Take Action: Volunteer Opportunities

Service is an integral part of the Berea College experience and many organizations and departments on campus make volunteering a main focus. Listed below are organizations and departments that have opportunities for students to get involved through volunteerism.

Students of Sustainability is a Berea College Club that seeks to create an inclusive, non-major specific organization that promotes Sustainability on the Berea College campus by means of community engagement, volunteer opportunities, and active learning experiences. We promote a spirit of environmental unity by encouraging participation within our local bioregion by means of campus-wide events and off-campus activities in partnership with community organizations. Our goal is to provide a wide selection of programs and events for club members to learn about sustainable living, alternative energy methods, permaculture design, and green behavior. We also assist the Office of Sustainability and Berea College with reaching the established goals of becoming a Zero-Waste and LEED certified Institution. We intend to spread awareness and appreciation of our biosphere while recognizing the impact of human activity in regards to climate change and environmental degradation.  To get involved, look for club events and involvement on B-Linked. 

CELTS provides a headquarters for several student-led service programs and promotes faculty engagement in service-learning courses with community partners.  CELTS offers faculty workshops in service-learning as well as mini-grants for service-learning projects, some of which have focused on sustainability, including the following:

The Loyal Jones Appalachian Center is committed to preserving the cultural and environmental heritage of the Appalachian region.  They offer academic courses in Appalachian Studies as well as a summer institute and internship in Entrepreneurship for the Public Good.

Entrepreneurship for the Public Good works with students to start and develop environmental and sustainable initiates in the Appalachian region. In past summers, students have assisted the City of Berea in gaining the Kentucky Trail Town designation. Students have also interned with Grow Appalachia and the Kentucky Environmental Foundation to engage sustainable environmental issues in Appalachia for the local Habitat for Humanity chapter.