.
Activate your GoldPASS powered by Handshake Account. GoldPASS powered by Handshake is the University of Minnesota's professional job, internship, and volunteer database connecting students and alumni with employment opportunities throughout the world. GoldPASS powered by Handshake is available to students and alumni from all 5 campuses (Crookston, Duluth, Morris, Rochester and Twin CIties).

Examples of Past UMR Student Experiences

Organization	Role
Seasons Hospice	Direct, Indirect, and Bereavement Care
Family Service Rochester	Family Access Center Volunteer
Minnesota Teen Challenge	Administrative Support Volunteer
Boys and Girls Club	Mentor
Women's Shelter	Childcare Volunteer
Paws and Claws Humane Society	Volunteer
St. Mary's Hospital*	Volunteer
Mayo Clinic*	Pediatric Volunteer, Hospice Center, Gift Shop,
Office for Diversity in Mayo Medical School*	Observer
Juntos RCTC	Spanish Teaching Aide
Brighter Tomorrows	BLAST Staff
Gift of Life Transplant House*	Volunteer
Ronald McDonald House*	Housewarmer
Hawthorne Education Center	Volunteer
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)	Mental Health Volunteer
Good Samaritan Dental Clinic and Pharmacy*	Volunteer
Rochester Center for Autism	Activity Planner
The Homestead at Rochester	Volunteer with an Occupational Therapist
Diversity Council	Volunteer
American Cancer Society Hope Lodge of Rochester*	Volunteer
Channel One Food Bank	Volunteer

* Indicates it is within walking distance of UMR

Engage and Reflect

Try keeping a journal as you participate in your volunteer experience. Reflective writing can help you create meaning and gain depth of understanding about what you are doing, why it matters, and how this experience will shape your future. You are encouraged to discuss these topics with your Student Success Coach.

Example Reflection Questions:

What has been challenging? How are you being stretched?
What aspects of your experience energize you? What aspects deplete you?
How does the work you are doing connect to the mission and purpose of the organization?
In what ways are your helping to meet the needs of your community?
Name the skills you are actively developing and take note of examples of when and how you used them.
How is the work you are doing connected to Health Sciences? How has your previous experience at UMR contributed to the skills you are using now?
What have I found to be the value of serving others as an undergraduate student?
What am I learning about myself and how might this experience inform that type of professional I would like to be?