Complementary Learning
Please see below events and activities that are approved by the Honors Program office for Complementary Learning. This webpage is updated regularly to add new opportunities - but they are in no way the only activities you can take part in to earn complementary learning hours. Please refer to the Complementary Learning Handbook for other ways to earn hours and for a guide to submitting your hours.
4/5-4/26 Community Garden Volunteering (Ongoing)
Come volunteer with us, RIT Sustainability, at various gardens around RIT. Tools will be provided - just come in some clothes you don't mind getting a little dirt on and get ready to prepare the garden for the upcoming spring! Volunteer days are April 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th from 3-5pm at the RIT Community Garden.
(Please note to submit hours to CLCE and select Honors as your associated club/org to receive comp learning!)
04/05 - 07/13 St. Ann's Community Volunteer Days
Need volunteer hours for school, a group, a confirmation class, or something similar? Activities include: Helping with events, visiting elders, decorating for the holidays, making gifts for elders, writing letters, Got Sneakers? support, and other activities as needed.
4/27 Imagine RIT
Volunteers are essential members of Imagine RIT, and hundreds of people help to ensure that the festival is a success. Following the link below to learn more!
Are you presenting a project at IMAGINE RIT? The Honors Program recognizes students presenting at IMAGINE RIT as academic leaders so we're providing up to 4 hours of complementary learning for anyone presenting their work.
Make sure to submit a photo of yourself at your presentation to honors@rit.edu and submit your hours through our website submission portal!
May: Ongoing Volunteering with Goodbye, Goodbuy!
Every year, RIT students throw out over 100 tons of goods during move-out. The following fall, incoming students purchase the same items. The cycle continues, and usable items sit in landfills. We set out to change this cycle, and reduce waste! Volunteer opportunities are available all month.
(Please note to submit hours to CLCE and select Honors as your associated club/org to receive comp learning!)
5/10 & 5/11 Volunteer at Commencement
Volunteer at 2024 RIT Commencement - Friday and Saturday, May 10 and 11, 2024
RIT Graduation is a special time for our graduates and their families. Your assistance makes the weekend even more special. Help make this event memorable for everyone by registering to volunteer. Click the link below for more information and to register.
05/11 Volunteer at the Breast Cancer Coalition
The Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester’s fosters community among those affected by breast or gynecologic cancer through education, support, and advocacy. Volunteers needed for the Pink & Teal Challenge Walk & Run on Sat., May 11, 2024.
If Interested, please email Meredith, Director of Special Events at meredith@bccr.org, or call 473-8177.
05/23 Day of Caring at Conkey Corner Park and the El Camino Trail
Genesee Land Trust helps to conserve land and seeks volunteers. Join us for spring cleaning on Rochester's Thomas R. Frey Trail at El Camino, a 2.25-mile urban greenway. Help clear winter debris, weed, plant, and mulch at the trail and playground gardens. Five teams of 15-20 volunteers needed at 4 locations along the trail and Brewer Street entrance to the Riverway Trail.
If interested contact Will Macaluso via email at wmacaluso@geneseelandtrust.org.
07/15-19 i-can-bike Camp Volunteers Needed
Autstim Up hosts an Annual iCan Bike Camp. This year it will take place July 15 - 19, 2024 at the Golisano Training Center at Nazareth College. The week-long camp teaches individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other disabilities, to ride a conventional bike without training wheels. Specialized, adaptive cycling equipment is utilized by certified instructors and an army of volunteer spotters that build confidence, skill and ultimately, success.
With a nearly 100% success rate, the program changes the lives of children and teens by teaching them a skill that builds self-confidence, provides an inclusive recreation opportunity with peers, and encourages a lifetime of fun and exercise. Participants will need to bring their own bicycle to camp for adjustments and will ride off into the sunset on the last day!
Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer at the National Kidney Foundation
🌟 The National Kidney Foundation of Upstate and Western NY is on the lookout for passionate volunteers! Whether it's diving into administrative roles or capturing the heart of their events with photography - there's a spot for you! 📸
Connect with Kristen West Ryan for more information
- 📞 : 585.598.3963 x373
kristen.ryan@kidney.org
By volunteering, you’re not just helping out - you're championing the Kidney Foundation’s vital programs and showing immense love to our local Kidney Community.
🌐 Learn more: National Kidney Foundation
(Please note to submit hours to CLCE and select Honors as your associated club/org to receive comp learning!)
Volunteer with Shift2
🌟Shift2 is a non profit organization on a mission to maximize the usefulness of existing technology to make a positive impact on people’s lives. They are conveniently located on Jefferson road.
Volunteer Duties Include:
- Wiping hard drives
- Troubleshooting devices
- Installing Operating Systems
- Physically cleaning computers
- Dismantling and recycling parts
- Sorting RAMs for resell
- Matching Computer Monitors
Available Monday- Friday anytime from 9am-6pm
📧Contact Lisa M. Muhammad at lisa@shift2nfp.org for more information.
Volunteer at Deaf Refugee Advocacy
Seeking enthusiastic volunteers to further their mission. Presently, they have openings for the following positions:
- Teacher Resource Aide: Assisting in teaching ASL, English, and other subjects to our students.
- Special Projects: Involvement in various special initiatives.
- Transportation Provider: Offering support to clients requiring transportation to and from the office or specific locations.
Should you have any queries about volunteering, training, or require further information, please don't hesitate to contact them at
📧 (inquiry@deafrefugeeadvocacy.org) or via video phone 585-286-3440.
Volunteer with Tru-impact
Join TRU-Impact Inc. and Empower Rochester's Youth!
🌟 Passionate about making a difference? TRU-impact is looking for student volunteers to tutor and mentor local youth. Be a part of a dynamic team, helping children reach their full potential!
📚 Schedule: 1-2 times a week, 4:30-6 pm, Mon-Thurs.
Contact TRU-impact:
📩 Deanna Baddley:
deanna@truimpactroc.org
🌐 Learn more: TRU-impact
Volunteer with YWCA |
The YWCA is a powerful resource in our community, helping women and girls by empowering them to regain control of their lives and get on the path to a healthy, successful future. YWCA is seeking volunteers who want to make a difference.
For more information, please reach out to April Allen at allen@ywcarochester.org or sign up here
Volunteer at the Willow Center
Willow Center is the only New York State certified domestic violence service provider serving Monroe County. Our mission is to prevent domestic violence and ensure every survivor has access to the services and supports needed along the journey to a safe and empowered life.
If interested, reach out to volunteer@WillowCenterNY.org
Volunteer at the League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy. Volunteers help set up registration tables and engage in activities like postcard writing and distributing non-partisan literature.
If interested in volunteering, please fill out this form.
Volunteer at the the Agape Haven
We are a growing grassroots organization meeting needs of the under-served population, especially women and girls. We empower our community using a holistic approach by providing access to educational resource, social emotional support and food security.
To volunteer, contact Julia Oakley at info@agapehavenofabundance.org or Sign up Here!
Testimonials
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“Throughout my experience with the American Cancer Society, I had the opportunity to learn about many different types of cancer, listen to the stories of many cancer survivors/fighters, educate others on cancer, and help bring awareness to the disease through a variety of activities. I had the opportunity to listen to many people's stories about how cancer affected them personally and relate to them and support them on an emotional level. I was able to help bring awareness to the disease by participating in many different fundraising events, and this opportunity helped me meet a new community of people who all shared the same interest. It taught me a lot about a relevant disease in our world currently and having the ability to come together with a group of people and participate in different events to raise awareness was very meaningful to me. I felt like this opportunity helped me feel welcomed in the RIT community, and I feel like I gained a lot from the social and intellectual aspects of my comp learning.”
-Mikayla Leibenguth CHST
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“It's really easy to get bogged down with the expectations you fail to meet for yourself. Then you start just focusing on all the things you can't do and you fail to realize all the things you can. This year's comp learning helped me to realize that there is nothing wrong with changing your goals and expectations if you need to because at the end of the day, any efforts are better than none.”
-Isaac Buswell COS
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“Complementary Learning helped me begin to find my place in the RIT and Rochester Area Community. As a first-year student, Complementary Learning helped me start exploring the Greater Rochester Area through the Into the ROC activities. I also learned more about the different organizations and opportunities on the RIT campus to help other students such as RIT Food Share. When I returned home on winter break, I was excited to get involved and connected with my community again through the FIRST Robotics Tournament”
-Rachael Tobey CET
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“Many of the hours I completed for complementary learning this year were focused on leadership for alpha Kappa Delta Phi and other organizations I am passionate about. This leadership position has taught me how to effectively voice my opinions and communicate effectively with other members of the organization, the International Leadership Board, and other organizations on campus. Additionally, it taught me how to organize weekly chapter/e-board meetings and lead workshops to fulfill our Risk Management requirement from International Leadership Board. This experience has given me the ability to separate my personal feelings in a professional environment, a skill necessary which was necessary for me to succeed in my internship/co-op that I took for summer 2022 and fall 2022.”
-Crystal Qu KGCOE
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"I've learned the importance of volunteers and those who donate their time, skills, and resources to the impoverished. Thanks to the help of volunteer lawyers, doctors, and even college students like me, we've helped keep these families afloat, whether it be through providing them with emergency food supplies, legal counsel they couldn't normally get, preventing shutoffs of their utilities, helping out with housing problems, and so much more. Even if it's just something little, the contributions of every volunteer matters."
-Albert Hynes GCCIS -
"I do not volunteer for the recognition. I volunteer because I care, I enjoy it and because I believe that it is a responsibility for all to partake in. A responsibility that entails giving back to others, giving back to those less fortunate, or to simply help others.”
-Zayneb Ghazle CHST