Serving will afford you the opportunity to explore careers, apply course work, fulfill personal values and develop meaningful relationships while deepening your roots in our community. Your participation in this program will provide you with quantifiable hours and real-life scenarios for graduate school and job applications as well as the prestige of noting the honor and award on your resume. We are positive that, when coupled with reflection, participation in this program will prove valuable. Your participation will also aid the larger mission of quantifying and summarizing the impact that the collective community at Brandeis makes, which helps us achieve funding as well as set future goals and standards. Your participation will also help Brandeis to fulfill its Mission and Diversity statements.
Bronze — Documenting of 300 hours of service
Silver — Documenting of 600 hours of service
Gold — Documenting of 900 hours of service
Your Commitment to Service Award will include a certificate from administration and a memorable medal keepsake. Your name will also be listed on the Department of Student Engagement website.
Yes, we strongly encourage you to meet with a Hiatt advisor to best represent this opportunity on your resume and during interviews.
Yes, written reflection is a powerful way to document your learning and enhance your service experience. We encourage you to complete this reflection at any point during your experience where you felt the greatest amount of development. Please do not save this to the very end.
You are not required to attend the event; however, we hope that you will make arrangements to be recognized for your contributions and celebrate both you and many members of our community.
No, the program is open to all undergraduate students who commit to the five award requirements.
Yes, the requirements remain the same if you choose to graduate early.
Yes, the requirements remain the same for mid-year students. If you participate in a Brandeis approved program prior to arriving to campus in January, the direct service hours can be included with the submission of an hours verification letter.
The process is rather simple. All Brandeis students have an EngageDeis account. To activate your account, follow the instructions on the EngageDeis webpage under the Track Your Service Hours tab.
Only hours logged in the official system will be approved. All hours should be logged in decimals and rounded to the nearest 15 minutes.
We understand the importance of both in your community engagement and permit all students to track up to a combined total of 15 hours of reflection and transportation per semester.
If you are enrolled as a Brandeis student then yes, hours from volunteering over the summer can count toward the program. All hours must adhere to the approved community service standards.
Yes, if you are in an approved study abroad program then your hours abroad can count. Please continue to document your hours while abroad on an ongoing basis.
Yes, these hours can count, but you must have a staff advisor from your previous institution submit a letter on official letterhead documenting your community service hours. A hard copy of this letter can be mailed to Department of Student Engagement, Brandeis University, 415 South St. MS 203, Waltham, MA 02453 or emailed to us.
If as a volunteer you are representing yourself as a Brandeis student, although not through a structured Brandeis program, then yes, you can count these hours if you are enrolled in courses at Brandeis University. You must submit an individual request form to the CTSA committee. All forms can be found on the EngageDeis Track Your Service Hours webpage.
Before you add a project, be sure to check that it is not already an existing project in the system!
Community service hours completed prior to enrolling do not count toward the program. The only exception to this is if you are a first year student and have hours to log from VolunteerFest.
If you are transferring to Brandeis and would like to count hours completed at a previous institution, a staff member from your previous institution/immersion program/volunteer site must submit a letter on official letterhead documenting your community service hours. A hard copy of this letter can be mailed to Department of Student Engagement, Brandeis University, 415 South St. MS 203, Waltham, MA 02453 or emailed to us.
Interfaith hours can count; however, hours spent at the Peace Vigil cannot.
At this time students cannot count these hours in the Commitment to Service Award program. Service that only impacts the University does not count towards the CTSA award program.
Yes, you can count your hours spent fundraising for a non-profit or community organization. There are limitations to the amount of hours that can count in the Commitment to Service Award program, email us with questions about your particular situation. As an example, if you are in a dance performance group and are donating final performance proceeds to a non-profit, you are able to count the FINAL rehearsal and performance, but not every rehearsal.
Students are permitted to count hours for advocacy-related activities that fall within the purview of the Brandeis University Mission and Diversity Statements. In particular any advocacy-related activity must align with the values of inclusivity, civility, diversity, respect, and safety. Any activities that are hateful, overtly disrespectful, or discriminatory in nature will not count towards this program. Additionally, hours for advocacy-related activities must extend beyond the Brandeis community
The current structure of the program does not permit you to directly count all of your hours at these sites; however, if you think that you have extenuating circumstances we requests that you email the Commitment to Service Program Coordinator. The Program Coordinator will then send you an internship request form where you can outline your internship responsibilities. Your request will then be reviewed by a small committee. Approval is granted on a case by case basis.
Hours spent working on a research project under all academic disciplines (biology, psychology, history, etc.) do not count towards the CTSA program. If students feel that they have an exception, email the Department of Student Engagement.
Students may count hours for religious education (i.e. teaching Sunday School or Hebrew School) or volunteering at your place of worship. Activities must fall within the domain of the Brandeis University Mission and Diversity Statements. In particular any religious related activity must align with the values of inclusivity, civility, diversity, respect, and safety.
Hours spent campaigning in support of a particular candidate or political party do not count towards the CTSA program.
Contact us with questions on the Commitment to Service Program.