Volunteer & Leadership Opportunities

There are hundreds of agencies and organizations in the Upstate that are looking for volunteers. The United Way of the Piedmont also provides a connection to many agencies that are seeking volunteers. Access volunteer needs.

IMPACT is a student-led service organization that connects students with the Upstate community through bi-monthly service projects that address local issues. IMPACT offers its members the opportunity to participate in direct service, explore diverse societal needs, and develop leadership skills.

IMPACT has served at a variety of agencies in Spartanburg and the surrounding community. Past projects have included assembling hygiene bags for the homeless, creating sock puppets to go with children’s books that were donated to an after-school program, conducting a lake sweep at Lake Bowen, assisting at the Salvation Army Thrift store, and playing games with residents of a nursing home. If you are interested in learning more about or getting involved in IMPACT, send an email to IMPACT@uscupstate.edu

The Alternative Break (AB) program provides USC Upstate students with an opportunity to participate in volunteer and educational trips to culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged communities throughout the Southeast. They provide service-learning opportunities working with important issues such as the environment, education, immigration, poverty and other unmet human needs. The AB program exposes students to communities and immersion experiences that cannot be replicated on the USC Upstate campus.

We currently offer Alternative Fall Break (AFB) and Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trips. Trips are open to all USC Upstate students and are student-led! For more information about the AB program and how to get involved, contact the Alternative Break Board at altbreak@uscupstate.edu.

Students can also gain valuable experience working with community agencies by enrolling in service-learning courses. For more information visit The Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement (OSLCE)

The Leadership and Service Learning Community is a cohort of residential students who believe leadership development and making a difference in the community are fun and rewarding experiences. This community strives to promote a vibrant group of socially conscious individuals focused on developing leadership skills through academics and community based experiences.

Community Structure

The Leadership and Service community is a residential program in which participants live in the residential halls on the same floor or within close proximity to each other with a Residential Adviser directly assigned to this community.

The following categories outline the main opportunities for leadership and service community members:

• Leadership: Students will participate in regularly scheduled leadership workshops focusing on the Social Change Model of Leadership Development (SCM). Participants will also complete the StrengthsQuest® assessment.
• Civility with an emphasis on the campus and local community: Completion of at least 10 hours of service in the Greater Spartanburg and Greenville Communities per semester. Participating students can complete these requirements through individual service projects, community projects coordinated by the group or by projects offered through the other campus offices.
• Capstone Project: During the spring semester, students will participate in the student-led initiative in which they work in groups to plan and implement a service project for the community using the skills they have learned from this program.

Participation Requirements

All students will be required to complete an application explaining why they would like to be part of and what they hope to bring to the community. Decisions regarding who is admitted into the program are made by Housing and Residential Life.

If selected to be part of this program, participants will be expected to meet the following requirements:

• Live in the residential hall as assigned by Housing and Residential Life and abide by all housing policies;
• Have and maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA while participating in the program;
• Be in good social and academic standing with the University of South Carolina Upstate;
• Complete the required leadership and service components of the program.
• Participants should anticipate dedicating two-four hours each week to the program.

Why you should consider the Leadership and Service community?

The Leadership and Civility LLC is ideal for students with a passion for community engagement and leadership development. It is the ideal place for you to meet others interested in giving back to the community and learn important skills to become a leader. It is fun and engaging and will help you feel at home here at USC Upstate.

The Leadership and Civility LLC community not only offers involvement in service projects and leadership development, it also provides a welcoming sense of community and fosters friendships among participants.

For more information, please contact:

Steven Groves
Assistant Director of Housing and Residential Life
864-503-5422

Residence Hall Honor Council is an excellent opportunity for students to get involved in their residence hall environment. Students in RHHC are trained on the USC Upstate Student Code and the judiciary system of the University. These students hear judicial cases and then work together to determine the sanctions for a Student Code Violation. Students who are found in violation of the rules and regulations of Housing or the University have the opportunity to appeal their case to this group of campus leaders. For more information on RHHC please refer to the Student Handbook.

The requirements to serve on RHHC include:

• Application and interview process for the position
• 2.5 GPA, with the exception of first semester, first year student
• Be in good behavioral standing with the University

If you are interested in becoming part of RHHC or would like more information please contact Steven Groves