By Sector

Active Minds

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Paige Wilkinson ([email protected]), Kira Marrero ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Margie Wood ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Sundays at 6

Active Minds is a mental health awareness club that opens up the conversation on campus about serious mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. The club also fosters support and strengthens resources for those on campus facing challenges with mental health and well-being. We organize many events throughout the year with dinner discussions, movie showings, de-stressing activities, and panels. Active Minds also coordinates with Psych Services and other mental help groups on campus. The goal of Active Minds is to create a more open campus wherein students understand the resources available to them, are more open to getting the help they need, realize they are not alone with their mental health disorders, and stigmas against mental health are reduced.

Facebook

Active Minds Facebook Page

Afghan Evacuee Programming Project

This group is inactive as of the 2023-24 academic year.

Student Leaders: Ella Sobhani (ess3) & Mihr Mehrzad (mm59)
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Paula Consolini

We are a group of CS students seeking to teach programming classes to Afghan evacuees in the New England region.

Alhambra Consulting Group

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].


Alhambra Consulting Group (ACG) is Williams College’s pro bono consulting group. Alhambra aims to foster regional economic development in Berkshire County and the surrounding region by providing advisory to local businesses, non-profits, and public sector groups operating in geographic proximity to the County.

Alhambra’s primary services include conducting academic and business research, collecting and analyzing data, and developing strategies and proposals based on research insights to support our clients’ objectives.

Alhambra’s paramount mission is to leverage the resources of Williams College to engage with the regional issues of Berkshire County and foster long-term growth and change for our clients and our community.

Amnesty International

This group is currently inactive.

2014-2015 Student Leaders: Sierra Jubin ([email protected]), Abby Rampone ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Amy Merselis ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Thursdays in Paresky

The Williams College Amnesty International Chapter was created for the purpose of helping Amnesty International by whatever means we can in Amnesty International’s efforts to secure basic human rights for millions of people worldwide.  The group aims to learn about and help specific people or issues suggested by Amnesty International at each meeting. They also aspire to educate the Williams student body about general human rights issues through informational campaigns, film screenings, or other avenues as deemed viable by the WCAIC.

Appalachian Mountain Club (Regional Trails Office)

The Appalachian Mountain Club is a leading organization in outdoor recreation, conservation and education. The Berkshire Chapter maintains trails, leads hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking and other trips. For information on volunteer and intern opportunities, see the volunteer page of the Berkshire Chapter’s website.
964 South Main Street
Great Barrington, MA 01230
413-528-6333
amcberkshire.org

Asian American Students in Action (AASiA)

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].


Asian American Students in Action (AASiA) is a political student organization independent of existing Asian cultural organizations at Williams College and was created to foster and execute political action among Asian and Asian American students. This organization implements a structure in which Asian and Asian American students form project-based committees (PBC) for community building and political change. AASiA seeks to build a politicized pan-Asian community to organize around community and institutional change.

Asian Athlete Association

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].


Our group is a fun and safe space for Asian identifying athletes on campus. We gather as a group around once a month to connect with one another, and bond and learn more about our culture!

Association for Women in Mathematics

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Amina Diop ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Eva Goedhart

We are the Williams College student chapter of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM).  The chapter was established in 2014 in response to the lack of existing structures or programming for women in math and the discrimination that went unnoticed both inside classrooms and out.  We work on two levels: (1) we aim to provide a social space for members of underrepresented minorities in STEM who have felt uncomfortable in general math settings and (2) we work towards long-term structural changes that will make the Williams Math Department more inclusive.

AWM website

Berkshire Doula Project

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].


Berkshire Doula Project (BDP) is a reproductive justice collective on campus that offers free support services to people seeking abortions in Berkshire County. We host campus events including Masturbation and Menstruation celebration and run semesterly trainings for students, staff, and community to learn about reproductive justice, doula work, and become abortion doulas. BDP also organizes on-campus and nationwide to expand access to reproductive healthcare and achieve reproductive justice.

Berkshire Educational Resources K12 (BERK12)

The mission of the Berkshire County Education Task Force (BCETF) has evolved in response to ongoing changes in education. In doing so, the BCETF has renamed itself to better reflect its new mission. We are now Berkshire Educational Resources K12 (BERK12). Our mission is to support Berkshire County school districts and educators by collaboratively offering solutions to short and long-term issues, in order to promote high quality public education, which all children deserve, regardless of background or circumstance.

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission
1 Fenn Street Suite 201
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Phone: 413-442-1521
[email protected]
www.berk12.org

Berkshire Family and Individual Resources

Berkshire Family and Individual Resources (BFAIR) is a national and state accredited human service agency responsive to the unique needs of people with disabilities and their families through:

  • A Dedication to Excellence
  • Diverse Service Options
  • Safe and Healthy Environments
  • Fiscal Responsibility
  • Community Partnerships
  • Career Opportunities and Advancement
  • Inspiring Abilities, Creating Limitless Possibilities

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/bfair

Berkshire Farm Center

This group is currently inactive.

Organization LiaisonJulie Brennan [email protected]

CLiA staff liaison: Paula Consolini  [email protected]

Williams at Berkshire Farm Center (WBFC) works with at-risk youth both on and off campus. These youth come from Berkshire Farm Center (BFC), a residential treatment center in Canaan, NY. They are males ages 12-18 who have committed some sort of minor infraction and have been court-ordered to stay at BFC for a designated amount of time. In the past, Williams volunteers met with the youth for a few hours on weekends, alternating between visiting BFC and hosting activities on campus. At Berkshire, the club has participated in rope course activities, gone on a nature scavenger hunt, and met the farm animals. At Williams, the group has stepped with Sankofa, learned about the 3-D printer in Sawyer Library, played basketball, and written poetry with Speakfree.  During Winter Study ’16, Williams students Isha Singh ’18 and Skylar Smith ’18 conducted research for Berkshire Farm Center and explored the potential for future collaboration with Williams.  Groups and individuals interested in participating should contact Julie Brennan or Paula Consolini for more information.

Berkshire Food Project

The Berkshire Food Project (BFP) was started by Williams College students in 1987. They recognized that there had been a shift in the region from a industrial to a service economy, resulting in unemployment and under-employment. Many young people left the North Adams area in search of jobs, leaving older family members in the community who lacked the job skills which emerging technological firms would require.

The Berkshire Food Project seeks to alleviate hunger, food insecurity, and social isolation by serving healthy, no cost meals and connecting people to other resources, all in a dignified and respectful manner. We seek to alleviate need that has grown even in periods of economic expansion nationally. We seek to provide a forum to facilitate unselfconscious interaction among disparate segments of the population. And we seek to provide information helpful to our customers. We invite relevant social service agencies and experts to address lunch gatherings on such varied issues as tenants’ rights, voting registration, programs for the elderly, public assistance, child and health care, Social Security, and nutrition. We also seek to share information about food insecurity with our community to foster a greater understanding of the issues in our community and the barriers that can prevent people from accessing resources.

Volunteers join the staff of the BFP and help prepare, serve and enjoy lunch with members of the community. Help is appreciated between 8:30am-2:00pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There are also opportunities for groups to volunteer in the evening or on weekends for special projects. Students can either fill out the online application or contact BFP directly.

First Congregational Church
134 Main Street
PO Box 651
North Adams, MA 01247
413-664-7378
berkshirefoodproject.org
[email protected]

Berkshire Harm Reduction

Supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Berkshire Harm Reduction Program at Berkshire Medical Center provides several vital services to the community. Our services are provided at three convenient locations in the Berkshires and through our Harm Reduction Mobile Unit, which travels to locations throughout the region.

Pittsfield Location:
510 North Street, Suite 6-B2
Pittsfield, MA 01201
413-447-2654

North Adams Location:
6 West Main Street
North Adams, MA 01247
413-398-5603

Great Barrington Location:
401 Stockbridge Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
413-854-9937

www.berkshirehealthsystems.org/programs-and-services/berkshire-harm-reduction

Berkshire Health Systems

Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) is the region’s leading provider of comprehensive healthcare services. With award-winning programs, nationally-recognized physicians, world-class technology and a sincere commitment to the community, BHS is delivering the kind of advanced healthcare most commonly found in large metropolitan centers. A private, not-for-profit organization, BHS serves the region through a network of affiliates which include Berkshire Medical Center, the BMC Hillcrest Campus, Fairview Hospital, Berkshire Visiting Nurse Association, BHS physician practices, and long-term care associate Berkshire Healthcare Systems. Each of these facilities is distinguished by the high quality of their programs and services, and by the credentials, skill and compassion of their physicians, nurses and caregivers. The mission of Berkshire Health Systems is to improve the health of all people in the Berkshires and surrounding communities, regardless of their ability to pay.

725 North Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
413-447-2000
www.berkshirehealthsystems.org

Berkshire Humane Society Humane Race

This group is currently inactive.

2012-2013 Group Head: Julia Matejcek, [email protected]

The Humane Race is a 5K Run, 1-Mile Walk (and optional dog jog!) benefiting the Berkshire Humane Society which takes place in early May every year in Williamstown. Volunteers help promote and run the event.

humanerace.org

Berkshire Immigrant Center

The mission of the Berkshire Immigrant Center is to advocate for the rights of all immigrants by helping them navigate the complex U.S. immigration system with affordable legal services, local resources, and education.

Berkshire Immigrant Center provides its clients with tools to help them overcome financial and cultural barriers, with the goals of strengthening civic engagement and creating equal opportunity for all. Berkshire Immigrant Center supports changes to systems which are unjust to immigrants, and supports state and national immigration advocacy efforts.

The Center assists more than 700 individuals annually from more than 60 countries in several languages. Our Case Workers are accredited by the Department of Justice to represent clients with the US Citizen and Immigration Services and give legal advice to those seeking immigration benefits in the US and education on civil rights.

67 East Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
413-445-4881
www.berkshireic.org
[email protected]

Berkshire Natural Resources Council

Not-for-profit membership supported environmental advocacy group and land trust working throughout the Berkshires to preserve threatened lands. Volunteer/intern opportunities available in various capacities.
20 Bank Row
Pittsfield, MA 01201
413-499-0596
Contact: Tad Ames, Executive Director
www.bnrc.net

Berkshire Overdose Addiction Prevention Collaborative

The mission of the Berkshire Overdose Addiction Prevention Collaborative (BOAPC) is to implement local policy, practice, systems, and/or environmental changes to prevent the misuse of opioids and to prevent and reduce deaths and poisonings associated with opioids. BOAPC implements local policy, practice, systems, and/or environmental changes to prevent the misuse and abuse of opioids and to prevent and reduce unintentional deaths and non-fatal hospital events associated with opioid poisonings throughout the 32 municipalities in Berkshire County. This program emphasizes the integration of SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) model into overall prevention systems, to ensure a consistent data-driven planning process focused on implementing effective and sustainable strategies and interventions.

413-442-1521 x37
boapc.org
[email protected]

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission

Official area wide planning agency in the Berkshire Region with comprehensive planning responsibilities including economic development, environmental, transportation, regional, community and land-use planning and data and GIS services. Volunteers and interns welcome on various projects.
1 Fenn Street
Suite 201
Pittsfield, MA 01201
413-442-1521
www.berkshireplanning.org

Berkshire Translation Project

This group is inactive as of the 2023-24 academic year.

Student Leader: Chen Chen Huang (ch15) & Catherine Chen (cc22)
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Luana Maroja

The Berkshire Translation Project seeks to provide a free translation service of simple documents (mostly of legal nature) for the immigrant community, in order to lower the financial barriers to immigration. However, with translation also comes community, connection, and responsibility. Therefore, the translation project will also provide opportunity for students of various cultural and linguistic backgrounds to use their abilities to help the immigrant community, while practicing and improving their language skills, and learning about the immigration system of the United States.

BFAIR Buddies

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].


We will hold regular trips to Berkshire Family and Individual Resources (BFAIR) homes in different locations, where we do themed crafts, have dance parties, enjoy spa days, and plant flowers. Part of BFAIR Buddies’ mission is to provide an easily accessible way for students to make new friends who live outside of the Purple Bubble. Additionally, students are often not exposed to the reality of the diverse and complex needs in our own community outside of our textbook readings, so BFAIR Buddies attempts to bridge this gap by applying classroom learning to direct, tangible action.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters

This group is currently inactive. Please see the Williams Elementary Outreach Big Sibs at WES program for current information.

A part of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program, this Williamstown Elementary program pairs children in grades kindergarten through six with a Big Brother or Big Sister from Williams to provide the younger students with unique, self-esteem building, one-to-one relationships.  Typically, children get together with their Big Sibs once a week for several hours and are engaged in various activities of mutual interest.  On occasion, larger group functions (e.g., movies or bowling) may be arranged by the program’s student coordinator at Williams.

Black in STEM+ Student Association

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].


The Black STEM Student Association (BSTEM) aims to create a collaborative and supportive space in which Black and other underrepresented students hoping to pursue careers in STEM+ are encouraged to continue their studies in the STEM fields and can freely and directly speak of their experiences in the STEM fields.

Black Student Union

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].


The BSU is an organization that serves the Black-identifying and allied students at Williams through the consistent hosting of cultural, social, political, academic, and other events throughout the year. The goal of hosting all these events is to create and maintain community, networks of support, pass on our institutional history, and ultimately serve the needs of Black students during their time here.

Brayton Elementary After School Tutoring

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Emma Paquette ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Molly Polk

The objective of Brayton Afterschool Tutoring Program is to provide assistance to the afterschool programming in the North Adams schools, bringing student energy into disadvantaged classrooms. Tutors work with students one-on-one or in small groups to improve their reading skills. Tutors also provide program support for the teachers’ planned activities, such as arts and crafts, board games, dance, or sports.

 

Bread and Roses

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Wylie Thornquist
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Shanti Singham
Meeting Time/Place: Wednesdays in Environmental Center

Bread and Roses is a student organization interested in bringing discussions of labor rights and organizing to campus, by engaging with existing labor movements in the Berkshire area and learning about labor history more broadly. We organize talks with local unions, and try to facilitate student participation and support for worker’s rights. Our group also holds discussions for students to learn about and discuss left politics, theory, and action more broadly.

Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary

Mass Audubon sanctuary located one mile from the center of Pittsfield which attracts a variety of birds and includes 3 miles of trails. Programs offered through the Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Lenox.
Holmes Road
Pittsfield, MA
413-637-0320
website
[email protected]

Center for Ecological Technology

CET, a community based non-profit organization, has been working since 1976 to help individuals, businesses, schools and communities reduce our environmental impact. CET provides education and assistance in recycling, composting, using less toxic products, energy conservation, and renewable resources. Services include: Home energy surveys and weatherization in partnership with local utility companies; sales of energy efficient lighting, weatherization, water conservation products, and recycled paper. Home Heating Oil Co-op; ReStore Home Improvement Center in Springfield for affordable renovation materials; Office Paper Recycling and Document Destruction.
112 Elm Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
413-445-4556
800-238-1221
Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm
http://www.cetonline.org/
[email protected]

Central Americans For Empowerment

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].


CAFÉ is a student-led organization that is mindful of the needs of both Central Americans in higher education and Central Americans in the broader community. We intend to create partnerships with external organizations to cater to specific needs and open opportunities for students after college. We will also connect with Central American alumni to strengthen community ties with Williams.

Chinese American Students Organization

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].


The Chinese American Student Organization (CASO) organizes social gatherings that interact with Chinese culture in various ways. Dedicated to boosting the local Chinese community at Williams and building a deeper appreciation of our culture in the larger Williams community, we engage with Asian American issues, connect with global movements, and work with other MinCo groups to build cross-cultural dialogues through events and workshops.

Circle of Women

This group is inactive as of the 2023-24 academic year.

Student Leaders: Jaeeun Lee (jl35) & Jennifer Sarmiento (jrs14)
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Kris Hoey

Circle of Women (CoW) is a national nonprofit organization–run completely by students–that provides the necessary resources to girls around the world who are pursuing an education. As such, our focus is primarily abroad. We partner up with local groups to implement construction projects and fundraise to make such projects possible.

Website

CLiA Community Outreach Summer Fellowship

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

 

Concussed Cows

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Ellyn Pier
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Noah Sandstrom
Meeting Time/Place: Paresky

To provide support for students recovering from concussions and to help the college implement the best possible practices in concussion management. Our group will be a way for those struggling with concussions to connect with other students so that they don’t have to go through the difficult process alone. We will also work to educate the community about concussions to reduce stereotypes and misconceptions.

Converging Worlds

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].


We work toward prison abolition by teaching and spreading awareness on the injustices of our incarceration system. Activities include inviting speakers, publishing newsletters, hosting penpal workshops between students and incarcerated individuals, etc.

Darfur Cookie Project

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Isabel Abraham ([email protected]), Todd Hall ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Tendai Muparutsa ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Once per month, Paresky

This project is an attempt to bake and sell 400,000 cookies. We bake and sell cookies to raise money for the Jewish World Watch Solar Cooker Project. The Solar Cooker Project provides solar powered stoves for refugees from the Darfur region of Sudan, who are in camps in Chad. We also hope that our project will help people understand the enormity of genocide.

Dinnertime

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Emmie Hine ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Paula Consolini
Meeting Time/Place: Thursday evenings in Paresky

Once a month, Dinnertime gathers and cooks dinner together for anyone who wants to come. Every dinner has a theme (past themes include Terrific Tubers, Pi Day, and Green Foods) and is vegetarian. Everyone is welcome to come cook, eat, and chat!

Facebook Page

Disabled Student Union

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].


The purpose of Disabled Student Union is to support disabled people, especially disabled Williams students. It provides a place for the disabled community, accessible outreach, and self-advocacy.

Divest Williams

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Isabelle Furman ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Shanti Singham
Meeting Time/Place: Wednesdays 9 PM in Zilkha Center

Divest Williams seeks to build and foster a movement around divestment of the college’s endowment from fossil fuels; in this work, we aim also to undermine the entire extractive economy. Through this work, we strive to educate the community and challenge people to think more deeply about both their own and Williams’s place in social movements. We hope to develop a deeper understanding of systems of power and oppression and the points at which these systems are vulnerable. We understand the fight for climate justice to be inextricably linked to the fight for racial justice, economic justice, LGBTQIA justice; to the fight to end colonialism and imperialism and dismantle the patriarchy; to end ableism, transphobia, heterosexism, and all other forms of oppression. Therefore Divest Williams stands with all other groups fighting for social justice and climate justice on campus and beyond.

Website

Education Outreach

For 20+ years, Williams has partnered with our local educators to create hands-on programming that serve the needs of the children and their families in a host of Berkshire County schools in the areas of science, writing, mentoring, homework help and more. Currently, more than 350 students participate and serve in K-12 schools in paid and volunteer positions in Williamstown, Lanesborough, North Adams and Pittsfield. We welcome your involvement and ideas, and look forward to hearing from you! Please visit the Education Outreach section of our website for more information.

EOS (Educational Opportunities for Success) Mentoring

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]).

Eph Buddies

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Julianna Veira ([email protected]), Helena Barber ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Colin Ovitsky ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Wednesdays

Eph Buddies was created to facilitate friendships between the students at Williams College and members of our community who have mental and physical disabilities. We strive to support these individuals, provide them with additional resources and activities, and create for them a greater sense of social belongingness in our community. Most of our work is with the United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) center and Berkshire Family & Individual Resources (BFAIR).

 

 

Ephoria A Cappella

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].


Ephoria is Williams College’s oldest historically women’s a cappella group, established to provide a platform for a cappella singing and performance both at Williams and in the wider local and national community.

Ephraise

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].


Ephraise is meant to be a dynamic organization dedicated to bridging the gap between the insular environment of Williams College and the rest of the world. Our main goal is to be an organization that expressly fundraises for multiple causes than for any specific one. To do so, we plan to harness the power of food-based fundraising to raise vital funds for addressing various social and economic issues, both local and internationally. Ephraise plans to organize fundraisers, informational talks, student dinners with professors, and cuisine-based events (like learning how to make a specific dish).

Ephs at the Clark

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].


Our organization creates a partnership with the Clark in which we can host student-led events for special occasions, work with multiple museum departments to have the ability to ask questions and learn from Clark staff and think critically about the Clark and its collection. The Clark is a valuable resource to have nearby and we try to collaborate as much as possible!

EphVotes

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].


EphVotes is Williams College’s first-ever voter outreach organization. Our mission is to promote voter registration, turnout, and civic engagement on campus. By bringing together students, faculty, and staff in a nonpartisan manner, EphVotes hopes to increase campus registration and voting rates and make it as easy as possible for every Eph to vote.

Feminist Collective

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].


FemCo focuses on providing a safe space for folx with marginalized genders/identities to foster community and facilitate activism. This involves hosting activities, speakers, and workshops that are created with the intention to empower individuals and destabilize current structures of power.

fEMPOWER

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Elizabeth Webber
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Sarah Raymond
Meeting Time/Place: Williamstown Elementary School

We hope to teach young girls about nutrition, teamwork and the negative and unrealistic expectations of women’s bodies in the media. We found a lot of success doing this last year, and I hope to continue the growth of this program. Our goal is to continue to inform a younger generation of girls through hands-on lessons and team-centered training. This program will end with a 5K road race that all of the girls will have trained for over the course of ~6 weeks. We want to show young girls that with some hard work and focus, they are all capable of reaching their goals.

Friendly Visitors

This group is inactive as of the 2022-23 academic year.

Student Leaders: This program is currently looking for new leadership. Interested? Contact Ash Bell.
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Ash Bell (ab35)

The main purposes of this organization are to guide Williams College students through the application process of volunteering at Williamstown Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center and provide transportation for student volunteers, and guarantee a positive experience for volunteers. Once volunteers are accepted by the Center, they become “friendly visitors” and are matched up with one of the residents and spend quality time with their resident each Sunday. Additional projects in support of seniors in the Berkshire region are organized by student leaders from time to time.

Frosh Council

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Mike Ludwig ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Ellen Rogeau
Meeting Time/Place: Weekly in Hopkins Hall

Frosh Council is a student-elected committee that meets weekly and plans events and functions for First Years. For instance, we held Frosh Formal this past January and designed and sold class apparel.

Future Optometrists and Dentists of Williams

This group is inactive as of the 2022-23 academic year.

Student Leaders: Hanbin Koo (hk7) & Chuhan Geng (cg7)
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Rebecca Counter

Are you interested in exploring careers in healthcare, volunteering remotely, or applying to optometry or dental school? Join our organization! Through programs that involve us in the North Adams School District, we engage with educational programs that teach youth about the importance of proper eye care and oral hygiene, as well as run as a toothbrushing program (we are looking to relaunch this program when it is safe to do so). We are currently working on a collaboration with a non-profit that’s helping Nepalese-Bhutanese refugee youth earn a GED diploma to launch a 15-minute phone call initiative to help students improve their communication skills. We also attend virtual optometry and dental school visits, can connect you to former students, share OAT/DAT study resources, support you through the process of applying to pre-health and research summer programs, and forward pre-med/pre-health resources. Many of our activities are useful for pre-health students in general. We’d love to welcome you!

Gargoyle Society

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].


We, the members of the Gargoyles established to stand guard of what is worth protecting and to eradicate by most expeditious methods any existing evils, do ordain and establish this constitution and subscribe to the regulations and policies of Williams College.

Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts

Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) impacts over 12,000 girls and supports over 5,000 adult members in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester and a portion of Middlesex counties. In Girl Scouts, we believe every girl can become a leader. Membership in Girl Scouts is open to girls in grades K-12; women and men over 18 can join as adult members. While most girls join for fun and friendship, they also find out about building character and self-esteem and serving their communities—core qualities of Girl Scouting.

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/girl-scouts-of-central-and-western-massachusetts

Give It Up!

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:

  • Over 23,000 books (~32,000 lbs)
  • Nearly 400 trees
  • Over 50,000 lbs of methane and greenhouse gas
  • Over 235,000 gallons of water
  • 51 cubic yards of landfill space
  • Over 75,000 kWh of electricity

Additional Information & Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/give-it-up

Global Initiatives Group

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Rehaan Vij ([email protected]), Danielle Grier ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Ngonidzashe Munemo ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Paresky

Global Initiatives Group (GIG) aims to build and broaden the current levels of international awareness and cultural understanding among the college community. With a focus on engaging students on globally pertinent ideas, perspectives and experiences, the group hopes to contribute towards strengthening the level of appreciation for global diversity and the sense of global responsibility among the college community.

Grassroots Advocacy and Labor Alliance

This group is inactive as of the 2023-24 academic year.

Student Leaders: Levi Hughes (nmh3) & Zephie Gollin (zcg1)
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Jean Grant

The purpose of GALA is to create student engagement in matters concerning, labor, class, and unions under a nonpartisan affiliation. One of the central goals of GALA is to educate students on how to unionize, protect themselves from exploitation in the workplace via policy and resources, and organize not only themselves but also their local communities in the common interests of workers. Since local communities strengthen unions and unions help to energize communities in a mutually beneficial relationship, GALA hopes to generate student involvement in the local community to help revitalize parts of the labor movement through understanding how communities may be impacted by matters concerning, employment, labor, and workplace discrimination.

Great Ideas Committee

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Luke Baumann ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: College Council Suite, time according to members’ schedule

The Great Ideas Committee solicits ideas from the community to improve student life at Williams. These ideas can be conveniences (such as installing water fountains or buying chargers for the library), policy changes, improved communication systems, or anything else, though the scope of the projects is generally smaller than the larger policy questions debated by College Council or faculty committees. We draw from the CC Projects fund.

Website

Habitat for Humanity

This group is currently inactive.

2013-2014 Group Head: Ivan Badinski, [email protected]

Williams Habitat organizes bi-weekly trips to Habitat for Humanity project sites in the Berkshires. Student volunteers provide help with the construction of low-income housing for residents of the area. Given the general lack of affordable housing in the surrounding region and the severe shortage of volunteer labor for these sites, the help of Williams students is essential in improving the lives of Berkshires residents.  Aside from enriching our community on campus, we volunteer our Saturday mornings from 9am-12pm to help our community neighbors build a home for a deserving person in our community.  Participation is welcome on any Saturday that you are available with or without a weekly commitment.  For more information on our current project and what to wear when volunteering, please visit the Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity Build Update page at www.northberkshirehabitat.org/buildupdates.html.

Harrison Morgan Brown Pre-Health Society

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Donglin Zhang
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Barbara Fuller
Meeting Time/Place: Tuesday evenings, Paresky

1. Organizes activities, trips, and events that will help Williams students to cultivate their passion for medicine. 2. Consolidates sources of information about the field of health care, including speakers and health care professionals, to help Williams students make well-informed decisions about preparing and pursuing a career in medicine. 3. Serves as a liaison between the Health Professions Advisor and the various pre-health students of Williams College.

Hats for the Homeless

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Jane Tekin
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Tracy Finnegan
Meeting Time/Place: TBD

Hats for the Homeless is an organization in which students use fiber arts to engage with the Berkshires. We knit and crochet hats, scarves, and other warm gear for homeless shelters in local communities in an effort to encourage engagement with them.

Healing Hands

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Taylor Jackvony ([email protected]), Kevin Mercadante ([email protected]), Jesse Rodriguez ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Fr. Gary Caster ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Wednesday evenings, Griffin 3

We founded our group last fall as a means of fostering an active pre-medical community on campus. Our goal is to engage in local service projects aimed at understanding and assisting health care concerns in Berkshire County. Last year, our group hosted a community event in which doctors, nurses, and patients from North Adams Regional Hospital as well as Williams professors and other community members spoke to the Williams community about the impact that the closing of the hospital had on the area and about what Williams student and faculty could do to assist in re-establishing services at the hospital. We also hosted local doctors and alums to speak to pre-medical students on campus about their professions and about the many complexities of patient care. Next year, we hope to continue to host doctors in these informal Q&A sessions and to volunteer at a local free medical clinic.

Higher Ground Inc.

Higher Ground Inc., is a local non-profit in Williamstown which looks after the survivors and flood victims of Tropical Storm Irene, caring for their daily mental and spiritual well being with a professional counselor. Higher Ground also advocates and helps to bring about disaster replacement housing for the seniors, low income individuals and families of The Spruces who have been displaced by the storm. Students have created a website, called families for relocation, joined the board of directors, maintained a newsletter, interviewed residents and created a photo journal which was turned into a book documenting the storm.

Hoosic River Revival Summer Internship

The Hoosic River Revival (HRR) is looking for students to conduct research and assist with public programs, and help produce a short film.  The HRR is a community-based, nonprofit organization with a mission to reconnect the North Adams community to a clean, beautiful, and safe Hoosic River and to enhance the river’s recreational, cultural and economic vitality. For complete details, visit learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/hoosic-river-revival-summer-internship/.

Hoosic River Watershed Association

A non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration, conservation and enjoyment of the Hoosic River and its watershed through education, research and advocacy. To find out more about volunteer and intern opportunities including the volunteer-based water quality monitoring program and the annual Riverfest celebration, contact HooRWA.
P.O. Box 667
Williamstown, MA 01267
413-458-2742
hoorwa.org
[email protected]

Housatonic River Initiative

A non-profit coalition of Berkshire County residents working to restore the Housatonic River and its floodplain as a major community asset, a river safe to fish and swim. HRI’s work includes a) advocating for timely and comprehensive PCB cleanup, b) educating County residents, young and old, about the river, its ecological science, contamination and cleanup, and c) partnering with others to rid the River of garbage by cleaning it and the floodplain.
P.O. Box 321
Lenoxdale, MA 01242
413-446-2520
housatonic-river.com

Housatonic Valley Association

HVA works to conserve the natural character and environmental health of our communities in the Housatonic River watershed by restoring and protecting our lands and waters for this and future generations.
P.O. Box 251
1383 Route 102
South Lee, MA 01260
413-394-9796
www.hvatoday.org
[email protected]

InterFaith

Student Leaders: Giovanni DiRusso
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Seth Wax
Meeting Time/Place: Once a week 5:30-6:30 PM, Mission Dining Hall

InterFaith serves as a discussion group and mediating body for individuals and groups of various faith backgrounds and life philosophies on campus. We aim to provide a safe and intellectually engaging space for people of different worldviews to come together to discuss themes they may encounter form their different backgrounds. We also offer resources on and access to various forms of faith-based and faith-related community service and activism. Finally, we plan to collaborate with the Chaplain’s Office to facilitate discussion between various other groups of faith on campus.

Jazz at Williams

This group is inactive as of the 2023-24 academic year.

Student Leaders: Matt Wisotsky (mjw7) & Gwyn Chilcoat (gac4)
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Kris Allen

J@W provides opportunities for student jazz musicians at Williams to meet and play with other musicians and to stay informed of informal performances around campus. It also organizes events and invites guest artists independently of the music department, with an emphasis on engaging students with one another and with the broader jazz community.

Kier’s Kidz at Williams College

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].


Kier’s Kidz at Williams College is an affiliate of Kier’s Kidz, a NJ-based pediatric cancer nonprofit. Kier’s Kidz is an organization dedicated to furthering oncological research, educating the public about cancer, and helping underprivileged families afford pediatric cancer treatment. KK@WC will provide Williams students with an opportunity to help Kier’s Kidz accomplish these goals while connecting with professionals in both the clinical and research sides of oncology.

Kinetic

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Zachary Brand
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Jessica Bernheim

The purpose of Kinetic is to cultivate a social innovation incubator committed to designing and implementing creative, non-political, sustainable, scalable solutions to pressing social issues in the Berkshire region. Kinetic teams, which are comprised of 4-8 Kinetic members, work on a particular issue in three distinct phases: research, design, and implementation. Kinetic members work to understand the entire landscape of an issue and to discover gaps where they can intervene and create systemic change.

Kinetic Website

Lehman Community Engagement

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].


Lehman serves to promote, foster, and maintain a spirit of service on campus by organizing and supporting many different community-oriented service projects. Our biggest projects are our Fall and Spring Great Days of Service which engage the wider campus in many projects. We also host other smaller ongoing and pop-up projects including Winter Study Service Week, meal and clothing donations drives, and volunteering at local schools, senior homes, homeless shelters, hospitals, and farms.

Manos Unidas Multicultural Educational Cooperative

A multicultural community empowerment organization that strives to uplift all of the Latino, immigrant and minority members of our community through a sustained exchange of shared resources, participatory education and living arts. Manos Unidas seeks not only to provide the opportunity for empowerment but also foster the creation of a diverse culture of community that hones our unique strengths by crossing real and artificial boundaries set up by class, race, language, culture and geography. Manos Unidas welcomes help with its outreach work in the community such as a) creating opportunities for community dialogue (such as a “Know Your Rights” Forum), b) helping with program start-up and continuation (e.g., Bilingual Radio Program), c) planning community events such as mural projects, Earth Charter Summit Day, Immigrant Month Conference, etc.

413-841-0298
manos-unidas.wixsite.com/manos-unidas-
www.facebook.com/manosunidascooperative
[email protected]
Contact: Annaelisa Vanegas-Farrara, Executive Director

Masculinity, Accountability, Support, and Consent

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].


MASC works to foster healthy conceptions of masculinity for the purpose of bettering campus culture. We do this in a variety of ways, such as workshops with sports teams, clubs, and organizations, Free University classes, and educational speakers and events.

Math Riddles

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:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/math-riddles

Matriculate

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].


Matriculate aims to support high-achieving, low-income high school students (high school fellows) in navigating the college application process by pairing them with college advisors (advising fellows) for one-to-one mentoring and support. Within this organization, advising fellows receive rigorous training whereby they learn the underlying skills to help tackle and alleviate educational/resource disparities in the college application process. Hopefully, by virtue of Matriculate’s mission, this increases the number of high-achieving, low-income students who attend some of the nation’s top colleges.

 

Medical Brigades of Williams

This group is inactive as of the 2022-23 academic year.

Student Leaders: Anabella Cheong (ac33) & Iulia Stanciu (is9)
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Rebecca Counter

The Medical Brigades of Williams prepares members to volunteer and shadow doctors in outpatient clinical settings. We work with clinics set up in Honduras, Ghana, Panama, Greece, and Guatemala where local communities struggle to gain access to reliable, permanent healthcare. Our organization plans to raise the funds necessary for students to travel to these destinations and work directly with medical professionals to help establish clinics that are lasting and eventually run by locals.

Medical Reserve Corps

Student Leaders: Anastasia Tishena ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser
: Barbara Fuller

Our club provides a chance for students to explore healthcare by hosting speaker events, arranging conference trips, offering CPR/EMT classes, and creating volunteering opportunities. We aim to create a welcoming environment where students can explore jobs in healthcare while serving back to the community.

Mohawk Forest Mentoring Program

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Julia Yarak ’18 ([email protected])

Faculty/Staff Adviser: Paula Consolini

Meeting Time/Place: Monday-Friday 3-5 PM

The Mohawk Forest program takes Williams students most weekday afternoons (3-5pm) to Mohawk Forest, an affordable housing community in North Adams. At the Mohawk Forest Community Center, we help children on their homework, play games, make crafts, and serve as mentors for the kids. It is a great opportunity to get out of the “purple bubble” and interact with children and teens in the community who really benefit from having positive role models in their lives.  For more information, contact the student leaders or the Center for Learning in Action at [email protected].

Moo-Mami

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Carson Kurtz ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Caroline Bruno
Meeting Time/Place: Friday evening, Zilkha Center kitchen

The two overarching goals of the organization are to teach members of the community useful cooking techniques and immerse them in the process of raising money for charity. We hope that through our organization participants will learn and become comfortable with a variety of cooking techniques, thereby acquiring a valuable life skill that students ordinarily are not exposed to in the academic classroom. Through the culinary lessons and time allotted to practice, we hope to build and foster a sense of community around food. Another element of the club consists of familiarizing and raising awareness about various social and medical issues around the world.

Facebook Page

Muslim Student Union

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].


We provide a space for the spiritual and cultural enrichment of all Muslims on campus, regardless of degree of worship. We also partner with other faith and MinCo groups to foster cultural exchange and to unite members of different backgrounds. Our events range from weekly congregational prayer to campus-wide potlucks; from speaker events to movie nights. The MSU is committed to serving the Williams community with absolute inclusiveness. Everyone—regardless of race, gender, and sexual orientation—is welcome in the MSU space at all times.

Native Americans Student Alliance

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].


We are a student club dedicated to foster a safe space for other Native and indigenous students through events and workshops.

Opportunities in Africa

There are many options at Williams for experiential learning in Africa! Placement assistance and some funding are available for student fieldwork opportunities through Winter Study travel courses and independent studies (WSP99’s), summer policy research, teaching, and community development internships and spring break service projects in South Africa, Ghana, and other African countries. Visit here for more information or email Dr. Consolini at [email protected].

Oral Health Society

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].


Are you interested in dentistry? The Oral Health Society supports the pre-dental students at Williams College and promotes oral health awareness on and off campus. On an educational front, we engage with local service programs in Williamstown and the surrounding areas of Berkshire County to teach the youth about the importance of proper oral hygiene. On campus, we serve as an outlet for any student who is interested in dentistry by providing advice, guidance, and resources when it comes to educational and professional development. We sponsor dental school visits, aid with pre-health/research summer program applications, and connect our members with alumni as well as fellow pre-dental students from other institutions.

OURSTEM+

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].


Goals:

  • To further the work of, to improve the effectiveness of, and to enhance the public understanding of and appreciation for underrepresented minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and related fields, such as Psychology and Economics
  • To promote student recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities in STEM+ at Williams College
  • To provide a forum for students from different majors in STEM+ to come together for academic, community service, and social activities at Williams College
  • To create an inclusive environment for underrepresented minorities in STEM+

Partners in Health/Engage

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Adam Calogeras ([email protected]), Isabel Hanson ([email protected]), Elizabeth Gootkind ([email protected]), Miriam Semmar ([email protected]), Emily Shea ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Tara Watson ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Biweekly Sundays, Griffin

The Williams College PIH: Engage community is one of 100+ grassroots PIH:Engage groups around the country that work to support Partners In Health, an internationally health charity focused primarily on building health infrastructure. The Williams College PIH: Engage community thus raises money for PIH, educates its members and the student body at large about public health-related issues, and advocates government officials on behalf of PIH. Leadership attends a Boston training institute in August.

Peer Health

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].


Peer Health provides students at Williams with health supplies and hosts health-related events on campus. Peer Health provides education and resources that promote Williams students’ everyday health, with a vision to work toward a Williams student body of well-balanced individuals.

Period. at Williams College

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].


We are a chapter of the national nonprofit organization PERIOD. We strive to work to end period poverty and stigma in our lifetime through service, education, and activism. Our campus activities include holding fundraisers to donate menstrual products to other organizations and supplying menstrual products around campus bathrooms. We also hold speaker events regarding menstruation and hope to work with local schools to address menstrual inequality and stigma.

Pownal Pen Pals

This group is inactive as of the 2022-23 academic year.

Student Leaders: Amari Yirgu (ayy1)
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Jennifer Swoap

We, the members of Pownal Pen Pals, established to exchange letters with students of Pownal Elementary School and thereby contribute to their education and forge connections with the broader community.

Purple Bike Coalition

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].


Purple Bike Coalition is a student-run bike shop on campus that provides free repairs and semester bike rentals.

Purple Ephs Cheerleading Squad

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].


We are a cheerleading squad that would perform dances chants and routines at events, specifically athletics games or other area for school spirit. As an organization, we would be dedicated to creating a space that counters the existing perception of cheer being preppy. Creating an accepting community, while also making sure that the dances are representative of the multiculturalism within Williams College and spreading school spirit.

Purplexity

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].


Purplexity is an a cappella group that will rehearse 2-3 times a week and perform at its own pace in more casual settings. We will hold auditions at the start of each semester to fill the openings for voice parts.

QuestBridge Scholars Network

This group is currently inactive. For information for QuestBridge-affiliated students, please visit the Williams Admissions website.

Student Leaders: Onyeka Obi
Faculty/Staff Adviser: April Ruiz
Meeting Time/Place: Hollander 101

The primary purpose of the Williams QuestBridge Scholars Network is to provide a coherent support system for entering and continuing QuestBridge-affiliated Scholars at Williams College. However, while the Williams QSN functions as a place of support for low-income and first-generation students, many of its services benefit students from all backgrounds; all students are welcome to participate in the QSN’s events. Through the Williams QSN, students have an opportunity to meet others with similar life experiences through frequent social events and gatherings. With an emphasis on service, community building, and student mentorship, the QSN strives to continue our greater organization’s goal of seeing disadvantaged students thrive and give back.

Racial Justice K-12 Curriculum Development Initiative

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/

RASAN (Rape and Sexual Assault Network)

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].


The Williams College Rape and Sexual Assault Network  seeks to support all survivors and those affected by the entire spectrum of sexually violent behavior through training members to connect survivors with appropriate services and bettering the campus community through events and workshops.

 

Reclaim Childhood

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Annie Vanagenen ([email protected]), Allie Holle ([email protected]), Kara Sperry ([email protected]), Julia Diaz ([email protected]), Katherine Rosen ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Christi Kelsey ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Sundays, Paresky

Reclaim Childhood is a non-profit organization based in Amman, Jordan that seeks to empower refugee girls and local women through sport and play. Reclaim Childhood operates regular after-school sports leagues and a month-long summer camp for girls ages 6 – 18, and coaching clinics for local adult women. On campus, we try to devise creative ways to raise money for the organization through dining hall dinners, athletics, and other events. With the money we raise, we send it to the organization which in turn purchases athletic equipment for the girls, as well as funds the summer camps for them. In addition to working during the school year, some of our members have spent their summers in Jordan working as camp counselors at these camps.

Ritmo

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].


Ritmo of Williams College aims to share experiences and culture of the Latine and Afro-Latine diaspora through performance and dance. Our mission is to share dance styles and their histories with the greater Williams community and create a safe environment for students to learn about Latine and Afro-Latine cultures, including through other means such as music, food, and language.

Rotaract

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: William Duke ([email protected]), Kevin Eagan ([email protected]), David Burt ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Anne Skinner ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Weekly, Paresky 112

Williams Rotaract is a club dedicated to fundraising for local and international service causes. We follow the international Rotaract club structure and are sponsored by the Williamstown Rotary club, holding weekly meetings on campus. Beyond fundraising for local and international causes, which in the past have included purchasing water filters for a village in Cambodia and laptops for a school in Mexico, we work to facilitate community service projects for our members within the community.

Rules Change Project

The Rules Change Project is an initiative to support action ideas for capitalism and the common good.  America is not working for all of us. The Rules Change Project is an open coalition to spotlight, amplify and educate the public about existing efforts to foster economic “rules change.” It is an informal, non-partisan collaboration of individuals and independent groups seeking to help launch a national conversation about how we govern, regulate, manage and interact with corporations, about their relationship with government, and with their stakeholders — employees, customers, communities, the environment — in addition to stockholders.

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/rules-change-project

Sankofa

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].


Sankofa is Williams College first and only step dancing team. We perform multiple times a year showcasing steps choreographed by members past and present.

Senior Technology Tutoring

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].


Senior Tech Tutoring is a club for Williams students to tutor senior citizens with technology ranging from computers to phones to tablets. We meet every Friday at the Harper Center from 4-5pm.

Sentinels Summer Public Policy Research Fellowship

This U.S. public policy research program supports student research projects focused on contemporary issues in U.S. economic, social, and/or environmental policy, including but not limited to community and regional development, regulation, inequality, and/or processes and powers of the American Government at any level.  Sentinels Fellows are awarded research funding based primarily upon their written project proposal.

Additional Information & Application:

https://learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/sentinels-summer-research-fellowship/

Sexual Wellness Advocacy Network (SWAN)

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Jennifer Lederer ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Donna Denelli-Hess

SWAN works to introduce topics of consent and healthy relationships to local middle school and high school students through workshops. We also create relationships with administrators and teachers to create consent-promoting initiatives. It is the purpose of SWAN to work closely with students, teachers, and administration to figure out the best ways in which to bring our information and messages to local campuses. With every place we go to, we hope to create a consent-promoting, survivor-supporting campus. In addition, SWAN works to improve Williams students’ ability to understand and thus teach consent to local students.

Facebook

SWAG

 

 

 

SWAN Facebook Page

Sheffield Land Trust

Non-profit member organization, established in 1989, dedicated to protecting the land essential to Sheffield’s natural, scenic, agricultural, and rural character through a program of stewardship and by working with landowners, farmers and other partners. Welcomes volunteers in a variety of capacities.
P.O. Box 940
404 Legeyt Road
Sheffield, MA 01257
413-229-0234
www.sheffieldland.org
[email protected]

Sikh Student Association

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].


The Sikh Student Association is a religious group for members of the Williams College community to practice, express, and embody the Sikh faith. We plan to hold prayers, spread awareness of Sikhism, and do community service as prescribed by the Sikh principle of Seva. We plan to enact these goals through panels, interfaith dialogue, awareness events, and celebration of holidays that hold importance to the Sikh community.

Sisterhood

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].


Sisterhood is an affinity organization for the black identifying womxn at Williams College. Our main goal is to foster community through our weekly meetings for the community of black womxn on campus. We host and collaborate different events throughout the year such as our annual Melanin Masquerade Ball and smaller weekly events, like talks and movie nights.

South Asian Student Association

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].


SASA’s purpose as a student organization is primarily to foster a sense of community and create an all-inclusive space for members of the Williams community who self-identify as South Asian. We advocate for South Asian representation within the larger Asian and Asian-American communities on campus.

SASA strives to celebrate the South Asian experience by showcasing a diverse range of cultural experiences (including food, music, dance, and much more), collaborating with on-campus religious groups to celebrate religious events, and hosting guest speaker events. We also aim to open our doors to the wider Williams community and those who are interested in learning about our cultures to engage in a wider campus dialogue.

South East Asian Students

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].


This student body serves to represent Southeast Asian identifying students and promote cultural exchange for all students. We seek to provide safe spaces and events to build community, articulate our identities, and connect with both allies and faculty. Beyond just social events, we also plan on engaging internationally through fundraising for Southeast Asian countries in crisis and lobbying for Southeast Asian student needs within the campus. We aim to create spaces that will facilitate critical engagement, interrogation, and exploration of Southeast Asian cultures and the legacies embedded therein. We affirm the diversity of Southeast Asian cultures, ethnicities, and subcultures, as well as recognize the capacity for solidarity within the community.

Storytime

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].


Storytime hosts weekly storytelling events on campus meant to bring students, faculty, and staff together to share experiences, enriching our community.

Student Exploration of Education

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].


SEE is a student-led organization that aims to provide budding educators with the knowledge and resources needed to thrive in education-related careers. We welcome all those interested in education policy, technology, administration, finance, consulting, teaching, etc.!

Student Veterans Association

This group is inactive as of the 2022-23 academic year.

Student Leaders: Brandon Hashemi (bah4) & Joseph Grillo (jag20)
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Tamanika Steward

The purposes of the Student Veterans Association (SVA) are thus:

  • Provide academic and professional outreach for prospective and current student veterans.
  • Connect members with on-campus resources, generate awareness of veterans on campus, develop a supportive community, and serve as a voice for veterans on campus.
  • Serve as a resource for non-veteran students and the community at large for those who are interested in pursuing military service.
  • It is also the purpose of this organization to abide by the Code of Student Conduct and to uphold the educational mission of Williams College.

Students for Education Reform

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leader: Cooper Bramble
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Shawna Patterson-Stephens
Meeting Time/Place: Wednesday at 6 PM, Paresky 220

Student’s for Education Reform is an organization that is committed to improving the state of education in the United States. We advocate at the state, local, and national levels, pushing for positive legislative change and raising awareness for important educational issues. At the college, we work to increase understanding and foster discussion about education related issues by holding events, bringing in speakers, conducting school/school board visits and holding dinner meetings.

Students for Israeli-Palestinian Dialogue

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].


SIPD aims to bring students together — no matter their background, ideological leanings, or perspectives — and provide opportunities and forums to share and learn more about the Israeli Palestinian conflict and occupation. We hope to achieve this by inviting speakers from the ground and around the world, ranging from activists, artists, filmmakers, scholars, to individuals with powerful stories to share.

Students for Justice in Palestine

This group is inactive as of the 2022-23 academic year.

Student Leaders: Gina Al-Karablieh (gza1) & Lour Yasin (liy1)
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Aseel Abulhab

This is an organization that activates for Palestinian rights and strives to spread awareness about the history of Palestine with regards to the Israeli occupation.

Students of Caribbean Ancestry

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].


SoCA is a bridge between the Caribbean, the Williams College community, and all who are interested in Caribbean culture. This organization is a forum for those who are involved to interact, share, and learn about Caribbean cultures. SoCA is also active in organizing activities aimed at fostering interaction among the Caribbean community and introducing the Caribbean/its culture to the rest of the Williams College community and those outside of Williams College.

The Aristocows

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].


This is a non-audition a cappella group that exclusively sings arrangements of songs from Disney-owned franchises. We hold rehearsals a couple times a week and have social events.

The Inside-Out Course and Positive Pathways Partnership (P3)

The Inside Out Course and Positive Pathways Partnership are programs run with the Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction in nearby Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

The Inside Out Course follows the Inside Out Program model developed at Temple University.  In this model, the course consists of an equal number of college students and inmates learning alongside one another in a seminar taught by a college instructor at the correctional institution. A major goal of the course is to facilitate dialogue across difference,  potentially developing transformative learning experiences for participants.  The program at Williams, begun in 2013 with a course taught by Professor Christian Thorne, was initiated by Gaudino Scholar Magnus Bernhardsson as part of the “Danger Initiative.”  It continues now under the guidance of a faculty advisory team (Professors Keith McPartland, Christian Thorne, Jim Nolan, and Kris Kirby) with administration and financial support from the Center for Learning in Action. For more information on the course, contact CLiA Director Dr. Paula Consolini ([email protected]).

The Positive Pathways Partnership (P3) with the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office, begun in 2015, supports educational access for those formerly or currently incarcerated in the Berkshire County House of Correction (BCHOC). In fall 2016, when several Williams students attended an orientation and tour of the facility in Pittsfield, some were taken aback by the new environment they had been invited to tutor in. Still, they were inspired to serve by a recognition of the importance of P3’s mission.

From December 2016 to April 2017, Omar Kawam ’20, Diana Sanchez ’17, and Timothy Suh ’18, drove weekly to the 2nd St. Reentry Office in Pittsfield where they taught a recently released individual Writing, Reading, and Math to pass his HiSET exam. Under the supervision of BCHoC staff, tutoring continued through the summer of 2017 in the Pittsfield correctional facility as two inmates sought to work towards their diplomas.

In addition to the tutoring, a small group of Williams students led by Ted McNally ’20, launched a weekly book discussion group at the BCHoC in the Spring of 2017. Within a few years, inmate participation has grown to as many as 16. Williams students facilitate the discussion of books and short stories chosen by the group as a whole. Maus, Legends of the Fall, and Love and War in California have been among the books read and discussed together.

The tutoring and book discussion group initiatives have grown substantially with the addition of another early evening (5:30-7pm) of tutoring to the Thursday slot and more students volunteering to help facilitate the Friday evening book discussions. After additional recruitment to better serve the tutoring needs both in and outside the jail, the Williams’ Director of Quantitative Skills Programs and Peer Support helped the tutors develop tutoring syllabi and a communication system that helps them work more effectively individually and as a team.

When COVID struck, P3 students found a way to continue helping with HISET preparation.  Once they heard from the BCHOC education staff about the most challenging content areas of test preparation, they created a series of  short tutorial videos to aid those studying for the test. The videos were well received and continue to be used now that the program has returned in person. The videos have since been shared with the Northern Berkshire Adult Basic Education  Program.

Even as tutoring and mentoring in this setting may be out of some people’s comfort zone, Williams students and inmates alike are grateful for the rewarding shared learning experiences. Along with the regularly taught Inside-Out Williams course, P3 strives to strengthen relations between the two institutions and offer a larger number of individuals hope in the possibility of new beginnings.

For more information, please contact Ash Bell ([email protected]).

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to preserve plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. The organization employs a strategic, science based process called “Conservation by Design” to identify the highest priority places — landscapes and seascapes — that, if conserved, promise to ensure biodiversity over the long term.
404 Legeyt Road
Sheffield, MA 01257
413-229-0232
www.nature.org

The Orion Society

The Orion Society’s programs and publications seek to inform, inspire and engage individuals and grass roots organizations to become a significant cultural force for healing nature and community. Orion’s work includes Orion Magazine, books, workshops, seminars and the Orion Grassroots Network, a fast growing association of environmental and community organizations. The Society welcomes volunteers in a variety of capacities.
187 Main Street
Great Barrington, MA 01230
413-528-4422
www.orionsociety.org
[email protected]

The Society of the Griffins

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].


The Society of The Griffins is to foster a brotherhood for black men while creating equitable pathways to success at Williams College. On our journey to individual and collective achievement, we hold unity, fidelity and excellence above all. We aim to connect with communities within Williams and the Berkshires, more broadly, as exemplary men for others.

The Springstreeters

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].


We are an all-male/non-binary a cappella group who arrange and sing a wide range of songs from barbershop to current pop.

The Trustees of Reservations

Member supported non-profit conservation organization that preserves various property for public use and enjoyment. Field Farm is a 300 acre property managed by the Trustees. Will Garrison, Historic Resources Manager at Field Farm, welcomes volunteer help, particularly with tours of the farm.
Field Farm
565 Sloan Road
Williamstown, MA 01267
413-458-3144
www.thetrustees.org
[email protected]
Will Garrison

The Wellness Advocacy Group

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].


The purpose of the organization is four-fold: to survey and present the wellness needs of the community, to advocate for the aforementioned needs of the community by working with administrational bodies, to provide clear instructions of use for existing resources, and to expand and improve education relating to mental health and wellbeing in the community. WAG aims to make Williams College a more complete liberal arts institution by working to incorporate education and skills related to life-long mental wellness into the fabric of our community.

thinkFOOD

This group is currently inactive.

Student Leaders: Nicholas Gardner ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Mike Evans
Meeting Time/Place: Tuesdays 8 PM in Zilkha Center

At Williams, members of thinkFOOD work in student groups and dining committees to make the food Williams eats more environmentally and socially sustainable. We’ve worked with our primary food purveyors and worked to write Williams Dining’s sustainable and responsible purchasing expectations for those purveyors. We’ve also participated in local farm visits with the Zilkha Center and hosted community meals.

Thursday Night Grassroots

This group is currently inactive.

Thursday Night Grassroots was formed to create an outlet for direct student action in the face of global environmental catastrophe and immense social inequality.  The group strives to highlight and actively address these issues within the context of our community, our state, and our nation. The group believes that Williams students are among a small percentage of privileged people globally and that with that privilege comes a responsibility to take action against all forms of injustice. The group also believes that the greatest threat to peace and stability in our world today is that of climate change, and chooses to particularly address this threat to global social justice. They seek to illustrate the fundamental and undeniable connections between environmental impacts and their consequences on our society’s ability to be truly just. The group directs its greatest effort towards building a movement to put our school, state, and nation on a path towards environmental sustainability.

Timberlawn Elementary School

The mission of Timberlawn Elementary School is to teach and learn with purpose, passion, and perseverance. We will achieve our mission by working together to ensure that every Timberlawn Bulldog excels academically, socially and emotionally.  Students recite the Timberlawn Mission Statement at the beginning of each school day.

Timberlawn Elementary School is one of 38 elementary schools in the Jackson Public School District. It serves students in grades pre-K-5. Timberlawn is located in a low-income community. It is a Title 1 school; 97% of students live below the poverty line.  For more information on the school, please visit timberlawn.jpsms.org.

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/timberlawn-elementary-school

United Cerebral Palsy

United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Western Massachusetts — an affiliate of United Cerebral Palsy Association — was established in 1961. UCP of Western Massachusetts offers service navigation, direct programming, assistive technology and advocacy for any individual, regardless of disability, to pursue a fulfilling, self-determined, high-quality community life — a life without limits. UCP’s mission is to advance the independence, productivity and full community participation of children and adults with all physical and developmental disabilities.

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/united-cerebral-palsy

Visionaries

Visionaries, Inc. is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to producing and distributing media that inspires individuals and communities to take action for positive social change. Visionaries, Inc. seeks to inspire vast audiences, promote philanthropy on a global level, and serve as a catalyst for positive social change both locally and beyond. Since 1995, Visionaries, Inc. has been producing Visionaries documentary series for public television.

748 Page Street
Stoughton, MA 02072
800-647-5559
www.visionaries.org
[email protected]
Contacts: Bill Mosher ([email protected]), Executive Director

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

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.

Volunteers in Medicine

Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires provides access to free, comprehensive health care for those in the Berkshire region who are income-qualified and uninsured or under-insured. “We envision a society in which everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve good health.”

777 Main Street, Suite 4
Great Barrington, MA 01230
413-528-4014
vimberkshires.org

Western Massachusetts Medical Reserve Corps

The Medical Reserve Corps is a community-based, civilian volunteer program that helps build the public health infrastructure of communities nationwide. Berkshire and Franklin units were among the very first to be founded following the events of September 11, 2001. Each MRC unit is organized and trained to address a wide range of challenges from public health education to disaster response. Please consider this a resource for keeping yourself, your families (including your pets), your businesses and your communities safe. Volunteers are always needed and there are service opportunities for everyone.

Berkshire MRC (BerkshireDART)
c/o Fairview Hospital
29 Lewis Avenue
Great Barrington, MA 02130
www.wmmrc.org
www.wmdart.org

Contacts:
Christy Lemoine ([email protected], 413-539-0129), Volunteer Coordinator
Corinne Mckeown ([email protected], 413-539-4115), Director

Where Am I?!

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.

Willams Rugby Football Club

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].


The Williams Rugby Football Club had been dedicated to learning, teaching, and playing rugby for 45 years. In fact, an overwhelming majority of our members have little to no experience when they first come down to the pitch. This tradition has created a long history of individual athletic achievement and close team unity. Playing in both the fall and the spring, the club has successfully competed against teams throughout New England, including Middlebury, the University of Vermont, and Amherst.

Williams Animal Awareness Group

Student Leaders: Tiffani Castro ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Paula Consolini
Meeting Time/Place: Paresky

WAAG aims to help animals both within and beyond the Williams Community by facilitating informed and thoughtful discussions on issues concerning animals. In addition, WAAG creates several opportunities for people to engage with animals to relieve stress. Students can either volunteer with Bonnie Lea Farm, Clover Hill Farm, and the Berkshire Humane Society (Humane Race held in early May), where they can interact with several animals such as horses, chickens, cows, dogs, and cats.

Williams Beekeepers Club

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].


We will learn about bees both through lecture-type meetings and by visiting the hives of local beekeepers. We will also strive to establish beehives on campus.

Williams Birding Club

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].


We hold birding trips on and around campus, such as in Hopkins Forest and surrounding lakes.

Williams College Children’s Center

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

Williams College Democrats

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].


Williams College Democrats organizes students on campus to further Democratic goals at the local, state, and national level. We also function as a hub for liberal and left-leaning thought through the hosting of events and occasionally volunteer in our local Berkshire community.

Williams College Firefighters’ Association

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].


We are an association of student firefighters and first responders established to support the Williamstown Fire District and Gale Hose Company, provide resources and training to members, and foster a sense of camaraderie and community among members.

Williams College Gospel Choir

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].


We are a Christian-based, student-led music group that fosters love and compassion among the members of the choir through song. Every semester the choir host a concert where we ask the community to join us in song. We extend beyond the Williams campus and engage with the community around us, performing at local churches and events; people of all faiths or no faith are invited to join.

Williams College Jewish Association

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].


WCJA is a pluralistic Jewish organization that hosts many cultural and educational activities along with religious events. Our main goal is to create a strong Jewish community on campus.

Williams Effective Altruism

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].


Williams EA aims to build a community of “effective altruists” — people who apply strategy and creativity to maximize their positive impact on the world — at Williams College. By serving as a forum to discuss cause prioritization, high-impact career choices, and self-improvement, the club will guide students in applying critical reasoning skills gained in the classroom to current local and global issues. In addition to creating a collective learning space, we would like to raise and donate money to effective charities that we believe can best mitigate global poverty, cure diseases, and save lives.

Williams Empower Through Health

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].


Williams ETH seeks to pioneer the fight against the global mental health crisis by supporting the organization who provides psychiatric medical care and reforming social norms regarding mental illness in the Busoga region of Uganda. Through partnerships with the community, we hope to create long-term, sustainable improvements regarding treatment for those suffering from psychosis, among other mental illnesses. In addition to empowering and expanding health education locally, we aim to involve the Williams community through creating interdisciplinary dialogue surrounding global health inequities with a primary focus on mental health. Ultimately, our work to provide scientifically-based education and treatment is rooted in the necessity to not only dispel misconceptions surrounding mental illness, but to facilitate the incorporation of mental health as an essential aspect of universal health.

Williams Environmental Council

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].


An environmental advocacy and action group committed to inspiring Williams students and members of the surrounding community to take local, state, and national action against the threat of climate change and other forms of environmental destruction.

Williams Film Club

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].


We hope to provide students with a creative safe space to make and share their stories through filmmaking, as well as watching films and promoting general film appreciation.

Williams Fishing Club

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].


We help students explore, protect, and fish the local waterways.

Williams Homeless Outreach

Student Leaders: Julia Cheng ([email protected]), Aaron Maruzzo ([email protected]), Aaron Goldstein ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Paula Consolini ([email protected]), Jingyi Liu ’14
Meeting Time/Place: Biweekly Mondays 5pm, Paresky 112

Williams Homeless Outreach (WHO) is dedicated to raising campus awareness and enacting systemic change regarding the issues of homelessness and economic disparity, especially as they pertain to the local families of rural Massachusetts. Our club meets biweekly to collaboratively create student-led, philanthropic initiatives that are determined by the interests of the current members of WHO. Additionally, we provide a platform for volunteerism at local non-profits such as, but not limited to, Horizons for Homeless Children, Berkshire Food Project and the Friendship Center Food Pantry.

Facebook
WHO Facebook Page

WHO Intro PowerPoint (PPTX)

Williams Insight

Student Leaders: Stephen Kletscher ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: David Zimmerman

We are the Williams College financial publication club. We hold weekly meetings where we discuss the latest evolutions of the markets and plan our articles. Our articles comprise analysis of publicly-traded companies, the state of the markets, etc.

Williams Law Society

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].


The Williams College Law Society (WCLS) manages finances, planning, and organization of the Williams Moot Court Team and Williams Mock Trial team, in addition to hosting guest speakers and alumni in law or law-related fields.

Williams Outing Club

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.

Williams Political Forum

Student Leaders: Davey Morse ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: TBD

The Williams Forum provides the primary platform for open political discourse in the College. The Forum hosts student-led debates and forums with political leaders, and its member pursue select political initiatives. The Forum is guided by deep mutual respect, appreciation of disagreement, and a drive to improve society.

Williams Positive Pathways Partnership

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].


P3 provides tutoring services at the Berkshire House of Corrections in Pittsfield. Student tutors form positive relationships with inmates and help them pursue their academic goals.

Williams Pre-Health Society

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].


We aim to empower pre-health students by offering support and opportunities to explore various fields within the healthcare industry. Our focus is on fostering learning and growth, enabling students to make informed decisions about their future career paths in healthcare and connecting with their peers.

Williams Refugee Advancement Coalition

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].


WRAC seeks to educate about the experiences of refugees and immigrants and to create a welcoming environment for them on campus and in the region. We focus on community presentations and volunteering with local organizations.

Williams Relay For Life

This group is inactive as of the 2022-23 academic year.

Student Leaders: Abby Matheny (acm5) & Kerryann Reynolds (kmr4)
Faculty/Staff Advisor: Allie Clark

Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s primary fundraiser. We plan and execute multiple fundraisers throughout the year to raise money and fight cancer.

Williams Secular Community

Student Leaders: Coly Elhai ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Colin Adams
Meeting Time/Place: Tuesdays 6 PM, Paresky

The purpose of the group is to build an inclusive community of agnostics, atheists, and all skeptics to socialize and connect in a variety of ways. We also aim to create a safe, non-religious space for anyone to engage in fulfilling discussions of their personal lives, current events, religion, life philosophy, or anything else. We do this through regular dinners and discussions that are open to everyone.

Williams Ski Patrol

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].


WSP is a member patrol of the National Ski Patrol, and we mainly volunteer at Jiminy Peak. We train and certify new patrollers during the fall semester and Winter Study each year, and our certified patroller membership will patrol throughout the winter season.

Williams Speaks

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.

Williams Student Union

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].


The Williams Student Union is empowered to consider matters of interest to students and shall act as a voice for students in official matters if requested. The Williams Student Union ensures that the voice and concerns of students are amplified and that the administration is best serving the needs of students through advocacy to the administration or through the support of different student initiatives. Through various forms of advocacy, the Williams Student Union will begin to collect institutional knowledge that will help future generations of students navigate the bureaucracy at the College.

The Williams Student Union will:

  1. Create spaces for students to air grievances, talk about student concerns, and voice opinions. This can be through the creation of campus forums, town halls, or open meetings.
  2. Amplify student issues or concerns, especially to raise awareness to the student body and bring issues to the administration.
  3. Hold public, regularly scheduled meetings that are spaces for students to voice their opinions.
  4. Serve as a link between the administration and students, especially for important campus issues or policies.
  5. Create a publicly-accessible record archive that contains information on current membership and Union issues.

Williams Sustainable Growers

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].


We are the gardening club at Williams. We maintain Parsons Garden in front of Parsons House with weekly work meetings where club members can come and do some relaxing gardening work. We also host events open to the Williams community where we cook food we grow in the garden. We also partner with various other clubs to hold events to involve different parts of the Williams community in the garden club.

Williams Young Democratic Socialists of America

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].


WCYDSA is a group for social change on campus and in the local Berkshires community. We focus on issues such as climate change, affordable housing, endowment justice, and healthcare access.

Williamstown Chamber of Commerce

The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce serves Williamstown and our neighboring communities by supporting efforts in communication, education and coordination of our members, our residents and our visitors.
Williamstown is the home of two major institutions – Williams College and The Clark Art Institute. Many of the visitors to our community come here initially for one of those two but return (or stay) for many other reasons. We are nearby great skiing, gorgeous golf, cultural attractions, and natural beauty.

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/williamstown-chamber-of-commerce

Williamstown Community Preschool

Williamstown Community Preschool serves the needs of toddler, preschool, and school-age children and their families. From age 15 months to 12 years, children find a safe, caring environment at WCP where they can grow, learn, and thrive.

WCP offers a rich, developmentally appropriate learning environment that focuses on child-centered, child-directed activities. The WCP staff seeks to create opportunities for children to experience, explore, and gain an understanding of the world and the people around them. We encourage children to develop cooperative social skills by setting appropriate limits, by offering positive choices, and by helping children develop problem-solving skills. We promote a sense of self-worth in children by providing an atmosphere of trust and respect with regard to the children’s feelings, skills, choices, similarities, and differences.

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/williamstown-community-preschool

Williamstown Historical Museum

The Williamstown House of Local History was founded in 1941 to promote knowledge of the town’s history by collecting and preserving materials, mounting exhibitions, presenting educational programs and facilitating research. Its goal is to document the diverse people and buildings, the associations and institutions, the businesses and events which form the town’s history from the earliest days to the present time. The collection includes photographs, documents and artifacts from the 1700s to the present day as well as published material on the town and genealogical material on local families.

If you’re interested in history, the Williamstown Historical Museum is the place for you!  We are a museum and research center that maintains a collection of photos, artifacts and documents that relate to Williamstown’s past. We work to increase the public’s knowledge of Williamstown’s past in a variety of ways including educational exhibits, programs, events, research and publications.

We have numerous volunteer opportunities available. Our goal is to help you to use your talents and interests in a way that allows our organization to maintain a diverse collection of photos, artifacts, documents and manuscripts, and use our materials to educate the public about the town.  As a volunteer you are a valued member of our team and you will develop a greater connection to the community around you as your understanding of our local history grows. All of our volunteers will receive training and a manual to assist you with your work.

To learn more about our organization please visit our museum, visit our website or give Sarah or Nancy at the WHM a call:

32 New Ashford Road
Williamstown, MA
413-458-2160
www.williamstownhistoricalmuseum.org
[email protected]
Contact: Sarah Currie ([email protected]), Director

Williamstown Rural Lands

Non-profit member supported land trust working with the community to preserve and protect the rural New England character and unique landscapes of Williamstown. WRL welcomes volunteer and intern help in many capacities, including special projects which students might propose such as habitat creation.
671 Cold Spring Road
Williamstown, MA 01267
413-458-2494
Contact: Julia Morgan, Program Coordinator
www.rurallands.org
[email protected]

Willy Good Wood

Student Leaders: Geff Fisher ([email protected]), Jensen Pak ([email protected]u), Robert Hefferon ([email protected]), Evelyn Mahon ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser
: Ben Lamb ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Monthly, First Congregational Church

Our organization aims to provide an opportunity for Williams College students to learn and practice woodworking and related handicrafts in a safe and educational environment. We also aim to engage with the community through woodworking-related service projects with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. The club offers a place for students to create and work with their hands in a way that may not be included in their normal academic schedule, and a chance to engage in community service projects using the skills they have acquired through club activities.

Winter Blitz

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].


A one-day fall program weatherizing low income homes in Berkshire County run through the Zilkha Center for Environmental Initiatives. Students train and then work with faculty, staff and community volunteers preparing area homes for the winter.

Winter Blitz Blog

WISHES

Student Leaders: Louis Gilbert-Bono ([email protected]), Duncan Cummings ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: George McCormack ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: 2 days weekly, Williamstown Elementary

WISHES (Williams Initiative for Student Health in Elementary Schools) is a group of Williams students who teach a health and nutrition class to the Williamstown Elementary School fifth grade classes. We teach one class per week in the spring, and the class we teach uses games, activities, and lessons to teach the students about the food pyramid, healthy exercise, body image, and a variety of other health and nutrition related topics. Each member of the group is in charge of a group of about 4 students to whom they deliver the week’s lesson plan every week.

WRAPS

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].


WRAPS works at the intersection of food insecurity and food waste, employing a two-part model that connects the Williams College campus with the North Adams community. WRAPS packages excess dining hall food into meals that are then distributed to local organizations in North Adams while working to expand our impact through collaboration with on-campus and community partners.

Zambezi Marimba Band

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].


Zambezi is a Zimbabwean-style marimba ensemble that performs both traditional and pop music. Our work ties together both music and dance in events such as the Zambezi Dance Party and our collaborations with Dance Department groups.

¡Vive!

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].


¡Vive! organizes and performs music pertaining to the Latinx diaspora with the vocal and instrumental skills of a diverse group of students. Through the presentation of, as well as interaction with, ethnic and cultural identities, the group provides and creates a space for the celebration and continued discovery of a minority identity, as well as further appreciation of differing cultural realities. We will arrange and learn music as a group and invite the community to be a part of our work, a collaborative exchange of ideas and musical experiences.