Community Outreach
About Community Outreach
As a part of the Department of Student Activities, Community Outreach offers students opportunities to engage in service related activities that enhance the quality of life of others in the community while enriching their own learning experience at the University of Connecticut. Our website provides the UConn and local communities with information about initiatives and resources related to volunteerism, community service, service-learning, and community partnerships.
Community Outreach offers the following services:
- One-time and regular service programs that meet self-identified community needs.
- Volunteer and federal work-study positions in local human service agencies and schools.
- Professional and leadership development for participants and coordinators.
- Advising for individual students, student organizations, faculty and staff who desire assistance in developing a service-related project.
- A point of access for community partners wishing to engage the UConn student body in public and community service initiatives.
Staff Members
Community Outreach has two full-time staff and one graduate assistant who support the work of student coordinators, advise and assist students with community
service-related issues, and liaison with community based organizations. Full-time staff members are available by appointment or during regular office hours.
Matt Farley - Associate Director for Community Outreach (Email)
Matt joined the office on August 2003 and supervises all of the programs, initiatives and services offered by Community Outreach. Matt has worked in various aspects of higher education including Residential Life, Campus Ministry, and Academic Affairs. His primary experience is in developing and sustaining university-community partnerships and organizing community service-learning initiatives. Before coming to UConn, Matt was the Associate Director of the Program in Afterschool Education and Research at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education where he directed Harvard’s GEAR UP program; an early college awareness and preparation program for low–income youth funded by the Federal Department of Education. Matt has also worked in Academic Affairs, Residential Life and Campus Ministry. He has a BS in Business Administration (finance) from Stonehill College and a Masters in Public Administration from UConn.
Gina DeVivo Brassaw - Program Advisor (Email)
Gina joined the Community Outreach staff in January 2005. Gina oversees health and human service placements, the alternative breaks and immersion program, community service days and special projects for the office. Gina earned her Masters in Social Work from Uconn in 2002 with a concentration in community organizing and administration. She previously worked as a community organizer with The Caring Families Coalition in Hartford fighting for stronger health care provisions for Connecticut families. Gina has worked extensively with many local and national community organizations on advocacy issues and is still currently very involved with groups in the area. She is excited to work within the University setting to connect students with new service opportunities.
Miguel Colon - Program Coordinator (Email)
Miguel joined the CO staff in July 2007. He oversees the Youth Development & Education Programs for children and adolescents, the Community Service Learning Community, and CO’s transportation services. Miguel worked at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT for four years as the Assistant Director of Service-Learning and Volunteer Programs, as well as a director of an afterschool mentoring program. While at Sacred Heart he participated in more than 10 immersion programs in Connecticut, North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi.
Heather Wilhelm - Graduate Assistant (Email)
Heather became part of the Community Outreach team in July 2008 to assist with the promotion of service opportunities to the University of Connecticut community and area partnerships through public relations initiatives. Heather is currently a student in the Higher Education and Student Affairs Masters’ program at UCONN. A 2005 graduate of SUNY Geneseo, she received her bachelor degrees in Sociology and English and spent the ensuing years at Erie Community College assisting GED recipients develop their future plans. Heather is honored to be spending two years working and studying with the students of UCONN and the Office of Community Outreach.
Olafemi Hunter - Graduate Assistant (Email)
Olafemi joined the Community Outreach team in July of 2008 as the Graduate Assistant working to further develop the Special Projects run by the Department of Community Outreach. Connecticut native and Fall 2007 graduate of Morehouse College, Olafemi enters UConn as a student within the Masters of School Counseling program. His focus being inner city improvement through education and mentorship, he approaches his position with excitement and a strong desire to induce change on UConn’s campus and surrounding communities.
Sevan Angacian - Graduate Assistant (Email)
Sevan joined Community Outreach office as a Graduate Assistant working with transportation services in August 2008. She recently graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service with her bachelor degree, majoring in International Politics. She is currently working towards her Ph.D. in School Psychology in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. She is interested in working with diverse populations and meeting new people from different walks of life. She is proud to be a part of the CO team at UConn and greatly looks forward to providing excellent support services and assistance where it may be needed with regard to transportation and beyond.
Will Reddy - Graduate Assistant (Email)
Will joined the Community Outreach staff as a GA in August of 2008. Will works both with Community Outreach and Career Services in a joint effort to develop and promote Careers for the Common Good at UConn. Currently he is enrolled the Higher Education and Student Affairs Masters’ program. Will is a 2006 graduate of Framingham State College where he received a bachelor degree in political science. Subsequently he worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metrowest Boston as an Interview Specialist. Will is looking forward to spending the next two years helping to expand the Careers for the Common Good program and experiencing all that UConn has to offer.
Ada Elderkin, Administrative Assistant (Email)
Ada joined the Department of Student Activities in July 2009. She is an Administrative Assistant for Student Activities and also assists the Office of Community Outreach. Ada has worked at the University of Connecticut since 1989, working in Career Services, Office of Special Programs and the Dean of Students Office, bringing many years of UConn experience to the department.
Student Leaders
Student leaders coordinate and direct community service initiatives throughout the year. For more information on what student leaders do, how to become a student leader, and who they are, please click here for more information.
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