Contents
- Ready, Set, Engage!
- How Do I Fulfill My 100 Community Service Hours?
- What Types of Community Service Opportunities Qualify?
- What Types of Community Service Opportunities DO NOT Qualify?
- How do I find volunteer opportunities and events?
- How do I report my hours?
- I’ve completed my 100 hours of service, now what?
- Becoming Community Leaders and Global-Minded Citizens
Ready, Set, Engage!
The Naveen Jindal School of Management wants its undergraduate students to enter the workforce as confident and socially responsible job candidates. Its rigorous graduation requirements enable its students to capitalize on the time they spend earning their degrees. In addition to an internship experience, undergraduates are required to complete 100 hours of community engagement before walking the stage. This community-engagement initiative is called UTDserv.
As of Spring 2024, UTDserv has contributed approximately 443,768 volunteer hours to roughly 5,520 nonprofits and public organizations.
“Acts of service are the best way to get to know your community,” said Angela Granger, primary contact for UTDserv and undergraduate program specialist. “UTDServ offers JSOM undergraduate students a place to learn, grow, and give back to folks in their own backyard. This program can facilitate lasting memories, community connections and will leave a positive impact for all.”
UTDserv helps develop students into well-rounded individuals who make a positive difference in their communities, and it connects nonprofits with hard-working student volunteers. Join the movement and learn more about UTDserv.
How Do I Fulfill My 100 Community Service Hours?
JSOM offers two options for students who are fulfilling their community-engagement requirement. Choose the option that suits your schedule and personal goals.
Serve 100 Volunteer Hours
The first option for students is to serve 100 volunteer hours during their undergraduate years. Search for events and opportunities to serve with any nonprofit, public, or campus service organization and report hours in Engage UTD (GivePulse).
JSOM undergraduate student Yenny Schnabel served volunteer hours at the Community Food Pantry of McKinney where she fulfilled duties such as checking in clients and restocking food shelves.
“What I loved the most was the instant impact of helping the community in need in the city where I live,” Schnabel said. “It’s such a fulfilling thing to do. I think I would continue volunteering because it is a great way to give back to the community.”
Enroll in a Project-Based Course
Students can self-enroll in BPS 4396, ENTP 4340, IMS 4335 or MKT 4360 and earn 100 volunteer hours by completing the course in the fall or spring semester. Choose the option that suits your degree requirements, schedule and personal goals. Tuition does apply for three credit hours.
These courses are assigned to a specific nonprofit partner. Past projects have included a popup art gallery that benefited homeless and a meal-packing event that benefited Ukraine.
“In my Social Impact Marketing course, I was involved in a project sponsored by Rescue Party Give, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness for human trafficking,” said Hui-Yee Tsang, BS’23, who took MKT 4360 before graduating with a supply chain management/global business double major. “During my time on this project, I was reminded of how social issues are often overlooked but profoundly impactful on individuals and communities worldwide. This initiative provided me with the opportunity to bring awareness to these issues and mobilize collective action for positive change.”
What Types of Community Service Opportunities Qualify?
UTDserv defines community service as unpaid volunteer hours for nonprofit, public, or campus service organizations. Students who serve as officers in a UTD student organization may qualify. Hours must be verified by a UTD faculty member or staff advisor with a limit of 20 hours per semester.
Students must comply with the Community Service Guidelines at all times.
Some popular nonprofits for which students have volunteered include ACEing Autism, the North Texas Food Bank, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, and Helping Hands.
On-campus organizations that students love to volunteer for include the Comet Cupboard, the UTD Community Garden, Eco Hub Workdays and CometTHON’s.
What Types of Community Service Opportunities DO NOT Qualify?
While UTDserv recognizes a wide range of community-service opportunities, it is important to note that there are specific exclusions. Activities that DO NOT qualify involve the following:
- Remote Work: Service hours must be performed on-site and in-person to qualify.
- Paid Work: Service hours must be unpaid.
- Unpaid Work Done for a For-Profit Organization: Service hours must be earned through nonprofit, public organizations, or campus service organization only.
- Political Campaigns or Legislative Lobbying Efforts: Work that serves a political agenda does not count toward community service hours.
- Service for Religious Purposes: While some community-service work at faith-based organizations is permitted (clothing drives, food pantries or soup kitchens, for instance) volunteer hours that serve religious purposes are not allowed.
- Food or Toy Donations: The purpose of UTDserv is to encourage the donation of your time and skills, not material possessions.
Check the Community Service Guidelines. When in doubt, email UTDserv@utdallas.edu.
How do I find volunteer opportunities and events?
There are a multitude of nonprofits and public organizations in the DFW community that are looking for helpful students just like you. Find volunteer opportunities through the following channels:
- Student Organizations: You may find events and opportunities to serve with other like-minded students in the participating groups.
- GivePulse Webpages: Check out JSOM’s page on GivePulse. UT Dallas also has a page on GivePulse. New opportunities pop up daily so check for updates often.
- GivePulse App: Download the GivePulse app to search and register for volunteer opportunities.
- In The Know Newsletter: As a JSOM undergraduate, you are automatically subscribed to this newsletter. It is published every Monday morning and sent to your email from jsomugdean@utdallas.edu.
Pre-approval is not needed, but when in doubt, reach out. Contact UTDserv@utdallas.edu with questions.
How do I report my hours?
Your community engagement hours should be reported in Engage UTD (GivePulse). Please report your hours in the semester you serve them. Remember to list the primary group’s name and correctly input the verifier’s name and email. Your organization’s verifier will automatically receive an email to validate your hours.
For step by step instructions with guided images refer to How to Report Hours – UTDserv.
I’ve completed my 100 hours of service, now what?
Now that you have fulfilled the UTDserv community engagement requirement, there are a few steps you should take to ensure your dedication to making a difference gets recognized.
Enroll in BA 4095 and Prepare to Graduate
If you are graduating, the last day to submit volunteer hours and have them verified is the ‘last day of classes’ which precedes final exams. Please see the UTD Academic Calendar.
Once all your hours are in, send an email to UTDserv@utdallas.edu. UTDserv will notify the JSOM advising office, who will enroll you in the BA 4095 course provided there are no holds on your account.
Congratulations, you are on your way to graduation!
Incorporate Your Volunteer Experience into Your Résumé
Through volunteering, you should gain practical, hands-on experience with marketable skills, which will be of value during your post-graduation job hunt.
When you read job descriptions, take note of any keywords you can use to connect your volunteer experience back to the role. Special awards and achievements attained during your community engagement hours can go on the bottom of your résumé.
Even if you are not sure that the skills you practiced during your volunteer hours are relevant to the jobs to which you are applying, employers still love to see your commitment to giving back. If you get stuck, get connected with the JSOM Career Management Center for résumé help.
Prepare to Talk About Your Community Engagement During Interviews
Practice connecting the skills you learned doing volunteer work to the skills you need to succeed in the jobs for which you apply. Whenever you answer interview questions about your experience and skills, be sure to discuss your volunteer hours and the impact they had on your personal growth.
If you did not learn or practice technical skills during your hours, remember the value of soft skills (skills that enable you to work effectively with other people such as adaptability, empathy, creativity, and flexibility) and showcase any volunteer experiences that helped you develop those skills.
Get connected with JSOM Career Management Center for help preparing for interviews.
How Volunteering Can Lead to Incredible Opportunities
Luis Dominguez, who graduated in Fall 2023 with a bachelor’s in business administration, saw firsthand how volunteering could shape the trajectory of a professional career.
“I first heard of Trusted World during the final stretch of my undergraduate degree as a JSOM student,” Dominguez said. “At the time, I needed to complete my volunteer hours and internship, so I went online to look for opportunities that would suit my needs best. I took interest in a few locations highlighted to me by UTD’s volunteer emails, and independently found Trusted World online. I noticed that Trusted World was located very close to where I live, and decided to visit it after taking interest in some of the details showcased by the website and social media.”
While completing his volunteer hours at Trusted World, Dominguez got connected with Micheal Garrett, the organization’s founder and CEO, who had a positive impression of UT Dallas from previous cooperative efforts with students. Dominguez let Garrett know that he was interested in pursuing an internship with Trusted World, and Garrett encouraged him to apply.
“Luckily for me, I was later offered an internship and paid staff position as I finished my volunteer hours, and I happily accepted the offer,” Dominguez said. “After all my volunteer time spent at Trusted World, I was more than excited to continue helping my community, but at the professional level. I felt confident that everything I learned from Business Administration and Operations Management at UTD prepared me to perform in the real world. I continue to pride myself with being a staff member at Trusted World, where I know the work I do every single day contributes towards helping those in great need.”
Becoming Community Leaders and Global-Minded Citizens
Beyond checking a required box for graduation, your 100 hours of community service set the stage for the next chapter of your life. It is our hope that you continue to learn, grow, and apply your talents and skills to helping the community become a better place.
The time you spend volunteering can help you discover and explore your interests, develop skills and make invaluable personal and professional connections. Community service is a chance to grow as an individual and leave a positive legacy.
“By volunteering their time, effort and support, students can gain real world experiences that will help build leadership skills needed for future careers and/or internships,” Granger said. “Earning community engagement hours will provide a rewarding experience that can’t be taught in a classroom. So, get up, get out, and engage with your community!”
