Community Engagement and Service Learning

Promotes learning for life-long, engaged citizenship, partnering with communities on and off the UMass campus to work collectively for a more just society.

The Commonwealth Alliance for Information Technology Education (CAITE) is based at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and works to address underrepresentation in information technology (IT) education and the workforce.

The Diversity Programs Office (DPO) at the College of Engineering provides academic and non-academic support to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation among under-represented minorities and women. They also have a tutoring program to provide academic support.

Ensures that UMass Amherst discoveries and technologies move forward into society.

Plans and designs have little meaning unless they represent the needs, dreams, values, and goals of those who will use them. Questions of justice in the distribution of costs and benefits and power and privilege are central to all policy and planning. Research in this theme explores the interconnections between engagement, justice, and multiple and diverse publics in policy, planning and design.

Volunteer opportunities such as gathering signatures for a petition urging the state government to update the bottle bill (by placing a bottle deposit on juice, water, and sports drinks bottles which are not included in the current bill). This would allow for more recycling and less waste across MA.

Supports and trains faculty members to use their research to contribute to social change, inform public policy, and enrich public debate.

Trains graduate students to work on historical projects with a broad range of audiences and institutions, as well as to prepare them for entry level positions in museums, archives, historic preservation agencies and many other places that engage the insights and methods of historians.

Digital showcase of UMass Amherst community engagement projects

SCUA collects, preserves, and makes available the textual and audiovisual record of social change in America, the people of New England, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst community.

Partnership of UMass students, faculty and members of grassroots community organizations. Design programs that build community, promote social and economic justice, advance cross-cultural understanding.

est Buddies is a global volunteer movement, working towards a more inclusive environment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through creating opportunities for friendships.

Engineers Without Borders is a student organization dedicated to helping local and international communities create sustainable solutions in order to improve their quality of life.

UMass GardenShare is a student-run community garden located on Tilson Road. The volunteers strive to educate students and the community about sustainable gardening techniques and share the vegetables, fruits, and herbs that produced at the garden.

Habitat for Humanity is a community service organization that helps build houses in our community for people who can’t afford them on their own. The campus chapter works in Amherst and Turners Falls to build affordable houses.

Organize service projects across western Massachusetts.

VetONE is focused on community and self betterment through Outreach, Networking, and Empowerment. They are dedicated to serving veterans and veteran families in their transitions from the military.