Founded over 100 years ago, Union College has always had a strong interest in service to the community. Our roots are strong in community service, as the college was initially established as a service to Southeastern Kentucky in providing well-trained teachers to the area. Since the college’s inception, students have been involved in service to Knox County and the surrounding Appalachian region. The Appalachia Service Project, now a well-known non-profit organization, was founded here in 1969. Then, ALCOR, Appalachian Leadership and Community Outreach banded students together to serve. In 1995, SHARE (Students Helping and Reaching Everyone) was formed and became the backbone for the Community Outreach Center. That center was renamed the Common Partners Office in 1999 to recognize our work as partners with our community to serve with, not for, each other.
The Common Partners Office plans a variety of events throughout the year in which students, faculty, and staff members can become involved and work together within the Knox County community
About
The Common Partner’s Program is a tool for you to become a better world citizen and to assist you in organizing opportunities for community service and social justice. The program offers reflection activities to help you understand your service experiences in relation to your responsibilities as a citizen. It aids you in understanding the reasons that you serve and how you can continue in service after graduation. Throughout your work with the program, you develop an understanding of leadership, the process of leadership, and development of leadership skills related to serving the community. You will get the opportunity to work alongside the faculty on course development initiatives wour service, training, and reflection, we hope that the Common Partner’s Program will develop an understanding and appreciation for:
Civic Engagement - Participate intentionally as a citizen in the democratic process, actively engaging in public policy and direct service
Community Building – Establish and sustain a vibrant community of place, personal relationships and common interests
Diversity – Respect the many different dimensions of diversity in our public lives
International Perspective – Develop international understanding that enables students to participate fully in a global society
Social Justice – Advocate for fairness, impartiality, and equality while addressing systemic social and environmental issues.
Spiritual Exploration – Explore personal beliefs while respecting the spiritual practices of others.
Scholarship Outreach
In 2006, the Common Partner’s Program established a scholarship program. This Common Partners Scholarship is awarded to students who are committed to service, while furthering their education. The Common Partner’s Program represents some of the best and brightest students of Union College who work, individually and as a team, to “change the world through service.” Each year, we select a small number of students to receive scholarship for community outreach. They are selected at the discretion of the Director of the Common Partner’s Program.
Common Partners are required to complete the Community Outreach Application and go through an interview process. If you are chosen, you will be required to serve a required number of hours each semester in an approved non-profit organization and participate in weekly service leader trainings/program meetings. Scholars are expected to fully represent the Common Partner’s Program and the Office for Community Outreach.
Application
To apply for the program please print off, complete and send in the below application.
Academic and Financial Outreach
Common Partner Scholars must first meet the academic needs of Union College. An incoming Freshman must graduate in the top 2/5 (40%) of his/her high school graduating class, with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Exceptions are dealt with on an individual basis. Transfer and/or first-year Service Scholar applicants with more than twelve credit hours have to be considered a potential candidate for the program. Any exceptions to this requirement should be made by the Common Partner’s Advisory Board and would place a student on immediate probationary status with the Program.
The Common Partner Scholarship Programs awards on average, up to 10 scholarships a year. These awards are given to students who demonstrate both financial need and outstanding commitment to community service.
Common Partner Scholars are awarded on an individual basis. Common Partner Scholars will be awarded over the course of the academic year and it is applied directly to the student’s college account. Should a student choose to leave or be dismissed from the Common Partner’s Program for any reason, the student will not continue to receive scholarship in the next semester.
School Year Requirements
During the course of fall and spring semesters, each student receiving scholarship has a number or requirements. At the end of each semester, depending on their scholarship amount, students should have completed a minimum of 280, 140, or 70 hours of service. This service is completed at a non-profit site and also includes bi-weekly meetings and leadership workshops. Students are also required to participate in a number of school related activities which include; Daniel Boone Festival, Hunger Banquet, and Repair Affair. Details of all requirements are given at the August Orientation and Training session which happens a week before school begins.
Service is Everywhere
Common Partners are everywhere. You meet them every day, in every country, around the world. These individuals take the time to reach out to the community around them. This program has had some very caring individuals come through and students and staff have also met so many on our travels.
This is a call for Common Partner Alum. One of our many internal projects for the program is to start building our Common Partner network for the graduating seniors to have access to as they head out into the real world. We would like to put together an Alumni booklet that tells:
Location:
Major/Minor:
Employment:
If you work with any Organizations/Non-Profits:
What you have been doing since Common Partners:
Information can be sent to Austin Sebald at austin.sebald@unionky.edu
