Three students sit at a table with notebooks and papers.

At the Pace Center, we support service in a multifaceted sense through collaboration and co-creation with community partners and students. Service can mean engaging in activities connected to a larger purpose that aim to make a positive impact on society. Service can mean responding to injustice or inequality, tackling issues related to health, poverty, criminal justice, education, the environment or social responsibility, for example, through a variety of pathways, such as policy, advocacy, research, volunteering, or community activism.

Pace Center Service Projects are programs the support sustained direct service with community partners, have a focus on the community and student engagement, coordinate off-campus experiences in our local area, and may require specific volunteer and leader trainings depending on your project and community partner standards.

With this definition of service in mind, we invite students to:

  •  Reflect on their values and causes they are passionate about
  • Research and center our local community, the needs shared and community organizations making change 
  • Then, propose an idea for a new service group. 

We can help motivated students hone their leadership skills, move their ideas into action and make a positive impact on a social issue and/or community. The Pace Center supports the exploration and development process of your new service group idea with the New Service Project Proposal form.

The new project proposal form is reviewed by committee twice each academic year:

  • Round 1 of proposals will be open August 1st, close October 18th and be followed by a committee review of staff and student leaders. Proposals that make it through the review and development process will have a standard start date for spring 2025. 

  • Round 2 of proposals will be open January 1st, close March 14th and be followed by a committee review of staff and student leaders. Proposals that make it through the review and development process will have a standard start date for fall 2025.

Eligibility: Undergraduate and Graduate students

How to Apply/The Proposal Process:

Step 1. Research about the social issues, communities, and type of service you are interested in. Look into potential community partners if you don't have one yet. Look into what is already happening in our local area and what experts and community members are doing that you could be a part of. 

Helpful Resources for Planning:

Step 2. Submit your proposal for your planned deadline. 

*You will receive confirmation of submission from staff within 48 hours.

Step 3. Review process: Proposals are evaluated by a committee of staff, Pace student leaders, and community partners using this rubric after every major deadline.

Step 4. Proposal status and feedback will be shared within 3 weeks of deadline. Your proposal will either be accepted and moved into In-Development status or not accepted. We will always share feedback and offer advising sessions for proposals that do not move forward in this process.

In Development 

What to expect when your project is In-Development:

  • Advising sessions with staff and peer leaders
  • Project Leader Onboarding Training
  • Conversations around community partnerships, project logistics, necessary trainings as needed and identified based on your project 
  • Meetings to finalize your project and move it forward to Activation status
  • Transportation support for Community Partner meetings and service activity exploration

Areas of Action for In-Development Stage:

  • Community Partner Outreach
  • Site Visits
  • Peer Advising from Student Board Members and fellow peer leaders
  • Logistics
    • Solidifying Volunteer Activities
    • Scheduling
    • Transportation
    • Budget outline
    • Coordination for necessary trainings for the project
  • Risk Assessment 
  • Memorandum Of Understanding with the Community Partner

Active Service Projects receive the following resources:

  • Direct Funding from the Pace Center
  • Advising from Professional Staff
  • Student/Peer Support (boards)
  • Transportation
  • CP agreements/Risk Management
  • Access to trainings, events, reflection
  • Space usage
  • Storage usage
  • Google Drive access
  • Information on Pace Website
  • Marketing/Outreach/Recruitment support

  • Background checks, fingerprinting, minors policy registration support

Not Accepted

What to expect when your project is Not Accepted:

  • Feedback on proposal
  • Suggestions for what changes are needed to be eligible for future submission
  • Connections to other departments for support, where applicable
  • Access to general advising from staff
  • Connections to local community partners and aligned service projects
  • Access to Pace trainings, workshops, reflections, and events
  • Access to standard service resources

If you have any questions about this process, the proposal form, or any of the information above please email Geralyn Williams, Assistant Director, Student Engagement & Leadership.

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