University of Georgia
EN-13: Community Service

Public Service and Outreach Day of Service FMD Day of Caring

The Office of Service-Learning reported 12,710 UGA students engaged in 710,400 hours of community service during the 2014-15 academic year (the most recent year for which service totals are available). These numbers include data from: --Service-learning courses --VISTA program students working at UGArden --Campus Kitchen hours --Center for Leadership and Service hours (which includes hours from major events such as the "Dawg Day of Service" and hours reported from about 50 (out of +700 total) student organizations which are required to report hours) --College of Education student teaching field experience and clinical practice --America Reads and Federal Work Study tutoring Our total number also includes reports from the Greek Life office within Student Affairs of 95,334 hours of service completed. This office includes 7,002 students in the following councils: --Panhellenic Council --Interfraternity Council --Multicultural Greek Council --National Pan-Hellenic Council Additionally, this total includes 58,500 hours completed by 1500 members of the largest philanthropic student organization on campus, UGA Miracle. 710,400 + 95,334 + 58,500 = 864,234 hours 12,710 + 7,002 +1,500 = 21,212 students It should be noted that the number of students is an even lower estimate relative to the estimate for hours. These numbers do NOT include the following: --Any service work completed by over 650 student organizations which are not required to report their hours to the Center for Leadership and Service --Any service hours completed by students independently --Any service hours completed by students through non-campus organizations --Any service hours completed by students as part of a (UGA or non-UGA) internship --Any service hours completed by students as part of philanthropy for a sorority or fraternity that is NOT included in the Greek Life office (this includes some sororities/fraternities are solely dedicated to this, called "service fraternities") --Any service hours completed by students as part of religious involvement (of which there are several at UGA) These figures are expected to be very low. UGA students are characteristically engaged in service. Service is usually incorporated into any student organization's programming and is very often the sole mission of many student organizations. Additionally, with community service increasingly expected of applicants to UGA, many students feel compelled to continue community service after high school well into college. Service is part of the culture at UGA, and students are expected to give back, during and long after college. An important note: In 2016, UGA created the Experiential Learning requirement: "UGA students are required to engage in at least one experiential learning activity that enhance learning and position them for success after graduation." Experiential learning credits are certified by UGA and listed on transcripts. These may include internships, research, or service. For example, a service-learning course would count toward this requirement. Every student, starting with freshmen and new transfer students in fall 2016, will be required to complete such a credit. We look forward to even more participation in and recognition of community service as a result of this requirement.