OACS Updates

Posted by leachdp on Friday, September 29, 2017 in DOS News.

Constitution & Citizenship Week

OACS extends a huge thank you to the students, staff, and faculty who made Constitution and Citizenship Week a success. This year’s events, drawing 194 participants, demonstrated Vanderbilt’s commitment to honoring, evaluating, and openly discussing the United States Constitution. Constitution and Citizenship Week is a federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. It is observed on September 17^th, the day in 1787 that delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document in Philadelphia.

Local OACS DIVE 

The Local OACS DIVE programs addressing Affordable Housing and Food Waste/Food Deserts in Nashville are well underway! Student participants from both cohorts together completed a Local OACS DIVE Bootcamp introducing the creative problem-solving process of human-centered design and a Meaningful Service Institute addressing themes of ethical service and critical reflection. Since that time, the cohorts have being diving deeper into their specific themes through bi-weekly seminars.

In seminar one, the Affordable reviewed key data sets and reports about affordable housing in Nashville, and also watched a documentary about the affordable housing challenge nationally. During seminar two, the students heard from Shemarica Jordan with Nashville Organized for Action and Hope (NOAH), and began to activate the Empathy stage of the human-centered design process during the cohort Design Lab time.

The Food Waste/Food Desert spent the first seminar learning with representatives from Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennesee, The Nashville Food Project, and Society of St. Andrew, each of whom presented on the mission and needs of their organization. This week, students will hear from the Nashville Food Waste Initiative and the Urban Green Lab to further contextualize food waste in Nashville.

Applications for the Spring 2018 Local OACS DIVE cohort addressing the challenges faced by refugees living in Nashville will go live in late October. For more information about Local OACS DIVE visit https://www.vanderbilt.edu/oacs/service-programs/dive/.

Vanderbilt Internship Experience in Washington, D.C. (VIEW)

Applications for the 2017-2018 VIEW program are now live and will be due Sunday, Oct. 29. Undergraduate students interested in exploring careers in public service are encouraged to attend an information session to best prepare for the competitive selection process.

Information sessions will be held in the OACS Lounge at the following times:

• 3, 3:30-4:30 PM
• 4, 4:00-5:00 PM
• 10, 3:00-4:00 PM
• 11, 2:00-3:00 PM

The Vanderbilt Internship Experience in Washington, D.C. (VIEW) program provides students with an opportunity to meaningfully explore careers in the public service sector in the dynamic setting of the United States’ capital. This eight-week program introduces students to the career opportunities in the public service sector, provides training and support for the summer internship application process, connects participants with the local alumni chapter for networking and mentorship, and facilitates a community experience of this fast-paced and exciting hub of public policy development. The VIEW program is facilitated by the Office of Active Citizenship and Service, in partnership with the Vanderbilt University Career Center.

2017 Fall Weekend of Service

Approximately (still waiting on final numbers from site leaders) students, faculty, and staff participated in the 2017 Fall Weekend of Service Sept. 22-24. OACS was thrilled to partner with Hands On Nashville for the Fall Weekend of Service the first time this year – many thanks to their amazing team for hosting Circle K, Alternative Winter Break, and the Vanderbilt Political Science Department!

OACS would like to recognize all of the student organizations that hosted service opportunities in connection with the 2017 Fall Weekend of Service:

National Voter Registration Day

National Voter Registration Day is observed the fourth Tuesday of September, and on Sept. 26 OACS provided opportunities for individual to register. Emma Stewart, OACS Voter Registration Ambassador, led the campaign on both Rand Wall and the Commons, which resulted in 29 students registering to vote.

Voter registration resources, including Federal and State of Tennessee voter registration forms, can be found in the OACS office and on the OACS website at https://www.vanderbilt.edu/oacs/serve-in-nashville/register-to-vote/.

2018 Global Service Immersion Site Leaders

OACS is seeking qualified DOS candidates to serve as co-site leaders for the 2018 OACS Global Service Programs in Ecuador, South Africa, and Norway. The Global Service Programs are 6-week international service-learning programs whereby Vanderbilt students are immersed in another culture through working alongside communities to better understand social injustices from a community-based service perspective. The Global Service Immersion programs seek to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes for the Vanderbilt student cohort, local partners, and the communities served. Applications open October 1^st and close December 8^th. Please apply using OACS’ Anchorlink form.

Qualified site leader candidates will have advanced-fluent language skills for programs in Ecuador, experience in or knowledge of the country, experience leading group programs or group service trips, and experience facilitating challenging conversations and reflection with students. All applicants should obtain permission from their supervisor to participate in the program, which includes preparing for and leading 7-8 2-hour seminars during the spring semester, attending 4 training sessions with OACS staff, and working abroad with students for 6-weeks. The site leader will be living in country and will be expected to be the main point of contact between the students, OACS staff, a partner organization, and service sites. Please contact Melissa Looby at Melissa.looby@vanderbilt.edu for more information.

OACS Global Service-Learning Programs Accepting Applications Oct 1

Starting October 1^st, OACS will be accepting student applications for our summer 2018 service-learning programs to Ecuador, London, Morocco, South Africa, and, for the first time, Norway. OACS Global Service Programs challenge students to question their perspectives and roles in the shared human experience through pre-service curriculum, intensive service, post-service skills application, and continuous reflection. The programs are carefully planned in order to best facilitate students’ abilities to connect meaningfully with people different from themselves through humble engagement and reciprocal dialogues within host communities. Through this exposure to firsthand knowledge and lived experiences, students will examine the deeper issues related to equity and justice and identify systematic barriers to equality and inclusivity. Students with a sincere desire to grapple with the complexity of human connectedness, to challenge their known values, and to reconcile academic knowledge with an authentic exploration of social and environmental injustices are encouraged to apply for an OACS Global Service Program. If you know of students who may be interested in applying, please recommend that they review the OACS Global Programs webpage and/or contact oacs@vanderbilt.edu.

Nichols Humanitarian Fund Accepting Applications Oct 1

Thank you to the DOS partners and honored guests that attended the 11th Annual Nichols Humanitarian Fund Reception. Applications for the Nichols Humanitarian Fund 2017-2018 opens on October 1st. The Nichols Humanitarian Fund enables students to volunteer for local, domestic, or international humanitarian service opportunities by making support available for educational, travel, and living expenses during their time of service. The Fund distributes awards based on merit and need to Vanderbilt students to pay the expenses of their humanitarian activities. For more information on the Fund and how your students can apply, please visit the Nichols Humanitarian Fund website.

OACS to Hosts 2^nd Annual Alumni Reception

On Friday, October 6th, OACS will welcome home Vanderbilt alumni in a celebration of the enduring Commodore culture of service at the 2^nd annual Homecoming Alumni Reception. Alumni and students of the OACS family who contributed to community engagement and active citizenship at Vanderbilt through participation in service organizations or OACS programs are invited to come enjoy food and fellowship from 3pm-5pm in the OACS Lounge. Through initiatives like the Alumni Reception, OACS hopes to strengthen the connection with alumni whose Vanderbilt careers led to professional paths influenced by service, activism and advocacy.