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Kean University

Page history last edited by Samir Abdul 12 years, 11 months ago

 

1000 Morris Avenue
Union, New Jersey 07083
908-737-KEAN (5326)

 


About Kean

 

With a rich history in higher education that spans more than 150 years, Kean University is a world-class, vibrant and diverse university offering more than 48 undergraduate and 35 graduate programs, as well as doctoral programs in psychology and education leadership.

Kean distinguishes itself through excellence in academics, strategic investments in both research and cultural facilities and initiatives, and a commitment to the success of every student. Dedicated to preparing students for rewarding careers, lifelong learning, and fulfilling lives, Kean offers a broad range of disciplines, the expertise of a diverse and world-savvy faculty, and a student-centered learning environment and campus community.


Kean is the third largest public university in New Jersey, and the largest producer of teachers in the state. Today, the University boasts New Jersey’s first comprehensive program dedicated to the development of a new generation of mathematics, science and technology teachers and researchers—the New Jersey Center for Science Technology and Mathematics (NJCSTM).

 

Kean also provides students with access to a very unique BS/MD program leading to a medical degree. Together with Drexel University Medical School and St. Peter’s Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, this highly competitive undergraduate program guarantees successful students admission to Drexel Med and a residency at St. Peter’s.


The University is home to Liberty Hall Museum a historic landmark housing some of the last undiscovered treasures of the American Revolution and the birth of our nation. The University officially acquired Liberty Hall in 2007. Our History Department currently is cataloguing thousands upon thousands of previously undiscovered manuscripts from the Revolutionary War period on.


Kean is conveniently located in Union County, New Jersey—just 30 minutes from New York City and an hour from Philadelphia. New Jersey Transit serves the campus with a local train stop, and Newark International Airport is a 10-minute drive from the main campus. The University also operates a branch campus in Ocean County, New Jersey – Kean Ocean where students can earn both bachelors and graduate degrees from Kean.

 

With so much to offer, students who graduate Kean University leave well-prepared for success in careers…and life, in general. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

Click here to see our Bonner Leader Student Profiles


 

 

Community & Volunteer Services

 

Why Should You Serve?

Students involved in volunteer, community service and service learning have:

  • Improved academic learning skills and improvement in grades
  • Increased civic and democratic participation
  • Improved critical thinking skills
  • Greater understanding of diversity issues
  • Improvement in interpersonal skills (includes self discovery)
  • Improved degree and career planning
  • Improved retention and expedited graduation
  • Improved leadership skills
  • Greater impact on (ability/interest in solving) social problems
  • A gain in valuable work experience
  • Improvement in class attendance
  • Greater satisfaction with college experience
  • Improved relationships with faculty when involved in service-learning
  • Ability to apply what students have learned in “the real world”
  • Improved sense of social responsibility and citizenship skills
  • Improved health

For more information about how you can LEAD * SERVE * LEARN contact the Center for Leadership and Service at (908) 737-5170.

Source: National Service Learning Clearinghouse

TYPES OF SERVICE

The Center for Leadership and Service categorizes three (3) basic levels of service.

  1. VOLUNTEER SERVICE
    • Minimal time commitment;
    • Limited service with no direct academic component;
    • No expectation of monetary compensation;
    • Minimal preparation;
    • No required educational component
  2. Examples: tabling involving fundraising, donation of goods, donating blood, charity walks etc.

  3. COMMUNITY SERVICE
    • Required time commitment - short term and/or long term
    • Educational component included;
    • No expectation of monetary compensation or academic credit;
    • Reflection required;
    • Participant takes part in orientation and preparation for service activity;
    • Service focuses on the need of the recipient rather than fulfilling
      individual or group participant incentives.
  4. Example: Habitat for Humanity; Big Brother/Big Sister; after school tutoring/mentoring etc.

  5. SERVICE LEARNING
    • Long term commitment that has a learning/training component
      ( usually 10-20 hours)
    • Service experience is linked with a course for academic credit;
    • Service projects are selected to illuminate an aspect of a discipline's
      academic theory;
    • Learning goals are clearly defined and appropriately assessed;
    • Creative and critical structured reflection required.
  6. Example: Service Learning courses listed on KeanWISE

Learning Outcomes for Volunteer and Community Service

 

Learning Outcomes for Volunteer Service

Students will be able to:

  1. Reflect on service as a component of active citizenship, community engagement, and social responsibility;
  2. Demonstrate reciprocity and responsiveness in volunteer service* with a community organization;
  3. Describe and analyze the social issues relevant to the community organization.

Learning Outcomes for Community Service

Students will be able to:

  1. Reflect on service as a component of active citizenship, community engagement, and social responsibility;
  2. Demonstrate reciprocity and responsiveness in volunteer service* with a community organization;
  3. Describe and analyze the social issues relevant to the community organization;

*Community service is understood to be a minimum of 20 hours of unpaid, active participation assisting an off-campus community organization in the achievement of its goals, not simply observing the work of the organization.

Reflection Suggestions

*Reflect on your experience of serving a community organization

  • What did you do at the organization?
  • What was the most personally meaningful moment or activity that took place during your service activity?
  • How has this service activity affected your life?
  • What did you learn about yourself as a result of your service activity?
  • Will you continue to make service a part of your life? Why or why not?

Outcome #1: Critically reflect on service as a component of active citizenship, community engagement, and social responsibility

  • What is active citizenship? What does it mean to be a “good” citizen?
  • What does community engagement mean to you?
  • How is community “engagement” different from community “participation”?
  • How do you understand social responsibility? What is the difference between personal responsibility and social responsibility? Describe the connection between social responsibility and being a “good” citizenship?
  • How important is community engagement to you?
  • How does your service work invite you to be engaged with social responsibility?
  • What has community service taught you about citizenship, community engagement, and being a socially responsible citizen?

Outcome #2: Analyze and articulate your experience with reciprocity and responsiveness at your volunteer site

  • What is reciprocity and how does this relate to volunteer service?
  • What is responsiveness and how does this relate to volunteer service?
  • When you first began, what was your opinion of the group that you were serving? What was your understanding of the organization that you were serving? How were your opinions and ideas affected by your service activity?
  • What did you learn from the people you were serving? If you worked with animals, what did you learn from the animals you were serving? How was your approach to service affected by this new understanding?
  • How did your understanding of volunteering change or expand as a result of serving at this organization?
  • Give an example of how you were responsive at your service site.
  • Give an example of when you took part in a reciprocal relationship at your service site

Outcome #3: Demonstrate knowledge about the social issues relevant to the community organization in which you served

  • What are the most important social issues facing the population you served? What are the most pressing challenges and struggles relevant to your population?
  • Show that you understand the complexities of the issues.
    Are these issues easily solved, difficult to solve? Explain.
  • How is your community organization addressing one or more of these issues?
  • If you were attempting to address one or more of these issues, how would you go about it, given what you have learned working at your community organization?

Reflect on your experience of serving a community organization

  • What did you do at the organization?
  • What was the most personally meaningful moment or activity that took place during your service activity?
  • How has this service activity affected your life?
  • What did you learn about yourself as a result of your service activity?
  • Will you continue to make service a part of your life? Why or why not?
Source: University of Maryland

 

Community Partner Agencies

 

 

Agape Soup Kitchen

Location: Elizabeth, NJ
www.westfieldpc.org/ChurchLife/YouthAgape

Mission: To provide free, nutritious meals for homeless individuals, families, and the working and non-working poor of the Elizabeth area.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Serve food

 

Alzheimer’s Association, Greater NJ Chapter

Location: Union and Essex County
www.alz.org

Mission: To eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s through the promotion of brain health.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Office Assistance
  • Community Outreach
  • Public Policy Advocacy
  • Special Events
  • Support Group Facilitators

 

American Red Cross, Tri-County Chapter

Location: Elizabeth, NJ
www.tricountyredcross.org

 

Mission: The Tri-County Chapter provides disaster relief, services to the armed forces, medical transportation, first aid, CPR training, and other community services. The international Red Cross Movement will help victims of disaster and help people prevent, prepare and respond to emergencies.

 

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Help give out food and toys during holidays
  • Graphic Arts
  • Coin Drives
  • Marketing
  • Military Relief
  • Health Fairs
  • Blood Drives

 

Angel PAWS

Location: Union and Essex County
www.angelpaws.org

Mission: To promote the human treatment and care of animals as pets, provide a safe environment for animals in need, and educate and assist their human friends.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Cleaning cages  
  • Feeding cats  
  • Medicating
  • Fostering kittens
  • Fundraisers
  • Help during adoption days
  • Trips to veterinarian
  • Assisting at cat shows
  • Street fairs

 

Arc of Union County

Location: Union County, NJ
www.arcunion.org

Mission:The Arc of Union County, Inc. is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization. The membership-based organization is dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities and to assisting their families in promoting the quality of their care and support. The Arc of Union functions as both an advocacy and service agency. Its goal for both endeavors is to promote holistic community integration and independence for people with developmental disabilities across life spheres and within early childhood, educational, social, residential, vocational, and family domains.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Support services  
  • Aid to developmentally disabled individuals  

 

Big Brothers Big Sisters

Location: Newark, NJ
www.bbbs.org

 

Mission: To help children reach their potential through professionally supported one-on-one relationships with measurable results.

 

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • One-on-one mentoring for at-risk youth in the community.

 

Catholic Charities: Engel Senior Center

Location: Cranford, NJ
www.ccannj.com/engel_center.php

Mission: Catholic Charities' Engel Center provides a social senior day-care program for frail and elderly residents of Union County. Drop-in services and a caregiver support group are available.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Clerical work 
  • Interactive activities with clients  

 

Child Advocacy Resource Association

Location: Union, NJ
www.kean.edu/~caras/

Mission: Identify, recruit and retain hispanic foster families in Hudson, Essex and Union County.

 

Volunteer Opportunities:

 

  • Undergraduate & graduate social work students are trained by the agency to work in the welfare field.

 

Christ Fellowship Church

Location: Elizabeth, NJ
www.christfellowshippodcasta.com

Mission: To coordinate and deliver quality, cost-effective programs and services that recognize and respond to quality-of-life needs of Elizabeth residents.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Technical and office skills

 

City of Elizabeth: S.O.A.R.

Location: Elizabeth, NJ
www.elizabethnj.org/sour1-2.html

 

Mission: Special Opportunities for Achievement & Reawakening (S.O.A.R.), administered by the Office on Youth. S.O.A.R. delivers services to children and families from the community. The purpose of the program is to encourage community participation by stressing the importance of providing a safe environment which is alcohol, tobacco, and drug free. The S.O.A.R. program emphasizes the importance of educational achievement, recreational activities and counseling for youth ages 6-14 and their families.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Tutoring  
  • Homework assistance and recreation 
  • Arts & crafts 

 

Comfort Zone Camp

Location: Secaucus, NJ
www.comfortzonecamp.org

Mission: Comfort Zone envisions a world where grieving children are not forgotten or left to grieve alone, and are supported by a wide community that understands and appreciates them.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Big buddies
  • Healing circle leaders
  • Advocates
  • Camp preparation

 

Community Food Bank of New Jersey

Location: Hillside, NJ
http://www.njfoodbank.org

Mission: To fight hunger and poverty in New Jersey by assisting those in need and seeking long term solutions.  Engage, educate, and empower all sectors of society in the battle.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Warehouse: Salvage & Shopping Area: Volunteers help sort, repack, and label salvage food products and household goods.
  • Thrift Shop: Sort and stock donated items
  • Kids Division:Sort new clothes; create packages of new clothes for needy children.
  • Mailings:Help assist with mailing.
  • Graphic arts, writing, publications

 

Communities in Schools

Location: Newark, NJ
www.cisnj.org

Mission: Communities in Schools (CIS) is the largest dropout prevention program. The mission of CIS is to seek volunteers for Performance Learning Centers. The PLC is a non-traditional high school in Newark, NJ. The school targets at risk high school youth ages 16-21 and seeks to re-engage them to complete high school and prepare for the future.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Mentoring to students
  • Tutoring for students
  • Administrative duties

 

Darfur Rehabilitation Project, Inc.

Location: Newark, NJ
www.darfurrehab.org

Mission: Advocate justice for the victims in Darfur by promoting conflict resolution. Foster advancement of all people of the region through education, advocacy, direct services and research; to further democratization and respect for human rights.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Organizing/Administrative Duties
  • Knowledge of computers
  • Fundraising
  • Financing
  • Publications (newsletter & web site)
  • Outreach
  • Public relations

 

Elizabeth Coalition to House Homeless

Location: Elizabeth, NJ
www.theelizabethcoalition.org

Mission: The mission of the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless is to ensure that homeless individuals and families, and those persons who imminently face homelessness obtain safe, sanitary, adequate, temporary or emergency shelter; and are provided with a full and fair opportunity to secure safe, decent, affordable permanent housing.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • One-on-One tutoring
  • Clerical duties
  • Assist case management
  • Hospitality House

 

First Children

Location: Fanwood, NJ
www.firstchildrenschools.com

Mission: “Children come first” in all that we do with their families a close second as our partners in education and treatment.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Student Teachers: Special Education
  • Assisting the Physical Therapist
  • Assisting the Occupational Therapist

 

Habitat for Humanity

Location: Union, Essex, Hudson County
www.habitat.org

Mission: Habitat for Humanity works with donors, volunteers, and partner families to build affordable homes for low-income families.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Skilled construction jobs
  • Clerical work
  • Family Selection
  • Fundraising
  • Public Relations

 

International Institute of New Jersey

Location: Jersey City, NJ
www.iinj.org

Mission: To help immigrants navigate the conventions of American life. The Institute conducts conferences and trainings that bring new information about immigrants to leaders in various industry sectors, such as corporations, health care, government, law enforcement, education, and social services. The Institute also advocates for public policies that ensure the fair and equitable treatment of immigrants and refugees.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Case aids in the refugee resettlement departments
  • Counseling interns in the Survivors of Torture Program
  • ESL tutors
  • Assist with administrative work
  • Fundraising
  • Institutional development
  • Communication efforts for IINJ

 

International Rescue Committee

Location: Elizabeth, NJ
www.rescue.org

Mission: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a recognized leader in humanitarian emergencies. When thousands flee war or repression, the IRC is immediately on the ground to make sure life-saving help gets to those who need it. The IRC provides shelter, clean water, healthcare, and education to displaced people. Most importantly, IRC works with them to make sure they survive their exile in dignity. IRC’s U.S. Programs Offices rely on volunteers to tutor refugees in the basic English language, language help refugees write resumes and prepare for job interviews, pick up donated furniture and goods and deliver them to refugees’ new home, and provide basic office support.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Tutor refugees in basic English skills
  • Help refugees write resumes and prepare for job interview
  • Contact potential employers on behalf of refugees
  • Assist IRC staff with cultural orientations

 

Josephine’s Place

Location: Elizabeth, NJ
www.josephinesplace.org

Mission: The mission of Josephine’s Place is to provide space that will facilitate the empowerment of women. It is based on: building a trust that promotes a freedom to be open and honest, creating an empowering environment in which women are to be respected, providing space that will be reflective of the needs of women as they themselves have expressed them.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • ESL
  • Computer Skills
  • Crocheting
  • Sewing
  • Support groups: domestic violence, women who have children with autism.

 

Kean University Child Care & Development Center

Location: Kean University, Union, NJ
www.kean.edu/~kuccc

Mission: To provide quality care and education to children, ages two and a half through five, whose parents are students or employees of Kean University and the surrounding community; providing evening care during academic semesters for children ages three through twelve, whose parents are students or employees of Kean University.

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Supervising children
  • Household chores
  • Receptionist duties

 

Liberty Science Center

Location: Jersey City, NJ
www.lsc.org

Mission: Liberty Science Center is a New Jersey non-profit corporation dedicated to offering exceptional science learning experiences onsite, offsite and online. They engage learners of all ages in science excitements provide grounds to pivotal science and society issues.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Supporting guests
  • Administrative support
  • Special event support

 

New Jersey Blood Service

Location: New Brunswick, NJ
www.nybloodcenter.org

 

Mission: Provide the community with the highest-quality transfusion products and services, as well as leading-edge research, technological and medical care innovation, and education in the field of transfusion medicine. Volunteers support our mobile blood drives, our fixed sites and our administrative office needs. Volunteers may meet and greet donors at drives, sign donors in at drive registration, and perform clerical and computer work at our offices.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Blood donation
  • Spotter for donators
  • Assist with Registration

 

NJ Transit’s Adopt-A-Station Program

Location: Newark, NJ
www.njtransit.com

Mission: The purpose of the program is to enhance the beauty of NJ Transit’s train stations and encourage community involvement and civic pride in the stations, which have been part of the fabric of the communities which they serve for many years.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Volunteers will have the option of planting and maintaining flowers, small trees and shrubs at the station.
  • Volunteers will agree to pick up litter around the station building at least four times a year.

 

Ocean Inc. - Head Start

Location: Toms River, NJ
www.oceanin.org

Mission: To help children grow physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively; assist parents and staff in enriching children strengths which will enable them to create a positive environment themselves.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Teacher assistance
  • Counseling assistance
  • Painting & repair assistance
  • Summer help

 

People for Animals

Location: Hillside, NJ
www.pfaonline.org

Mission: The primary mission of People For Animals (PFA) is to reduce animal over-population by providing low-cost spaying/neutering and related services to the general public, especially lower and middle income groups. In addition, PFA may from time-to-time operate dog and cat rescue services and undertake efforts to educate the public with respect to spaying/neutering and animal care.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Cage cleaning
  • Laundry
  • Assembling Elizabethan collars
  • Answering phone
  • Filing medical records
  • Greeting clients

 

Plainfield PAL’s Youth Exposure

Location: Plainfield, NJ
www.youthexposure.org

Mission: Plainfield PAL's Youth Exposure is a mentoring program for middle school students. Mentees are students at local middle schools and mentors who want to give back to the community. The mission is to empower youth, ages 12-14, to strive for high levels of success through pursuit of education, leadership development and community service.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Tutoring
  • Mentoring/ Positive Role Models
  • Administration

 

Reeves-Reed Arboretum

Location: Summit, NJ
www.reeves-reedarboretum.org

Mission: Reeves-Reed Arboretum seeks to engage, educate and enrich its visitors so they may become better stewards of nature and the environment. This mission is achieved through the care and utilization of a historic estate and gardens.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Clerical
  • Special events
  • Docents
  • Work outside on grounds with horticulture staff

 

Urban League of Union County

Location: Elizabeth, NJ
www.nul.org

Mission: The Urban League of Union County is a non-profit community service organization founded in 1944. Its mission is to enable African Americans and other disadvantaged people to secure economic self-reliance, parity, and power and civil rights.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Fundraising
  • Education
  • Information on program services
  • Special Events

 

Union Chapel Community Development Corporation

Location: Newark, NJ
www.unionchapelcdu.org

Mission: To improve the quality of life for low and very low in-come youth, families, and senior citizens through housing, after-school, educational, cultural and social and recreational programs and services.

 

Volunteers Opportunities for Students:

  • Office activities
  • Tutoring
  • Assisting in grant writing

 

United Way of Greater Union County

Location: Elizabeth, NJ
www.uwguc.org

Mission: Education, Income, Health, and Family Strengthening

 

M-YWHA of Union County

Location: Union, NJ
www.uniony.org

Mission: The YM-YWHA is guided by the principles of Judaism and democracy, and shall create an atmosphere especially congenial to Jewish thought, beliefs and values. Its purpose shall be to enrich the life of the Jewish and general community by developing and implementing programs for the recreational, educational, cultural, physical and social needs of those communities and, by doing so, stimulate and amplify individuals in their sense of responsibility to the local community and to society in general.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Meals on Wheels
  • Nutrition site
  • After school program
  • Summer camp

 

YWCA of Eastern Union County-Elizabeth

Location: Elizabeth, NJ
www.cranfordnj.com/visiblewoman/ywca.html

Mission: To create an environment which women empower themselves, and work to lead non-violent themselves.

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Students:

  • Phone operation
  • Childcare
  • Interns (counseling/social work)
  • Court Advocacy
  • Special projects
  • Fundraising
  • Clerical

 

Disclaimer:

Kean University and the Center for Leadership and Service offers this Volunteer Opportunities List solely as a public service to the members of the university community. The University and the Center for Leadership and Service makes NO REPRESENTATIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS LISTED. Unless expressly noted, the organizations listed are fully independent of the university. Further, Kean University and the Center for Leadership and Service ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY, for personal or property injuries resulting to the student, or for damages caused by the student, resulting from the student's participation in the activities of these organizations. The student should check with the agency to find out if it provides any insurance or liability coverage for its volunteers.

  

 

Revised as of 3/1/11

 

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