Volunteer Opportunities
Check out the current list of volunteer openings in our region.
About Community Engagement
At Owens Community College, we define community engagement as the strategic practice of working collaboratively with community stakeholders to deepen relationships and achieve sustainable, equitable, mutually beneficial outcomes.
As the conduit to changing lives for the better in Northwest Ohio, it is our mission and responsibility to include the needs of the community when providing educational opportunities.
Utilizing mutual, collaborative decision-making, we will act as the connector between people, industry and dynamic growth in the region.
In considering the needs, aspirations and limitations of all participants, community engagement positions our College as an indispensable partner and a first choice for students, employers and the northwest Ohio community.
Practice of Community Engagement
The practice of community engagement includes the following:
- Curriculum-based, community-engaged learning/academic service learning
- Co-curricular service/student leadership
- Internships/co-ops/clinicals/practicums
- Community-based research
- Volunteer work/activism/advocacy
- Civic engagement/civic responsibility
- Workforce/college/community partnerships
- Community building/intentional problem-solving
Outcomes of Community Engagement
The outcomes of community engagement include:
- Strengthened democratic values and civic responsibility
- Advancement in critical societal issues
- Contributions to the public good
- Students’ development of a deeper understanding of subject matter
- Students’ integration of concepts from the classroom to real-world applications
- Students becoming more motivated to learn
Databases of Opportunities
The following organizations offer databases of opportunities by region or zip code:
- VolunteerMatch: VolunteerMatch—Virtual Volunteering
- Points of Light
- DoSomething.org
- Idealist
- Catchafire
- AmeriCorps
- Hire Heroes USA
For More Information
For more information about community engagement, email Krista Kiessling, Director of Campus and Community Connections or call (567) 661-2275.
Our Commitment
We are committed to community engagement and civic action!
Owens Community College was first awarded the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement in 2015, with reclassification in 2020 and 2026.