Our History

Volunteering at The University of Texas at Austin is nothing new. Since its establishment over a century ago, this institution has promoted community service as a means of forming well-rounded, responsible individuals. Before the creation of what is now known as the Volunteer and Service Learning Center, many people, departments and student organizations within the university worked to provide volunteer opportunities to the UT student body.

In 1991, the Committee for the Enhancement of the Undergraduate Experience recommended the creation of a volunteer center that would serve to coordinate community service efforts by UT students. The new center would enhance the educational experience of students and instill 'a sense of community through service' within the UT student body. Ms. Cheryl Wood, currently a Senior Student Affairs Administrator at the Office of the Dean of Students, developed the new center and provided its initial leadership.

In 1992, with the support of President William H. Cunningham (1985-1992) and Student Body President Howard Nirken (1992-1993), the Volunteer Center was created under the umbrella of the Campus Activities Office (currently, Student Activities and Leadership Development) at the Office of the Dean of Students. The center started as a clearinghouse for agencies and student volunteers. The UT Student Volunteer Board (SVB) was created in 1993 to give students the opportunity to organize and to lead service events that would benefit the community and the UT student body. Today, the SVB coordinates over 14 events and programs, recruiting over 3,000 volunteers per year from all academic disciplines.

In 1999, the Volunteer Center supported a student group's idea of creating a large-scale community service event, namely, The Project. This event has recruited over 2,000 volunteers each year, creating a greater impact in the community through the one-day service event in addition to bringing the community closer together. With the help of UT faculty, staff, and students as well as public and private agencies and businesses in the Austin area, The Project has become UT's traditional day of service.

Additionally, in an effort to strengthen the connection between academics and volunteerism, the Volunteer Center incorporated a service learning component into its student programs in the Spring of 2000, creating UT Students Enriching Education through Service (UT SEES). This student organization promotes and supports service learning across all disciplines at UT. To reflect the growing importance of this pedagogy, the Volunteer Center became the Volunteer and Service Learning Center in 2002, becoming an individual department within the Office of the Dean of Students.

Currently, the Volunteer and Service Learning Center recruits over 8,000 UT student volunteers each year. The Volunteer and Service Learning Center continues to grow and develop with the commitment that every UT student will have the opportunity to experience service to the community by the time they graduate.