West Virginia University Center for Community Engagement is excited to pilot their new Student Organization Service program, SOS.
In collaboration with WVU Student Engagement and Leadership, the goal of this new program is to build lasting connections between WVU student organizations and community partners, strengthening service efforts for years to come.
“We wanted to show student organizations that service doesn’t have to be just a popcorn project here and there.” Julia Manley, volunteer engagement coordinator at the WVU CCE, said. “There is definitely a time and place for that type of service, but this is about being intentional and finding a cause that you can grow with throughout the year.”
Manley and Whitney Glotfelty, director of community-based learning at WVU CCE, noticed a gap in student organization engagement and wanted to take volunteer opportunities a step further. They teamed up with Morgan Prunty, assistant director of Student Engagement and Leadership, to get this initiative started.
“At the Center for Community Engagement, student learning is always our driving force. We’re not just connecting these student groups with service opportunities, but instead, we are intentionally helping them understand the deeper context of community needs and how their involvement can create a lasting impact. The SOS program stems from several years of conversations with on-campus colleagues and community partners to find ways to bolster learning while still making a big difference for our community,” Glotfelty said.
The program launched earlier this fall with two student organizations, the WVU Psychology Club and Delta Sigma Pi.
Zachary Soe, WVU student and service chair for the Psychology Club, believes the SOS program will make a meaningful impact on volunteering and service work across campus.
“The work that the Center for Community Engagement is doing will truly make a difference in students’ educational experiences. Many don’t fully understand the significance of volunteering and learning through service but programs like the SOS program bridge the gap—helping students engage with service alongside their own groups and take small, meaningful steps to extend their learning beyond the classroom,” Soe said.
The Psychology Club and Delta Sigma Pi partnered with the Morgantown chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a nonprofit organization that helps build and deliver beds to children in need. Through their partnership they were able to host an event called Dear Little Friend, where students made cards for kids.
Zachary was enthusiastic about the success of the event and the effect it had on him and his peers.
“During our first service project, students seemed more comfortable stopping by to make cards for Sleep in Heavenly Peace, rather than diving into a major project all at once. I’m optimistic that this will encourage them to return for future service opportunities and inspire more students, including my friends in the Psychology Club, to take the lead in helping others,” Soe said.
Later in the academic year, the program will continue working with its community partner, the Morgantown chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, to offer students the opportunity to assist with future bed builds.
What makes the SOS program unique is its commitment to listening to the needs of the community partner, rather than creating service projects based solely on student ideas.
For example, the recent card-making event will have a coupling event, such as a book drive or tie-blanket event, so that the cards can be attached to items that Sleep in Heavenly Peace can use.
By encouraging students to ask thoughtful questions and work with community partners, the SOS program is not only creating service opportunities but also teaching students how to engage with the community in an impactful way.
The SOS program is an important addition to the CCE as it directly supports their mission, which is to connect WVU students, faculty, and staff with the community through partnerships and service.
“The Center for Community Engagement’s mission has always been to connect the University to the community. The SOS program ties directly into that, connecting our students and student organizations to the same mission, giving them the tools to create partnerships that last,” Manley said.
The WVU CCE supports effective partnerships with communities that enhance discovery through community-engaged teaching, scholarship and action. The CCE focuses on supporting faculty, staff and students in working with external partners on meeting reciprocal and mutually beneficial needs and advancing WVU’s land grant mission.
-WVU-
an/11/07/2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Aden Nickerson
Communications Specialist
WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement
304-293-7606; aden.nickerson@mail.wvu.edu