Bloss Hall Community Service Learning Community

Live Together. Serve Together. Grow Together.

What:

Bloss Hall is a themed on-campus residence hall that is supported by the Center for Civic Engagement and University Housing and Dining Services. The goal of this themed housing experience is to bring together like-minded students into one living community to engage, grow, and learn from one another.

The civic engagement theme is evident through various direct and in-direct service projects as well as educational opportunities like documentary showings and open discussions on various social issues. Residents also have access to a direct, live-in contact from the Center for Civic Engagement to easily become engaged in individual service opportunities as they please.

Direct service projects –

The Center for Civic Engagement assists in arranging at least two (2) group direct service projects per term specifically designed for Bloss Hall volunteers. Examples of these service projects may include (but are not limited to) packing food for distribution at Linn Benton Food Share, volunteering with local public school events, and on-campus litter cleanup groups.
Transportation is provided by OSU Motorpool and Bloss Hall Council.

"Service-to-Go" projects –

The Center for Civic Engagement and Bloss Hall Council arranges several in-direct service opportunities per term, conveniently located in the Main Lounge of Bloss Hall.
In-direct service, also known as “service-to-go”, include community service projects that are innovative, fun, and easy to fit into volunteers’ busy schedules. Examples of service-to-go projects may include (but are not limited to) writing letters to troops overseas, creating alphabet books for local HeadStart classrooms, and making pet treats for local humane societies.
For more information on service-to-go, please visit http://www.handsonw.org/servicetogo.

Benefits:

As a Bloss Hall resident, you will…

Build meaningful relationships and a new community of civic-minded OSU students
Learn about and reflect upon the complexity and interconnectedness of social issues and problems
Develop an increased capacity to work across differences to build communities
Gain valuable experience for your resume/CV
Become a part of the larger Linn Benton County community

Resident Expectations:

As a Bloss Hall resident, you will be expected to…

Have an interest in service learning, social justice issues, and/or community engagement
Attend at least 2 Bloss Hall service projects and/or programs offered each term
Track service hours with the Center for Civic Engagement online tracking system
Practice a lifestyle of community engagement and service, committed to bettering their community both on and off campus

2012-2013 Programming:

Direct service projects:

11/3/2012: Distributed bags to local neighborhoods to collect food for Linn Benton Food Share's Holiday Food Drive
11/10/2012: Collected bags from local neighborhoods that were filled with food; dropped donations off to Linn Benton Food Share
1/31/2013: Repacked bulk donations of food for individual/family distribution at Linn Benton Food Share

Service-to-Go projects:

2/6/2013: Baked 140+ dog treats and crafted 92 catnip cat toys for our furry friends at Willamette Humane Society and Salem Friends of Felines
2/20/2013: Crafted 20 handmade cards to send to troops overseas