Needs From: Engage UAlbany - Get Connected to Volunteer Opportunities

In 2014, a group of dedicated UAlbany students created the Heritage Garden, designed to highlight culturally and historically signifcant crops in the Albany area. Today, students continue the tradition of the care and maintenance of the garden. Volunteers will assist in weeding and planting late summer crops. Participants will also clean up the grounds surrounding the garden. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes that can get dirty.

Location: Students will meet in Lecture Center 3A and walk to the garden with the Project Leader.

Learn more at: UAlbany Office of Sustainability

Blankets of Hope was created by a UAlbany Alumni and his brother to provide blankets to those living on the streets of NYC. Join the Groove Phi Groove Fraternity as they lead the Kindness Workshop and craft letters of hope to accompany blankets that will be donated to local homeless shelters.

The activity will be held in Campus Center Assembly Hall (2nd floor). 

Learn more at: Blankets of Hope Project

Everyone can help save a life! Come learn from one of our Office of Health Promotion educators on how you can easily and quickly make our community a safer place by learning the skills to intervene and administer naloxone.

The training will take place in Science Library 206. 

Learn more at: Office of Health Promotion

RED (Read Each Day) Bookshelf is a local organization that distributes repurposed books to area children. Volunteers will clean and mend books that have been donated from throughout our community, making them ready for their new homes! Windex, Goo Gone, lots of different tape, colored pencils, and participants' own ingenuity will be used to make these books look special!

Location: Campus Center Boardroom (upstairs from Starbucks)

Learn more at: The RED Bookshelf

Statistically speaking, many students will be in a position where they are impacted by power-based personal violence (sexual or intimate partner violence) directly or indirectly. In this session, an Office of Health Promotion educator will teach foundational skills for supporting survivors and connecting them with resources that feel right for them.

Location: Lecture Center 20

Learn more at: Office of Health Promotion

Many people take access to clean water for granted but it is a rare commodity in many parts of the world. One way students can help is by joining the Fill It Forward program. This organization tracks the environmental impact of using refillable bottles and provides funding for global clean water projects around the world. Students will receive bottle tags and training on how to use the Fill It Forward app.

Location: Lecture Center 19

Learn more at: Fill it Forward

The City of Albany's Love Your Block program is dedicated to improving resident's quality of life. One of their large fall service projects is providing weatherization services for community members. In this session, students will learn techniques, such as insulating pipes and windows, and preparing homes for winter. Participants will be eligible to participate in November service days weatherizing homes in the community.

Location: Taconic 132

Learn more at: City of Albany Love Your Block Program

The UAlbany Career Advisory Network (UCAN) is a free and powerful networking tool that connects students with UAlbany alumni to learn more about their potential career field. Students will set up an account and make connections with alumni who can provide career advice. Information will also be provided on how to become Purple and Gold Ambassador.

Location: Lecture Center 13

Learn more at: UAlbany Alumni Association

Bring on the Spectrum supports neurodiverse individuals with opportunities to achieve their best quality of life as a respected member of the Capital Region. Participants will be assembling sensory bags which will be incorporated into a tourism project, bringing families from 90-120 miles away to Albany County for a much-needed family get-away.

Location: Lecture Center 12

Learn more at: Bring on the Spectrum

Interested in biking? On-campus running paths? Want to know how to get around the community without a vehicle? This session will review the free transportation services available to students. Participants will walk around the multi-use Purple Path on campus and assist in cleaning up any debris. This activity will be outside, so dress appropriately to participate in a clean up, wearing comfortable shoes and clothes that can dirty.

Location: Students will meet at Lecture Center 1, then walk to the Purple Path with the Project Leader.

Hosted By: UAlbany International Education

Concerned about climate change? Come hear from the Capital Region chapter of the Climate Reality Project about climate action efforts in the area and learn how to guide others in adopting climate solutions.

Location: Taconic 118

Learn more at: Climate Reality Project

Parker Pond is a vital part of our campus, and keeping it healthy is a top priority. In this session, you'll dive into the pond's ecosystem, see how we keep it healthy, and get hands-on by helping us clean up the surrounding area! Participants will be outside for this activity so dress appropriately to participate in a clean up, wearing comfortable shoes and clothes that can dirty.

Location: Students will meet in Lecture Center 3C and walk to Parker Pond with the Project Leader.

Learn more at: UAlbany Stormwater Coordinator

Do you love being outdoors? So does the staff at the Wilton Wildlife Preserve! They will be on hand to talk about the preserve trails, events and volunteer opportunities. Students will learn about Leave No Trace principles and then participate in a campus clean up. Participants will be outside for this activity so dress appropriately to participate in a clean up, wearing comfortable shoes and clothes that can dirty.

Location: Meet in Lecture Center 2, then walk to the Purple Path with the Project Leader

Learn more at: Wilton Wildlife Park and Preserve

This workshop will explore the foundations of power based personal violence and the key components of both healthy and unhealthy relationships. You will explore your personal values around relationships and your values around supporting others in developing healthy relationships with their peers and overall community and learn about resources, knowledge, and skills to develop an action plan based on empowered bystander intervention and support.

Location: Science Library 205

Learn more at: Office of Health Promotion

Stars for our Troops converts flags into stars that are distributed to veterans. Students will assist in cutting out stars and packaging for distribution. Students will also receive stars to hand out to veterans.

Location: Campus Center Multi-Purpose Room (lower level near Starbucks)

Learn more at: Stars for our Troops

Citizen Action of New York will provide a workshop on how to effectively engage and meet with your local legislators on the issues that matter most to you. Students will learn the basics of engaging their local elected leaders to share their unique stories in effective advocacy via different forms of strategic communication, such as letter writing, call-in drives, petitions, and face-to-face meetings.

Location: Taconic 122

Learn more at: Citizen Action of New York

Need it? Thrift it. Got it? Donate it! Students will learn about UAlbany's Free Market, an on-campus thrift shop and assist in setting up and running a pop-up free market for orientation attendees to thrift for clothes and residence hall items for free. Participants will be moving items from storage to the market location, so dress appropriately by wearing comfortable shoes and clothes that can get dirty.

Location: Campus Center Ballroom (Second Floor)

Learn more at: Office of Sustainability

Dolly Parton Imagination Library provides free books to children age 5 and younger. Participants will help prepare literacy kits to be distributed in our community. Bring your creativity to decorate and fill the kits with surprises for the young recipients. 

Location: Campus Center 375

Learn more at: Dolly Parton Imagination Library

Collar City Pride provides programs, services, and advocacy to support LGBTQIA2S+ individuals. Students will learn valuable skills on policy tracking and analysis related to anti-trans law and policy. Students will understand the impact of policy on gender inequality. 

Location: Lecture Center 22

Learn more at: Collar City Pride

Interested in sustainable building practices? This session will feature a guided tour of the campus infrastructure highlights including green roofs, porous pavement, composting efforts, solar panels and our conversion from gas to electric heat. Participants will be walking around campus so wear comfortable shoes.

Location: Meet in Lecture Center 15, then go on tour with the Team Leader

Learn more at: UAlbany Energy Office

Plastic can have a detrimental impact on the health of people and the planet. UAlbany has taken steps to eliminate single use plastic on campus. This workshop will demonstrate simple substitutes students can make to reduce plastic in their lives.

Location: Lecture Center 21

Learn more at: UAlbany Plastic Reduction Partner Program

Show Albany some love! Whether you live off-campus or call the residence halls home, the streets, parks, and green spaces of Albany belong to all of us. This activity presents the opportunity to give back to the city that hosts us by participating in a community clean up. Participants will be outside for this activity so dress appropriately to participate in a clean up, wearing comfortable shoes and clothes that can dirty.

Location: Meet in Lecture Center 3B, then the Project Leader will lead the group to the Collins Circle Bus Stop to meet a chartered bus. The bus will travel to Alumni Quad where students will participate in a clean up in the Pine Hills neighborhood. The bus will return to campus before 12 pm. 

Learn more at: City of Albany