As semester midterms wind down and finals quickly approach, stress for UW-Madison students may be on the rise. If the conventional methods of anxiety release just aren't proving beneficial, contributing to the community by volunteering can help.
The Morgridge Center for Public Service, on the first floor of the Red Gym, is hosting its second annual sMorgridgebord of Service. This event offers a wide variety of service opportunities to students over a six-week period running now through Nov. 18.
The sMorgridgebord offers volunteer programs to suit any student's interests, from tutoring elementary students and ushering at home football games to gardening at the Wisconsin Center and taking phone orders for United Way Thanksgiving meal baskets. Each opportunity is a one-time-only obligation.
\[It offers students] a chance to get a taste for service through a range of ideas and events,"" said Erin Jende, a marketing intern for the Morgridge Center.
Many students who initially engage in a sMorgridgebord opportunity will return to the center to sign up for additional projects.
""Most of the students who get involved in the event have an overall interest in community service,"" Jende said. ""We often find students will sign up for 10 or more events because we offer such a variety of projects.""
While the service opportunities associated with the sMorgridgebord are merely one-time commitments, becoming involved with the Center's ongoing projects is simple.
In attempts to place students appropriately into service opportunities, the Morgridge Center offers peer advisers with accessible office hours. This service is designed to help students locate service programs with various commitment levels that play off their individual interests.
""We are the on-campus clearinghouse for community service opportunities,"" Jende said. ""We work closely with faculty and staff in an effort to link academic study to community service.""
Last year the Morgridge Center placed 4,000 to 5,000 student volunteers in ongoing service projects throughout the school year, according to Randy Waller, assistant director of the Morgridge Center.
""We currently have around 280 ongoing programs available to students,"" Wallar said.
Beginning involvement with the Center through the sMorgridgebord's one-time opportunities is a great way to sift through one's preferences and determine whether a long-term, more involved project is of interest.
Getting involved in the sMorgridgebord is just a click away. One can access the event online at the Morgridge Center Web site, . Click on the sMorgridgebord icon, skim the project listing and choose a service event of interest.
The number of volunteers needed for
the events ranges from large to small groups, and on average require two to five hours of one's time.
Jende said last year's sMorgridgebord event recruited more than 500 participants, with turnout projections on the rise for this year.
""In a count as of last week, we had around 300 participants already,"" Jende said.
