Getting Involved

Office of Community Engagement staff can connect you with a volunteer opportunity that fits your schedule, interests, and goals. With more than 500 volunteer opportunities in our ongoing programs and with regional organizations, we can help tailor an opportunity that is right for you. You can either contact the Office of Community Engagement to schedule an appointment or ask about a specific area of interest, or complete a volunteer interest form and we will get back to you soon.

We can connect you with a regional organization and creat a group volunteer opportunity for you, regardless of how much time you have and what you want to do. You can either contact the Office of Community Engagement to schedule an appointment or ask about a specific are of interest, or complete a volunteer interest form and we will get back to you soon.

We can help connect you witha  volunteer opportunity or help you plan engaged research or community-engaged learning projects. If you want to get more involved, apply for the annual community-engaged learning faculty fellows program. More faculty services are available.

We can help you integrate community-engaged learning into your discipline as a key learning strategy. A faculty fellows call for proposals is due each year at the end of the spring semester, or simply contact us to request a meeting.

We can connect you with individual students, groups of students, or UMM faculty and classes that can meet your needs. To connect with us, you can complete the community partner form or contact us.

There are many ways community members can be involved with the Office of Community Engagement at UMM. A few ideas are included below--but regardless of your reason for wanting to connect, we would love to hear from you!

Project Ideas and Volunteer Needs

If you live in Stevens County (or a nearby county) and have a project idea or a volunteer need, we would love to hear about it. Faculty and students can help with research, planning, hands-on support for projects, evaluation of projects, and many other things--just ask! If we can’t help, we may be able to refer you to another program or office on campus or in the community that can. If you work with a non-profit, school, or government office and want to partner with us, you can use the community partner form to give us some information to get the conversation started, or just contact us.

Serving With Us

Most of our programs are open to anyone. Many community members serve alongside our students, faculty and staff at Days of Service and at Community Building Programs. If you’re interested in more regular opportunities, community members are key teachers and classroom assistants in our Community ESL Program, and important volunteer interpreters and translators through our TERCERO program.

Co-Sponsoring an Event

We welcome co-sponsors for our Soup and Substance dialogues and our Morris Community Meals. Co-sponsorships include at least two meetings to plan events, a financial contribution of $250, and 10 hours total of volunteer time (which can be shared among anyone affiliated with your organization). Co-sponsors are included in all public relations for these programs. Contact us to learn more!

Programs for Children and Families

 We have multiple programs for children and families, available.

Attending an Event

Everyone is welcome to attend any of our events!

Want to co-sponsor a community engagement event by providing volunteer time or funding? Contact our office to discuss possibilities.

Community ESL Classes

ESL Classes meet on Mondays and Thursdays from 7:30-8:45 in Imholte Hall, and from 1-3 p.m. on Fridays at Federated Church. Students and community members complete a twelve hour training, after which they volunteer to teach or assist in English as a Second or Other Language classes for people whose first language is not English. Classes are held on campus and at Federated Church. Volunteers are involved in monthly trainings and reflection sessions and continue to develop their practice.

ESL TREC (Tutoring, Reading, and Empowering Children)

Whenever adults are gathered for English classes, their children can be involved in ESL TREC in the same building. ESL TREC provides bilingual learning opportunities for children ages 0-18. ESL TREC tutors are trained students or community members who plan and implement learning activities and assess children's progress. 7:30-8:45 in Imholte Hall, and from 1-3 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays at Federated Church.

Jane Addams

Jane Addams is a weekly bilingual discussion and activity group that aims to connect members of the Latino community, broader community, and UMM community. Interpreters are always available to foster discussion; anyone regardless of language skills is encouraged to attend.

TERCERO Translators and Interpreters

Do you need an interpreter or translator? Our volunteer interpreters and translators are not certified but have received training and may be able to help. 

More information about TERCERO

All of our children’s programs and community member opportunities are available to you, and we can provide interpretation and translation as needed.

To talk to someone in Spanish, leave a message at 320-589-7012 (our Spanish language line) or e-mail and we will get back to you as soon as possible!