"We want to provide opportunities for students to take advantage of their time in one of the world’s greatest cities." -Chad Broughton, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy Studies Learn More
Faculty: Learn more about collaborating with UCSC
“I strongly feel that I have learned more in the past four years from my involvement in the community than I have inside the classroom.” –Hannah Jacoby, AB ‘09 Learn More
Alumni: Learn more about supporting UCSC
"As a newcomer to Chicago, I figured the best way to familiarize myself with my neighborhood was through community inolvement." -Elise Wisniewski, AM '10 Learn More
Graduate and Professional School students: Make yourself at home
"I am delighted with the program and deeply appreciate the work they accomplish for us. We are SO short-handed and the volunteers truly make a difference. Thank you very much!" –Day of Service community partner Learn More
Community Organizations: Explore partnerships with our programs
"I like WYSE (Women and Youth Supporting Each Other) because I get to express myself and have fun." -Elizabeth, Madero Middle School Learn More
Student Leaders: Make a difference in someone's life through CSRSOs (Community Service Recognized Student Organizations)
THE LATEST
Learning About Learning: Consortium on Chicago School Research Seeks to Inform Smart Policy Decisions
By: Jake Smith, Fourth-Year Student and Civic Journalist for Chicago Studies
As Chicago Public Schools (CPS) prepares to close 50 schools citywide, CPS and its critics may disagree on how the move will impact Chicago’s students—but both sides want to defend their positions with hard empirical data.
Sinhá Restaurant Offers a Taste of Brazilian Food and Culture to Students Learning Portuguese
By: Sarah Miller, Second-Year Student and Civic Journalist for Chicago Studies
On Friday, May 10, thirty students enrolled in the “Portuguese for Spanish Speakers” class went to Sinhá, a Brazilian restaurant in the West Loop, to learn more about Brazilian culture while practicing their Portuguese language skills. The students spent about four hours in the cozy restaurant within a house with Sinhá owner, Jorgina Pereira. This field trip is a “Course Connection” through the Chicago Studies Program of the University Community Service Center (UCSC).
Jacky Grimshaw and the Center for Neighborhood Technology: Fighting for a Sustainable Chicago
By: Michelle Lee, UCSC Communications Intern
If there is any Chicagoan who doesn’t need an introduction, it’s Jacky Grimshaw.
Board Member of the Chicago Transit Authority and perhaps most famously, political advisor of the late Mayor Harold Washington, Grimshaw has long been embroiled within the goings-on of Chicago, from education and research to politics and social activism.
V2.1K Magazine Launch Party on Thursday, June 6 (6PM)
Celebrate the launch of the second edition of the Department of Visual Arts' undergraduate student-produced contemporary art magazine, V2.1K. Produced in the 2013 winter quarter for DOVA's Art Theory & Practice course, V2.1K is comprised of student work, reviews, and interviews. This year's magazine takes the form of a single object that will circumnavigate the globe for a year visiting numerous venerable art institutions where it will be displayed as a traveling exhibition in the form of a book. Food and beverages will be served.
Celebrating Resilience: Music From the Unvanquished Baha'i University of Iran on Friday, June 7 (7:30PM)
"Celebrating Resilience" features composers and performers who received their musical training at the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE), a unique, grassroots university created in response to Iran's systematic persecution of adherents of the Baha'i faith. Like all Iranian Baha'is, these musicians were denied access to higher education in Iran, and so many instead traveled for 12 hours or longer to attend classes held in living rooms taught by professors, both Baha'i and Muslim, who risked raids and imprisonment.
Announcing UCSC's New Blog: Community Voices
University Community Service Center (UCSC) is proud to introduce its new blog, Community Voices. The goal of the Community Voices blog is to provide a forum for conversation among students, faculty, staff, community leaders, and Chicago residents about local issues in order to increase community awareness, engagement, and impact.
We welcome ALL voices and encourage community members to speak out on issues that they are passionate about, whether it is art education, animal welfare, or even the recent CPS closings.
LATEST VIDEO
The Chicago Botanic Garden recently built a compost garden for the Grunsfeld Children's Growing Garden. Compost gardens are an important part of healthy, sustainable living, especially for cities like Chicago. Learn how to build one here!