WHEN 29 begins to become more and more congested in late August, the Charlottesville community will know you're here. When the Corner begins to come alive with students, they'll know you've arrived. When the line at Bed, Bath & Beyond seems a little bit longer, it will be obvious that University students have descended upon Charlottesville.
But don't let those be the only ways you make your presence known in the Charlottesville community. You can make a lasting impact off-Grounds by getting involved in service. Just take a walk to 170 Rugby Road and find out how you can get involved with one (or more!) of over 70 community agencies. No, that little brick house with the yellow sun isn't a fraternity house. That little house just before Beta Bridge is Madison House, an essential link between the University and the surrounding community. Each year over 3,300 students provide weekly volunteer service through Madison House. As a result of this impressive effort, the lives of over 17,000 area residents are enriched each year.
Anyone can sign up to volunteer at Madison House. Madison House serves as the student volunteer center at the University. We coordinate volunteers, develop leaders, build community partnerships and promote lifelong volunteer service. Madison House organizes service programs to address the needs of the community as well as the educational and personal growth objectives of students. Whether you want to spend time in the hospital, care for animals, work with children, partner with the elderly, build homes, enrich lives of people with special needs, preserve our environment or work on a variety of community efforts, we have a program for your interests. Volunteer sites include, among others, the University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville-Albemarle Riding Therapy, Charlottesville City Schools, SPCA, Feed the Need and the Soccer Organization of Charlottesville-Albemarle. Sign-up to volunteer at any of our 70 sites around town and you'll become instantly more familiar with the community as well as get to know other University student volunteers.
If you really get passionate about the work Madison House does, you can apply to be a student leader. We have a leadership model that closely reflects the tradition of student self-governance at the University. For each of the 16 programs at Madison House there is a head program director who oversees three to 10 sites and their program directors. They often serve as a liaison between the students and the Madison House staff. They meet with Elizabeth, Madison House's associate director, regularly to make sure the community needs are being met and the volunteer experiences are positive. There are also over 185 program directors within Madison House who serve as volunteer coordinators at each of the different sites in the community. They oversee the weekly service and keep track of volunteer hours. They work closely with a community partner at each site to be sure the various organizational needs are met. As a non-profit, Madison House has its own board of directors. Student leaders have a strong voice on the Board, which is made up of one-third students, one-third University faculty and staff, and one-third community members. Students serve as committee chairs of the various Board committees and are able to learn about non-profits from all angles. Each year, a student serves as co-chair of the Board alongside a non-student Board member. All of these are opportunities for students to take an active role at Madison House and the Charlottesville community as well as develop their own leadership abilities during their time at the University.
While her red brick buildings, white columns and sprawling Lawn make the University distinct and recognizable, there is no formal boundary separating her grounds from the surrounding community. The Charlottesville community and the University exist in accord with each other, each contributing to the other's vitality. You can make a lasting contribution to the Charlottesville community through service at Madison House, and you're guaranteed to find your own University experience enriched by reaching out to others. Come visit us on Rugby and see how you can get involved.
Micaela Erin Connery is a fourth-year student in the College and co-chair of the Madison House Board of Directors.
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