Service Learning and Volunteerism

What is the difference between service learning and volunteerism?

  • Both service learning and volunteerism benefit the community
  • Service learning is connected to a particular course and helps you learn the course material. To earn service learning hours:
    • your instructor must provide service learning as part of the curriculum (either required or optional)
    • you must document the connection between your service and the course content

How do I document my service hours?

Hours should be documented through GivePulse, for service and/or volunteerism.

Will my volunteerism that is not sponsored by MWCC qualify me for the MWCC Service Learning and Volunteerism Recognition Program?

You may only count service and volunteerism that is sponsored by MWCC towards recognition at graduation. However, you may use GivePulse to document and verify private volunteer activities, such as coaching your child’s soccer team or serving as a scout leader, but you must not share these hours with MWCC.  You may retain your account after graduation (or transfer from MWCC). Your verified private community service record in GivePulse might be useful in a future job application, college transfer application, or scholarship application.

Can I still report the MWCC student club volunteerism or MWCC program volunteerism I completed last year?

No.  All hours must be reported by June 30th of each year in order to be included within the previous academic year.

How can I review the service learning and volunteer timesheets I have already submitted?

You can review your timesheets submitted to date in GivePulse.

I’m not graduating this year. Do I still come to the MWCC Service Learning and Volunteerism Celebration to pick up a pin or medallion?

No. Pins and medallions are distributed to graduating students for recognition at Graduation. If you qualify for a pin or medallion this year but will graduate in the future, please be assured that the transcript notations of your service will qualify you to receive your pin or medallion at your actual graduation. (Note: If you are not graduating, you might be invited to the Celebration and recognized based on individual merit and contributions to the community.)

  • If you are graduating — but not participating in Graduation — you may still attend the MWCC Service Learning and Volunteerism Celebration, where you will receive your pin or medallion

My timesheet has not been verified by my site for several days or weeks. What might be happening?

  • If you had to type your site supervisor’s email address into GivePulse when you setup your timesheets, did you type your site supervisor’s email address correctly? Please confirm with your site that the email address you used on your timesheet(s) is indeed correct.
    • If you have discovered that you typed the email address incorrectly, the timesheet did not reach the site for verification. Students needing assistance with this task are also welcome to contact the Brewer Center for step-by-step guidance.
  • If you typed your site supervisor’s email address correctly before submitting your timesheets and your site supervisor reports that he or she did not receive the email notifications of your timesheet(s) from GivePulse, please contact the Brewer Center to request that the links to your timesheet(s) be re-sent to your supervisor for verification.
  • Did you contact your site supervisor to ask if he or she received an email from GivePulse on the day (or days) you submitted your timesheet? Please be sure to ask your site supervisor to check his or her Junk Email folder, just to be sure.

I am not a member of an MWCC Club, but I have volunteered to help out at MWCC events. Do I have to be a club member to report my volunteer service to MWCC?

No, you do not have to be a member of an MWCC club or organization to have provided volunteer service to MWCC. Many MWCC students each year volunteer their time wherever needed around campus!

  • For guidance reporting this type of volunteer service to MWCC, please contact the Brewer Center far in advance of the May reporting deadline (for graduating students) or the June reporting deadline (for all other students).

I completed an MWCC co-op or internship at a for-profit company. Does that qualify me for a service pin or service medallion?

No. However, students who have completed an MWCC co-op will receive a transcript notation of the total co-op hours completed. Individual exceptions may apply if your work was done for a community benefiting program in a for-profit organization and is unpaid; however, PRIOR approval must be obtained from the Director of the Brewer Center.

I completed an MWCC co-op, internship or externship at a non-profit company. Does that qualify me for a service pin or service medallion?

Yes. Internships and externships including — but not limited to – the Human Services, Criminal Justice, Energy Management, and Medical Office Certificate programs are eligible for pins and medallions. These courses are specifically defined as service learning, as they contain a structured reflection component.

Does travel time to/from my service site count toward total service time?

No.

I am transferring out of MWCC. Can I still receive a service pin or service medallion?

Please contact the Brewer Center after May 1st (but before June 30th) to arrange to pickup of your pin or your medallion.

I finished my degree (or certificate) in December and have been approved to participate in Graduation in May. Can I still qualify for a service pin or service medallion?

Yes, and you will receive an invitation to the Service Learning and Volunteerism Celebration.

I will graduate in August but have been approved to participate in Graduation in May. Can I qualify for a service pin or service medallion?

Yes, and you will receive an invitation to the Service Learning and Volunteerism Celebration.

I might undertake service learning or MWCC club volunteerism during the Summer semester. Am I required to document my hours and have my timesheets approved by the June deadline?

Yes AND No. Students who undertake service learning during Maymester or Summer I sessions ARE required to report hours by June 30th. Summer II hours must be reported by September 1st.

Service Learning and Volunteerism Recognition

Mount Wachusett Community College is incredibly proud of our students’ commitment to community service. Each year, we recognize the outstanding efforts of our graduating students. The Service Learning and Volunteerism Recognition Program was created to recognize the valuable contributions of students who have devoted their time, energy, leadership and talents towards the betterment of our community.

Awards Ceremony

The MWCC Service Learning and Volunteerism Celebration is an event, by invitation only. Unfortunately, due to capacity, students are not allowed to bring guests. During the Celebration, honorees receive their service pins or medallions, and additional awards and forms of recognition are presented.

Eligibility

All students who have reported service learning or college-sponsored volunteerism hours (for programs such as MWCC Alternative Spring Break, United Way Day of Caring, and MWCC student club volunteerism) are eligible for recognition. Hours must be approved by the faculty member or instructor for each service learning course or by the MWCC club advisor or MWCC administrator in charge of the individual activity. Eligibility for each level of award is cumulative over the course of the student’s studies at MWCC (since 2006) and must be reported by May 1 for consideration for an invitation to the MWCC Service Learning and Volunteerism Celebration.

Recognition levels are as follows:

  • Minimum of 20 hours: a service lapel pin
  • 40+ hours of service: Civic Scholars Medallion to wear at graduation
  • 75+ hours of service: Civic Scholars Medallion and a lapel pin
  • 100+ hours of service: certificate of recognition from President Vander Hooven

The best way for a student to ensure that his or her service learning and volunteer hours appear on his or her transcript is to submit timesheets using the online tracking system, GivePulse. Only service learning and volunteer hours approved by an MWCC instructor, MWCC student club advisor, or MWCC program administrator will be noted on the student’s transcript.

Deadlines to Log Hours

Fall Semester: All service learning and internship hours for the Fall semester must be logged by the end of the second week in December, unless you have prior approval from your professor. All MWCC-affiliated volunteerism must be logged by the end of the Fall semester (third week in December).

Spring Semester Graduating students: All graduating students must have all hours service learning, volunteerism, and internship hours logged by the end of the first week of May. Any hours logged after that date will not be counted towards a student’s hour total for recognition at graduation.

Spring Semester Non-graduating students: All service learning and internship hours for the Spring semester must be logged by the end of the second week in May, unless you have prior approval from your professor. All MWCC-affiliated volunteerism must be logged by the end of the Spring semester.

Still have questions? Contact the Brewer Center at (978) 630-9435.