Graduate Student Senate

Grads Give Back

Women' s Take Back Tournament to Support King Street Center, 2019
Chemistry Camp 2017
Open Streets, 2014

The Grads Give Back (GGB) program was developed in 2014 to allow graduate students to contribute and collaborate with local organizations in Vermont that provide aid to the community. GGB has events each semester to give graduate students to learn about the greater Burlington community, meet other graduate students, and come together to help others.

Are you interested in helping organizing the GGB events? Contact Rania Goncalves, Member-At-Large Grads Give Back Coordinator, at Maria-Rania.Liu-Goncalves@uvm.edu to join the Grads Give Back Commitee.

ALL IN PERSON GSS EVENTS ARE CANCELLED THROUGH THE END OF THE SEMESTER. WE WILL BE POSTING WEEKLY UPDATES REGARDING EVENTS AFTER APRIL 6TH.

Reflecting on 2019, here is what GGB did!

At the beginning of the semester 4 grad students helped give back to local farm (Barber Farm in Jericho) in which over 1,300 pounds of potatoes were gleaned to be used for fresh produce at local food banks! The semester continued with a trip to the Vermont Food Bank where 19.635 pounds of food (16,362 meals) were boxed up and packaged for the commodity supplemental food program, in which persons 60 and older can apply for the program if their household income is below a certain amount. There was also 7,850 pounds of product sorted that day by our graduate student volunteers!

Let's see how we can increase our quantifiables this semester as we reach back to the community with other grad students by our side! See below for more information.

Spring 2020 GGB Events

ALL IN PERSON GSS EVENTS ARE CANCELLED THROUGH THE END OF THE SEMESTER. WE WILL BE POSTING WEEKLY UPDATES REGARDING EVENTS AFTER APRIL 6TH.

Event	Date	Time
Rally Cat's Cupboard	Multiple Dates	Various times
Volleyball Tournament	cancelled	cancelled
Vermont Food Bank Sort-A-Thon	cancelled	cancelled
Minute to Win it	cancelled	cancelled
All Breeds Rescue Dog Walking	cancelled	cancelled

This semester we are trying something new with a friendly competition! When you and at least one other grad student give back at any service event in VT and submit a photo and a blurb (what you did, when you did it, who you did it with) you will be entered to win a special prize! More entries = more chances! And every time you give back is an opportunity to meet new grad students, learn about the community, and make the world just a little better off!

Spring 2020 GGB Events

Rally Cat's Cupboard

What: On-campus food pantry to help those students that may not have the resources they need.

How to join: Sign up via the Rally Cat's Cupboard link.

When: Various times

Where: Hills Agricultural Science

Volleyball Tournament

What: A competitive day filled with volleyball. Men's and women's 6s. All proceeds from this event will be donated to a non-profit volleyball club, VIBE, which allows high school boys and girls to learn more about volleyball and compete in New England against other teams.

When: CANCELLED

How to join: Keep an eye out for an email from GSS.

Where: UVM Athletic Center. Specific Location TBD

Vermont Food Bank Sort-A-Thon

Date: CANCELLED

Location: Van will leave UVM at 7:15am.

What: Volunteers may sort, re-pack or build CSFP boxes in the warehouse, or even help prepare occasional mailings.

How to join: Email Michelle DiPinto at Mdipinto@uvm.edu to sign up.

Minute to Win It April

What: Want to come together with the graduate community, have some fun and give back? Come participate in our minute to win it challenges! More to come on this event soon as it is still in the planning process!

When: CANCELLED

How to join: Keep an eye out for an email from GSS.

Where: UVM Athletic Center. Specific Location TBD

All Breed Rescue Dog Walking

Date: CANCELLED

Location: All Breed Rescue, 491 Industrial Ave, Williston, VT 05495

What and How to join: What better way to give back by dog walking to get some fresh air on Friday’s! If this sounds interesting to you and all you need is a ride, please fill out the application online at allbreeddogrescuevt.org/volunteer/ and complete a 1-hour training. Contact fellow graduate student, Naomi Cunningham at Naomi.Cunningham@uvm.edu to catch a ride. You can have a good conversation and lots of dog time on your future Fridays!