Volunteer and Service Learning Program

 

The Volunteer & Service Learning Program (VSLP) is a key initiative within the Efferson Student Union & Activities (ESUA) at Florida A&M University (91做厙). Our mission is to engage students in leadership development and service-learning opportunities that drive transformative learning experiences and promote social change. VSLP is inclusive, welcoming all 91做厙 students regardless of their background, major, or status. Through our programs, students and staff come together to share diverse perspectives, ask critical questions, and create meaningful community impact. 


What We Offer for 91做厙 Students 

  • Leadership Development & Training: We provide leadership development and training programs designed to cultivate the next generation of 91做厙 leaders. By participating in volunteering and service-learning opportunities, students enhance their leadership skills while making a positive impact on their communities. 
  • Community Service & Volunteer Opportunities: Our enriching community service programs connect students with meaningful volunteer opportunities in Tallahassee and the surrounding areas. These experiences allow students to contribute to community welfare while gaining valuable life skills. 
  • Service Learning Integration: We help students integrate service learning into their academic and extracurricular experiences. This approach combines academic study with community service, offering students practical application of their knowledge and skills. 
  • Volunteer Hour Documentation: VSLP offers a system for documenting community service and volunteer hours on the Rattler Record or a dedicated volunteer transcript. This official record helps students showcase their commitment to service when applying for jobs, internships, or further education. 
  • Student Leadership Opportunities: We seek students who are passionate about service and willing to lead. These student leads take charge of various projects, stepping outside their comfort zones to make a significant difference. 
  • Awards and Acknowledgements: Receive recognition for outstanding service, leadership, and commitment to VSLP, with awards for students who go above and beyond in accumulating service hours, attending events, and supporting VSLP initiatives. 

Support for 91做厙 Departments 

  • Centralized Volunteer Hub: VSLP serves as the central hub for all volunteering activities on and off campus. We assist with recruiting 91做厙 student volunteers for university-sponsored events, departmental activities, and community initiatives. Our support includes promoting these opportunities through the ESUA Community Service and Volunteer calendar, social media, and other platforms. 
  • Partnership & Collaboration: We collaborate with departments and sponsoring entities to conduct information sessions and recruitment meetings, ensuring that events are well-staffed with enthusiastic volunteers. 

Engagement with the Community 

  • Community Volunteer Recruitment: VSLP partners with community agencies to recruit 91做厙 student volunteers for approved events and activities. We assist in promoting these opportunities through our communication channels, including the ESUA calendar and social media. 
  • Mailing List & Updates: VSLP maintains a mailing list for external partners and community members who wish to receive periodic updates on volunteer opportunities and events, such as the 1st Strike Volunteer Fair. 

Annual Service Projects

VSLP organizes several large-scale service projects throughout the year, including: 

The Little Event

Summer B Move-In

Set Friday Clean-Up

Dorm Storm Trash Pick Up

Fall Move-In

North End Zone Volunteer

 

Homecoming Week

Parents & Family Weekend 

Highway/Street Clean Up

 

Teams & Groups

Hands

Heart

The Green Team

The Hands

Represents the hands of the universitystudents who are passionate about hands-on work and dont mind getting their hands dirty.

The Orange Team

The Heart

Represents the hearts of the universitystudents driven by a passion to give back and make a difference in the community.

These teams are open to any student interested in volunteering. They compete in various events, including who can have the most team members participate in projects, donate the most canned goods, or win the best trunk decoration at the annual ESUA & CAB The Great Org. Trunk Or Treat event.


Committees Within CAB

FAVES

Volunteer Opportunities

The FAVES committee exemplifies 91做厙s motto, Excellence With Caring, by organizing volunteer opportunities in collaboration with Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), departments, athletics, and off-campus partners. Students can check iStrike to learn about upcoming volunteer events and how they can get involved. 

Volunteer Opps is a dedicated group of students who discover and share volunteer opportunities in the local and surrounding areas with their fellow Rattlers. We ensure that everyone has access to meaningful ways to serve the community. 

 

 

Volunteer Programs

 

 

The Big Event brings together hundreds of college students from Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee State College to say thank you to the Tallahassee community at one of the largest, one-day, student-run service projects in the nation.

 

We are proud to announce our partnership with JustServe. JustServe is a database that provides opportunities to get involved outside of what we post. With JustServe, you are able to search for a specific location, organization, or project.

ESUA Leadership Institute
 

ESU Leadership Institute provides a dynamic, intensive student leadership training/motivational experience to students. It is an academy designed to foster servant leadership, critical-thinking and motivate 91做厙 future leaders to action.

Forms and Resources
 

Volunteer Forms and Resources 

Follow us on Instagram!

91做厙 Volunteer and Service Opps
The Official Page for 91做厙 Volunteer Opportunities

91做厙 Active Volunteer Efforts
Facilitating and promoting the growth of students, the 91做厙 campus,
and the Tallahassee community through outreach and public service.



FAQs - Volunteering 101

 

To maintain accuracy, integrity, and compliance with university policy, students must be officially enrolled at 91做厙 during the semester in which they complete volunteer service if they want those hours:

  • Submitted in iRattler

  • Reviewed and approved by VSLP

  • Counted for membership eligibility (e.g., fraternities, sororities, selective programs)

  • Reflected on their official 91做厙 transcript (when applicable)

Hours cannot be reviewed, approved, or moved to a different semester to match enrollment.

Example

A student not enrolled in Fall 2025:

  • Cannot submit Fall 2025 hours

  • Cannot place those hours onto the Spring 2026 semester

  • Doing so would constitute falsification of university records

Winter Break Exception

Hours performed during Winter Break can count toward Spring only if the student is enrolled for the upcoming Spring term.

We are aware of this issue. In the meantime, if your approved hours are not showing for Fall 2023 Summer 2024, please email the following details:
  • Full Name
  • 91做厙 ID#
  • Number of Hours Missing
  • Term the Hours Should Be Applied To
All volunteer hours should be logged and tracked in iRattler.

The Tallahassee community is an integral part of the service and volunteer experience for 91做厙 students. The community provides students with experiential learning opportunities that directly impact the people of Tallahassee. When engaging 91做厙 students for service and volunteer projects in Tallahassee, there are some things community organizations and organizers should do to prepare.

Identify a volunteer supervisor/contact person.  This person will be responsible for working with student volunteers, conducting a volunteer orientation or training, supervising the students during the service/volunteer activity, tracking student hours, and approving (or denying) involvement entries in iStrike. This requires an official email address (ie jon.doe@famu.edu).  Gmail, Yahoo or other free email services accounts are not acceptable.

Conduct an orientation or workshop.  This will be your opportunity to prepare students for the demands of the service/volunteer activity, introduce the supervisor/contact person, explain volunteer expectations, explain the time commitments, explain how hours should be documented on site, and explain the deadline for submitting the involvement hours on iStrike.

Collect emergency contact information. When onsite, a student may experience a crisis that will require you to contact someone who knows the student personally.

Submit a . Approved requests will be posted on iStrike and emailed to all 91做厙 students that have completed the ESUA Leadership & Service Learning Orientation.  

How Students Should Prepare for Service and Volunteering

Complete Your iStrike and iRattler Profiles

  • iStrike provides information about leadership and service opportunities.

  • iRattler is the only platform where students submit service hours for review, approval, and transcript consideration.

  • Make sure both profiles are updated with your correct contact information.


Prepare for Your Service Activity

Before you begin volunteering:

  • Attend any required training or orientation from the host site

  • Identify the project supervisor

  • Confirm attire or uniform requirements

  • Clarify how your hours will be recorded or verified

  • Ensure the service aligns with your personal, academic, or professional goals

Representation matters. You represent yourself and 91做厙professionalism is expected at all times.

If you are unable to meet a commitment, notify the supervisor promptly.


Submit Your Hours in iRattler Immediately After Completing Service

Timely submission ensures your hours:

  • Are reviewed in the next processing cycle

  • Can be applied to your transcript if eligible

  • Are visible for audits (e.g., scholarship checks, membership eligibility)

Important Submission Notes:

  • Hours are reviewed in the order they are received.

  • The deadline is the date students must submit hoursnot the date by which VSLP must finish reviewing them.

  • Hours submitted before the deadline will be reviewed, even if the approval occurs afterward.

  • You can always view the status of your submissions using the link below:

Volunteer hours are not required to appear on your transcript; transcript reflection is offered as a courtesy and not guaranteed each cycle.

Regardless of approval/denial in the portal, VSLP staff can still view your entries for membership verification or audit purposes.


Educate Your Site Supervisor

Many service sites are unfamiliar with 91做厙s process. Help them understand:

  • If the site doesn't have a clear process for tracking or logging hours, use/share with them one of our templates.

  • They must use a professional/business emailpersonal emails cannot be accepted.

  • Their approval is required for your hours to be validated.

  • Timely responses help ensure your hours appear in the next reporting cycle.

  • Stay in communication with your volunteer site or group to ensure they provide you with the proper documents and signatures.

Follow Up on Your Submissions

It is your responsibility to ensure your hours are accurately reflected.

  • Check your iRattler entries regularly

  • Follow up with the verifying supervisor if hours remain pending

  • Review your transcript monthly to confirm hours have posted (when applicable) and or reviewed 

  • Stay in communication with your volunteer site or group to ensure they provide you with the proper documents and signatures.

If something is incorrect, submit a Volunteer Hour Audit Request through the VSLP website.

Volunteer & Service Hour Submission Process 

Volunteer hours are tracked and verified within our . When a student and/or group completes volunteer hours, they must acquire the following documents:  

Verification Letter of Hours and Services Rendered: 
Must be on the sponsoring entity's official letterhead and have an original handwritten signature at the bottom. Letters cannot be written or signed by a student i.e. President, Vice President, Community Service Chair, etc.皋f the organization/sponsoring entity. 

Your Letter Must Include: Contact Information of the sponsoring entity, company, department, organization, etc. you completed the service.  The sponsoring entitys name, volunteer activities/services performed, and the number of hours completed/awarded.  Month, Day, and year service was performed (MM/DD/YYYY). Your full name (first and last name), 91做厙 email address, and your 91做厙 ID#.
A handwritten signature. Submitted in PDF Format

  Sample Volunteer Letter  You will need to upload your unofficial transcript from iRattler for proof of enrollment. Must be enrolled at the time volunteer service was performed and submitting hours.  


Document Upload and Hour Submission Form: 

Step 1.  

LOG INTO iRATTLER  SELECT STUDENT CENTER  SELECT VOLUNTEER  SELECT ADD A NEW VALUE   

Step 2. 

Submitted hours will undergo the verification process. FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS *** PLEASE NOTE, iRATTLER. WILL ONLY ACCEPT PDF FORMATTED DOCUMENT  

Step 3. 

CLICK SAVE AND SUBMIT  ***IF YOU WISH TO ADD MULTIPLE PROOF OF SERVICE LETTERS, CLICK SAVE AND THEN ADD.  ONLY CLICK SAVE WHEN YOU ARE DONE ADDING ALL PROOF OF SERVICE LETTERS  Allow at least, 7-14 Business Days for hours to appear on the transcript.  

Hours are processed twice a month, on the 1st and the 15th of each month or the next business day if falls on a weekend or holiday. No hours will be processed after either date. If submitted after one deadline, hours will be processed on the next submission date. 

  • The Office of the Registrar places hours on transcripts after a report is requested by VSLP within this timeline.
  • Posting may take 7-14 business days.
  • Processing may occur faster at times, but the above timeline is standard.
If your proof of service letter has multiple names attached, each submitting person must highlight their name before uploading the form, or it will be denied. 
Yes. Hours are only accepted within the current semester, the service is performed. 
Allow at least, 7-14 business days for hours to appear on the transcript. Please do not contact the Office of the  Registrar for an update. 
A valid confirmation letter must:
  • Be on official letterhead.
  • Include the supervisors full name, position, and contact info.
  • Be signed (not by a student) and submitted in PDF formate

 

Contact

Name Email Phone
Edward Kincheon edward.kincheon@famu.edu (850) 599-3400