Help CLiA build community engagement at Williams by serving as one of our academic year Outreach Associates. Outreach Associates work on event and program organization, preparation and promotion. They also help with program logistics, reflection and revision in an area or on an issue of special interest.
Additional Information & Application:
learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/clia-community-outreach-associate/
This paid summer program trains a small team of Williams students to help build better community service and experiential learning opportunities at Williams. The selected rising Sophomores and Juniors are initially oriented to the Berkshires and trained in key skill areas before spending the balance of their time immersed and leading others in community engagement work. This 8-week, 35-hour/week position reports to the CLiA Director.
Additional Information & Application:
learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/community-outreach-summer-fellowship
The Center for Learning in Action hires students to assist in various aspects of our office and program operations during the academic year.
Additional Information & Application:
http://learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/clia-office-assistant
This group is inactive as of the 2023-24 academic year.
This student-run program provides mentoring support for under-resourced high school students in the Pittsfield Public School District’s alternative learning facility. The mission of the program, established in 2017, is to build relationships with high school students whose voices are often ignored and whose feelings are frequently invalidated. Mentors strive to serve as consistent, positive role models who listen and show interest in these teenagers. In addition to mentoring, EOS promotes and conducts trauma-informed trainings with the goal of equipping local educators, mentors, resource officers, and student workers with the knowledge and strategies to more effectively serve and support students who have been affected by trauma. To apply or for more information, contact Omar Ahmad ’23 ([email protected]) or Tiffany Park ’23 ([email protected]).
Students collect clothing, books, & other items from fellow students at year’s end. Donations of appliances, household goods and clothing are sold in the annual Giant Tag Sale at First Congregational Church and the ABC (A Better Community) Clothing Sale in September. Proceeds from these sales typically exceed $50,000 and benefit local charitable organizations and initiatives such as the Barrington Stage Company Playwright Mentoring Program, Berkshire Immigrant Center, Community Legal Aid, Elizabeth Freeman Center, Friendship Center Food Pantry, Louison House, Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, Northern Berkshire YMCA and ROOTS Teen Center. Donated food, personal care products and cleaning supplies are brought to the Williamstown Food Pantry.
Donated books are collected and organized at St. John’s Episcopal Church, then bought back by the Williams Bookstore or shipped to Better World Books. Proceeds from the sale of donated books benefit Nyanam Widows Rising, a project founded by Williams students to support widows in Kenya in reaching their goals through a focus on personal development, social change, and justice. Books that cannot be sold are recycled or repurposed by Better World Books, and as of the end of the 2021 campaign, have resulted in the following environmental impact metrics:
Additional Information & Opportunities:
Many students find math dry in high school and junior high school. The purpose of the webpage is to help students and teachers see that math can be fun, interesting and applicable.
In addition to the riddles, there is a student/teacher corner where detailed explanations are given, not just of how to solve the problem, but how to try to attack it. In particular, often promising approaches that don’t pan out are discussed. The purpose is to help students and teachers learn how to approach new problems.
Additional Information & Current Opportunities:
This community engagement program, initially run online due to the COVID pandemic during 2020-2021 and in a hybrid format during Summer 2021 and beyond, is designed to serve Williams students’ civic aspirations by providing the opportunity to engage in racial justice work in partnership with local K-12 schools and Berkshire County-based advocacy organizations.
Additional Information & Resources:
https://learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/racial-justice-community-outreach/
Both a Winter Study course (ECON 22/POEC 22) pioneered by Professor Lucie Schmidt and a community service program (Purple Valley VITA) this initiative provides low-income taxpayers free filing assistance. IRS-certified student volunteers, who train through the winter study course, help local clients retrieve over $250,000 annually in federal and state tax refunds. For more information, contact VITA program administrator and CLiA Director Paula Consolini at [email protected] and visit learning-in-action.williams.edu/courses-teaching/volunteer-income-tax-assistance-program.
First-year orientation program in which 100 frosh, guided by experienced student leaders, spend their first weekend getting to know the northern Berkshires through field trips, road trips, cook-outs with local families, and community engagement work, introducing them to ways they can help improve the local community. Contact Chaplain The Rev. Valerie Bailey Fischer ([email protected]) and visit learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/where-am-i for more information.
We join with families in a community where children’s ideas and the wonder of childhood inspire our common learning. We offer safe, nurturing care that supports play, learning, and the work of children while recognizing the strengths, diversity, and uniqueness of all who learn and teach here. Our teachers foster multiple ways of learning and development of skills that will support our children in the future, whether in school or in the world beyond.
Additional Information & Current Opportunities:
learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/williams-college-childrens-center
When available, the complete list of active Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) for the current academic year can be found on the Office of Campus Life website. If you would like to contact the student leader(s) of this organization, please email [email protected].
WOC leads weekly outdoor activities for the school community, lends gear for community members to go on their own adventures, and hosts large all-school events throughout the year. The board includes about 20 students who work to make the outdoors a more fun and accessible place for everyone on campus.
Student Leaders: Ananya Mayukha ([email protected]), Wilfred Lee ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: N/A
Meeting Time/Place: TBD
Williams Speaks matches each Williams student with a teacher and classroom at a local elementary school. As part of this organization, Williams students provide weekly lessons in public speaking to these kids, starting with simple and creative games and progressing to bigger projects. Although Williams speaks will provide a booklet with ideas for lesson plans and key skills to cover, Williams students are free to design their lessons tailored to their own interests and passions. Some work study opportunities are available, and transportation is always provided.
Megamenu Social