Community Service
A good education makes a difference
As a global institution with deep roots in our home city, we take seriously our responsibility to create partnerships and lead initiatives that strengthen communities at home and around the world. We believe our students should learn how the skills they develop in the classroom can be put to work for the good of the world. That's why our academic programs integrate coursework with hands-on community service.
Our students have logged thousands of service hours around Denver and across the globe through our Center for Community Engagement to advance Scholarship and Learning. Take a look and discover how our students are making a difference.
Learning Through Service
At the Center for Community Engagement to advance Scholarship & Learning, students, faculty and community members take on difficult challenges in the region. We developed tactics to improve the health and well-being of families in subsidized housing, worked with Denver police to improve their handling of domestic violence, and partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy to promote sustainability through better solar technology. Through these initiatives, our students gain valuable real-world skills and make connections beyond the classroom that will inform and support their careers.
+532k 532,638 hours of community service performed during the 2015–16 academic year
3,266 3,266 students participated in 2015–16 academic year
Carnegie Foundation Community Engagement Classification
Service & Sports
New head basketball coach Rodney Billups, a Denver native and DU alum, inspires the Pioneer men's basketball team to work in our local community. The team regularly volunteers at local homeless shelters and soup kitchens, providing hot meals for over 400 people per volunteer night.
Helping Others
DU Service & Change
Run by our students, DU Service and Change brings passionate Pioneers together to engage with the community and make a tangible difference. Meeting twice a month, these students commit thousands of hours of service to addressing everything from affordable housing to education and sustainability. Here are some of the partners that have worked with our students:
- Adams County Housing
- Denver Parks and Recreation
- Groundwork Denver
- Habitat for Humanity
- MetroCaring
- Ronald McDonald House
DU Something: Pioneers Volunteer
We maintain an extensive database of student volunteer opportunities. DU Something makes it easy for students and community members to connect with organizations and events needing volunteer support, helping bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world.
With over 700 active partners, there's never a shortage of good work to be done.
Volunteers in Partnership
Students in the Volunteers in Partnership program work with Denver high schools, particularly those with students from low-income, historically marginalized populations. Promoting self-reliance and educational ambition, our students support the growth of community youth and help ease the transition from high school to higher education. We also work with these schools to promote college access, particularly for first-generation students.
Many students who attend DU remain involved with their local schools and communities. These students gain valuable experience in leadership, learn management skills and deepen their commitment to impacting the lives of others.
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