In the Community Service Office, we seek to educate students about the social and political issues affecting Cambridge and surrounding neighborhoods, the impact these issues have on people and communities, and how community-based organizations are working towards solutions. We do this by connecting students with a wide range of opportunities to engage in the community. While engaging in the community, students learn alongside one another and reflect together on these experiences during on- and off-campus programming.
How to Get Involved
We connect students with one-time, short-term, and ongoing opportunities to engage in the community and develop civic leadership skills.
Check out our Office of Community Service Resource Guide to learn how to engage virtually or in person, connect with mutual aid efforts, or connect in additional ways to give and/or find support in the community. It includes virtual and in person volunteer opportunities, advocacy opportunities, community events and resources, ways to financially find and or give support, and informational articles about COVID-19's disproportionate impact.
To receive regular updates from our office about upcoming opportunities, sign up for our e-newsletter by emailing communityservice@lesley.edu and follow us on social media @LesleyOCS.
In addition to the programs listed, we also provide one-on-one meetings with students to learn about your personal and professional goals, passions, availability, and skills to help connect you with volunteer opportunities that are the right fit for you. If you would like to schedule a one-on-one meeting, reach out to Jamie Kherbaoui, Coordinator of Community Service, at jkherbao@lesley.edu.
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Student Organizations
The Community Service Office advises student organizations dedicated to engaging students in the community through ongoing volunteer opportunities and student voter engagement initiatives.
Join the Lesley Votes student voter engagement group to reduce barriers to voting and increase student civic awareness. Become a member of the Lesley Housing Justice & Outreach Collective. This Collective engages in advocacy, education, and direct action with local organizations to address housing justice issues in the Greater Boston area.
By planning and implementing student-led trainings related to engaging in the community and coordinating volunteer opportunities, student organization leaders develop their professional and leadership skills while building bridges between Lesley students and the broader community.
If you are interested in joining one of these student organizations, please reach out to Jamie Kherbaoui, Coordinator of Community Service, at jkherbao@lesley.edu to learn more about ways we can support you with connecting with community organizations and resources.
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Programs
Community Engagement Summer Fellows Program
The program is a paid federal Work-Study opportunity for Lesley undergraduate students. Engage in meaningful community engagement with a local community organization, explore social change strategies, learn about local social issues, build relationships, and gain professional experience and mentorship. Students work 15 hours per week at a local community organization, attend weekly cohort meetings, and complete a social justice action project.
Community Leadership Education & Action Program (L.E.A.P.)
Community LEAP is dedicated to educating students about community-engaged leadership and creating a community of social justice-focused, action-oriented Lesley undergraduate and graduate students. Through this program, participants engage in critical reflection exercises, engage in community-building activities and trainings, implement a collaborative group social justice action project, build relationships with mentors who are alumni of Community LEAP, and hear directly from local BIPOC & LGBTQ+ leaders organizing community engagement efforts. We accept a new cohort of students every September.
If you are interested in applying, reach out to Jamie Kherbaoui, Coordinator of Community Service, at jkherbao@lesley.edu
Art.For.Change. Series
ART.FOR.CHANGE. is a Lesley University student-led event series open to the broader community to reflect upon, learn about, and create art that expresses how powerful personal experience can be in developing our vision of liberation. Participants seek to envision how art can influence social change. As part of this series, artists also share resources to take action and find support in the Greater Boston area.
To learn more, check out the ART.FOR.CHANGE. Virtual Gallery.
Monthly Virtual Action Hours
Every month we will facilitate a brief teach-in on Zoom about a particular issue impacting communities. We will learn about specific community advocacy and organizing efforts, and then engage in virtual actions of support together.
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Federal Work-Study - Off-Campus Community Service
The Community Service Office partners with the Financial Aid Office to offer off-campus positions at local community-based organizations for students who are eligible for the Federal Work-Study Program.
There are also paid federal work-study positions available in the Community Service Office.
