The OCE connects students with community partners to meet service-learning and academic community engagement goals.
Bilingual Story Telling
Penn State Berks students perform a bi-cultural reading for elementary and middle school children and then interact with them via a related craft or activity. With this service, students become familiar with certain Hispanic stories and legends that relate to children.
Careers with Math Options
This annual event is intended to generate excitement for STEM topics early in young female students’ education.
Community Meals
Penn State Berks students serve as food pantry and soup kitchen volunteers at several shelters in Reading. Students help prepare and serve meals to those in need.
Engineering Week
Penn State Berks celebrates its history while preparing students for the future through National Engineers Week events and activities. There are many engagement opportunities to work with local high school students and the public attending these events.
Environmental Clean Ups
Penn State Berks students collect trash at Baer Park and along the Schuylkill River Trail. This service is performed once per semester.
National Biomechanics Day
National Biomechanics Day is a celebration of biomechanics in its many forms for high school students and teachers, initiated by the American Society of Biomechanics. At Penn State Berks, this event is hosted by the Human Movement Research Center, a multi-disciplinary collaborative research group consisting of Penn State Berks faculty with research, education and outreach interests related to enhancing human movement and improving life. Bringing together expertise from kinesiology, engineering, mathematics, psychology, and other disciplines allows the research team to address important questions about human movement from a broad perspective.
Operation Smilegram
Students write letters to residents in senior living communities. They may choose to write a letter once a week or once every two weeks. The letters should be about three or four paragraphs long (or longer if you wish) and should address the reader as “Dear Resident.” The body of the letter can include news about sports, hobbies, arts, movies, TV shows, and more. The letter may contain a funny cartoon or a short poem or anything the writer feels is appropriate. The letter must be typed and fit on an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. Writers attach the letter to an email, title the email Operation Smilegram, and send it to Donna Chambers, interim coordinator of the OCE, at [email protected] on or before the Friday of any given week.
Penn State Educational Partnership Program (PEPP)
Penn State Berks students serve as Penn State Educational Partnership Program (PEPP) Learning Assistants to introduce college life and opportunities to the students at Reading High School, showing them that pursuing higher education is an attainable goal. The students participate in the after-school program where they serve as role models and mentors, help with homework and tutoring, and participate in fun and educational activities.
PEPP’s "Be a Penn Stater for a Day"
"Be a Penn Stater for a Day" introduces Reading High School students to the college environment. This event allows a Penn State Berks student to meet a current high school student interested in attending college. The Berks students bring their high school mentee to attend classes with them, answering their questions over lunch. It’s a great way to share the college experience and make a difference on an individual level.
Tutors/Mentors Migrant Education After School Program (Nittany Lions Read)
Penn State Berks students provide tutoring and mentoring to elementary, middle, and high school students enrolled in the Migrant Education After School Program. With this service, students build relationships with and serve as tutors/mentors/models to students enrolled in the Migrant Education Program. Participating students also become familiar with certain aspects of the Hispanic culture in Reading as it relates to schooling. Penn State Berks students will tutor the children in reading, math, and general homework assignments and interact with the children through games and arts and crafts. Clearances are needed to participate in this service.
The OCE also assists with volunteering in select retirement communities in close proximity to Penn State Berks.
Upcoming opportunities
- Anti-bullying programs
- Exercise and movement programs
- Homeless school children project
- Outfall projects
- Reduce, reuse and recycle
- Scambassadors for senior citizens
- Victim advocacy