Have you ever tried to schedule a meeting with your board or organization and you just can’t seem to find a time to meet that works for everyone?

Introducing:  doodle.com

This site allows you to create a poll that allows your participants to submit their availability to you in a visible way.  There are just three easy steps:

1. Create your poll and list all available times for your meeting or event
2. Send out your poll to members of your organization and allow them to vote
3. Close your poll and inform your meeting participants of the date and time of your meeting

Over the last month we have been holding focus groups with student leaders from various service organizations at The University of Texas at Austin.  The goal of these groups was to develop the basic requirements that a Community Engagement Scholar will be expected to meet in order to complete the program.

Topics Discussed:

1.  Community service activities that students are currently involved in
2.  What skills a Community Engagement Scholar should be expected to develop in the following areas:

• Leadership
• Social Justice/Diversity
• Program Management/Communication
• Reflection
• Community Organizing
• Politics

Special Thanks to the Groups Who Participated:

Graduate Student Assembly
Indian Students Association
Orange Jackets
Student Volunteer Board
Texas Blazers
Texas Circle K International
AmeriCorps VISTA
University of Texas Alumni

For more information or to find out how to get involved:

Contact Andrea Ballard with the Volunteer and Service Learning Center at arballard@austin.utexas.edu or by calling (512) 232-2928.

Overview
Over the next year, we will be developing a Community Engagement Scholars Program.  This initiative of the Volunteer and Service Learning Center, will provide UT students the opportunity to develop and use their leadership skills to serve the Austin community, as well as prepare students for public service throughout their lives. Through a collaborative partnership with the private sector, non-profit organizations, and UT alumni, the Community Engagement Scholars Program will assess community needs in order to strengthen university-community relationships for the common good.

Program Highlights
The Community Engagement Scholars Program will be, at minimum, a two-year, interdisciplinary program open to all UT students. Participants will demonstrate competency within seven core components:

• Leadership
• Social Justice/Diversity
• Program Management
• Reflection
• Communication
• Politics
• Community Organizing.

Once competency is established in each area participants will choose a concentration from the following:
• NGO/Non-profit management
• Philanthropy
• National Service
• Corporate Responsibility

Upon successful completion of the program students will receive a Community Engagement Leadership Certificate during graduation.

How to Help
If you are interested in helping develop this new student program, contact the Volunteer and Service Learning Center at (512) 471-6161 or by emailing Andrea Ballard at arballard@austin.utexas.edu.