Category: Volunteering

Unpaid work that may or may not be career-related

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Volunteer opportunity – Lazy Squirrel Farm!

Hello all!
Hope you are doing well and your summers have wrapped up nicely! We are on the lookout for volunteers to help collect forestry measurements at a beautiful nut orchard.
This is a continuation of an ongoing project at a local nut farm that’s exploring how different walnut and chestnut varieties perform in our Pacific NW climate, a project made possible through a partnership with Lazy Squirrel Farm and grant funding from the Society of American Foresters. Chestnuts hold promise as a high-value and resilient agroforestry species in this area, which makes this research doubly interesting!
We’ve already collected a plethora of data on the trees and now need to collect tree cores and potentially nut quantity assessments later in October. This is a great chance to learn about agroforestry in the Pacific Northwest, practice tree measurements, and spend a day or two in a beautiful orchard.
If you are interested, we ask you to do 2 things as soon as possible: 1) Send an email to BenWJ@uw.edu and SwanR820@gmail.com  with your interest, and 2) fill out this scheduling poll and we will set up official dates in the next few days.
Feel free to forward this along to any undergraduate, graduate, faculty or non-esrm students that might be interested — all are welcome! The attached flyer is a good way to spread the word.
Thank you!
Ben Johnston and Robert Swan
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STEM Pals!

Hello!
My name is Ian and I am a PhD student at UW and a co-lead of the UW STEM outreach organization, STEM Pals. I would greatly appreciate it if you could pass on the following information to the current SEFS undergraduates. We are looking for new members from a variety of STEM disciplines and would love for students from your school to get involved!
Are you interested in getting involved with STEM outreach and community service? STEM Pals is a team of UW students, postdocs, and faculty doing outreach for K-12 students in underserved communities. Our goal is to increase high school engagement in STEM via interactive activities, mentorship, and resource-sharing. We are currently seeking new volunteers and leaders for the 2025-2026 school year. No prior experience is needed! Your commitment can be dynamic, and you will have complete agency over which events you volunteer for and what responsibilities you take on. STEM Pals have the opportunity to make a difference in their community, work in leadership positions, and join a community of academics from diverse backgrounds.
If you are interested in learning more about us, please join us for an information meeting on October 1st at 5pm in MolES room 115. You can also join our Slack workspace and learn more about us and our past events via our website. Please feel free to reach out to us (stementorship@uw.edu) with any further questions!
Thank you,
Ian
—
Ian Campbell (he/him)
PhD Student, Roumeli Research Lab
University of Washington – Materials Science and Engineering
icampb@uw.edu
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Redwood Volunteer Opportunity Sept 11-14

Hello all! 

 

We’re in need of student volunteers in a couple weeks for a research project down at Pack Forest.

 

We are searching for students interested in gaining field experience September 11-14, to help us measure Coastal Redwood seedlings in an outdoor plot.

To volunteer,  fill out the form linked here and state which days you would be free to help volunteer. Questions? Email Bea at boliva95@uw.edu.

 

Here are the full details:

 

WHAT

Come to Pack Forest to measure Redwood seedlings. We are attempting to get as many volunteers as possible for a day to measure the redwoods, based on survey responses we will pick the best day. If we cannot get volunteers, we will extend it to two days to get all the trees measured. If that is the case, we will have Pack Forest housing provided for an overnight stay and transportation back. If you cannot stay the full time, please coordinate your own transportation there or on return.

 

WHERE

Pack Forest, UW’s Research Forest near Eatonville, WA. It’s a 1 hour 45 min drive from Seattle main campus.

 

WHEN

September, anywhere from the 11-14th based on volunteer response, please indicate ALL days you are available/interested in attending. 

 

TIME

We will leave campus around 7:30 am whichever day is picked and return around 6pm the same day, or sooner the following day if the work needs to be extended.

 

FOOD

Please bring water and a lunch with plenty of snacks, you will be working hard!

 

TRAVEL

Students will travel in a graduate student personal vehicle, there is room for 4 people in my car from Seattle Campus and drive to Pack Forest. We plan to leave the UW Campus at around 7:30 am. If you wish to drive your own car and are willing to drive other students, please let me know in your response email (along with your volunteer form).

 

SIGN UP HERE:

To volunteer, fill out this volunteer survey and we will get back to you with more details and final date selection. Please reach out to me, Bea Oliva via boliva95@uw.edu if you have any questions!

 

We really appreciate your interest in helping Redwoods research.

 

-Bea

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Redwood Volunteer Opportunity

Hello all! 

We’re in need of some 4 student volunteers in a couple weeks for a research project down at Pack Forest.

 

We are searching for students interested in gaining field experience August 14th, to help us clear and flag Coastal Redwood seedlings in an outdoor plot.

To volunteer,  fill a volunteer form attached below and send an email with it attached. Questions? Email Bea at boliva95@uw.edu.

 

Here are the full details:

WHAT

Come to Pack Forest to id and flag Redwood seedlings. We have a field site that has been overrun by weeds, we need volunteers to help us find the seedlings and clear them to give them a better chance of survival, we will also be asking volunteers to do some preliminary measurements of the trees. We will provide gloves and other tools to help combat the weeds. Please wear thicker pants (jeans are better than hiking pants in this situation, carhartts or other canvas are best) and ideally a set of long sleeves!

WHERE 

Pack Forest, UW’s Research Forest near Eatonville, WA. It’s a 1 hour 45 min drive from Seattle main campus.

WHEN

August 14th

TIME

We will leave campus around 7:30 am Thursday and return around 6pm the same day

FOOD

Please bring water and a lunch with plenty of snacks, you will be working hard!

TRAVEL

Students will travel in a graduate student personal vehicle, there is room for 4 people in my car from Seattle Campus and drive to Pack Forest. We plan to leave the UW Campus at around 7:30 am. If you wish to drive your own car and are willing to drive other students, please let me know in your response email (along with your volunteer form).

SIGN UP HERE:

Please reach out to me, Bea Oliva via boliva95@uw.edu with the completed volunteer form and/or if you have any questions!

SEFS_Volunteer_Form-2025-1

 

We really appreciate your interest in helping Redwoods research.

 

-Bea

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Forestry volunteer work/training day trips on a tree farm

Hello everyone! 
 
We have some volunteer work/training day trips available over summer break in beautiful Skagit County in a picturesque nut orchard. https://www.instagram.com/lazy_squirrel_nut_farm/
 
We’ll be measuring rare chestnut and walnut trees, and you’ll get the chance to learn various important tree measurement techniques such as tree coring. The work will be fun and the site is very flat and easy to navigate, feeling very much like a park. This is a great chance to learn how to plant trees if you haven’t had the opportunity to before, volunteers will earn a letter of recommendation as well!
 
There is also the possibility of a weekend camping trip (with some meals provided) if there is enough interest, where we will set up camp near the water in Skagit County and spend some time exploring this beautiful area.
 
If you are interested, please do the below things as soon as possible:
 
1. Fill out the When2meet survey below with your full name, only if you are available that whole day, or can provide your own solo transportation for a partial day – the orchard is about a 1 hour drive from UW. https://www.when2meet.com/?31005318-1w9za
To minimize confusion, please only fill yourself out if you are *very* sure you will attend if we do an event that day – if your schedule changes, please update your availability on the When2Meet accordingly.
 
2. Email Ben Johnston, and CC Robert Swan, to 1) confirm that you are interested, 2) say whether you’d be interested in camping, and 3) let us know if you have a car you are willing to drive either on your own or with others carpooling. Drivers will be reimbursed for gas for as long as we have funding remaining in our small grant for this project. Send your email to: BenWJ@uw.edu AND cc SwanR820@gmail.com.
 
Everyone is welcome, undergraduate, graduate, faculty, non-esrm students, etc, so please spread the word and feel free to invite people. Please have them fill out the when2meet and connect with Ben ASAP. All attendees will receive letters of recommendation. 
 
Also, below is a flyer with the aforementioned links that you may freely send out to others that are interested.
 
Reach out to us over email if you have questions!
 
Thanks everyone, and have a lovely start to your summers! 
 
– Robert Swan and Ben Johnston
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SHADOW Lake Nature Preserve Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Summer Camp Positions at SHADOW Lake Nature Preserve

 

SHADOW Lake Nature Preserve is seeking volunteer camp assistants to help run 3 weeks of environmental education summer camp for grades 3-5. Camp assistants can volunteer for all three weeks or only a single week. Camp is held from 9am to 3pm Tues-Fri. Volunteers will need to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of camp on the days they are volunteering.

Duties will include assisting the Education Coordinator in camp education and maintaining child safety and wellbeing throughout the camp day

Camp will be held on-site at the preserve, and a large portion of each day will be spent outside.

Qualifications: Camp assistants need to be enthusiastic about spending time with children ages 8-11 and consent to a criminal background check. No prior experience is necessary. Must be 18+ years old. Additional on-site training will be provided.

Volunteers needed for:

Week 1: July 15-18

Week 2: July 29 – August 1

Week 3: August 5- 8

To volunteer, please email info@shadowhabitat.org

 

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Spring CELEbration Volunteer Recruitment!

Hello!

 

The CELE Center and Mary Gates Endowment for Students are holding the annual Spring CELEbration on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 4:30-7:30pm in the HUB (Ballroom and beyond!), with pre-event lighting talks scheduled between 3:45 and 4:30pm. Spring CELEbration is a forum for undergraduate students involved in community service and leadership activities to showcase student service, leadership, and activist work conducted in partnership with the community.

 

We are looking for volunteers for this event and we would love your help at Spring CELEbration! Volunteering during Spring CELEbration directly supports our student presenters. By taking up a shift, you will provide logistical support and deep engagement, empowering students to share their impact and achievements with pride. We invite everyone to volunteer, please share this opportunity with your network of faculty, students, and staff!

 

Please sign up to volunteer here by EOD April 23, 2025: Spring CELEbration Volunteer Sign-Up

 

We will send a confirmation email with more information to all volunteers on April 30, 2025!

 

Volunteer Roles:

  • Materials Prep

Help the day before the event—pinning posters to foam board, organizing supplies, and queuing up all the items that we’ll need in the HUB

  • Shift available: Wednesday, May 7, 10:00am-1:00pm in MGH 171

 

  • General Volunteer

Readying materials for the event and helping with various event-day needs, such as poster/room setup, signage, greeters, traffic directors, assisting with presentation rooms, etc.

  • Shifts available: Wednesday, May 7, 3:30-5:30pm and 5:30-7:00pm

 

  • Logistics: Set-up and Break-down

These awesome folks show up early and stay late to help with all the little things that make an event work well.

  • The first shift will help with easel set-up, table prep, and technology details in preparation for the event.
  • Second shift will break things down, put things away, and ensure that we are good stewards of the HUB space at the end of the event!
  • Shifts available: Wednesday, May 7, 2:00-4:00pm and 6:45-8:00pm

 

  • Participant Engagement Volunteers

Folks in this role will be tasked with active participation as audience members for poster and lighting talk presentations. You may be asked to help with some technical support in the room and/or serve as a timekeeper if asked to be a “room lead”.

  • Shifts available: Wednesday, May 7, 3:30-4:45pm, 4:15-5:00pm, 4:45-6:00pm and 5:45-7:00pm; or, if you are available for an extended shift, 4:45-7:00pm

 

  • Photo Booth Wrangler

Manage the photo booth line—making sure that the crowd doesn’t block exits or cause havoc! You are a great fit for this role if you don’t mind asking people to follow instructions and/or if you have good boundary setting skills with strangers!

  • Shift available: Wednesday, May 7, 4:00-7:00pm

 

  • Welcome and Wayfinding Volunteer

This crew will staff the check-in table for students and welcome all guests. You are a great fit for this position if you love connecting with people and helping them orient to a new space!

  • Shifts available: Wednesday, May 7, 3:00-5:00pm and 5:00-7:00pm

 

More information about the event can be found here: https://cele.uw.edu/about/news-events/spring-celebration-25/

 

If you have any questions, please contact us at springcele@uw.edu

 

Thank you for considering this opportunity to support students as they learn and lead together!

 

Best,

Spring CELEbration 2025 Planning Committee

Posted on by

Mt. Rainier Volunteer Research Opportunity for Students!

MeadoWatch Info Spanish 2025

My name is Elena Vega de Soto, and I am the Outreach Intern for the UW MeadoWatch program at the UW Department of Biology’s Brosi Lab.
MeadoWatch is a program that studies wildflower meadows in Mount Rainier National Park to better understand how climate change is affecting the timing of flowering in these vital ecosystems. We are a citizen-science program which means we rely entirely on data collected by volunteers!
We’re currently recruiting volunteers for the 2025 season. Participants receive training and resources to identify key wildflower species, then visit marked plots along scenic hiking trails in Mount Rainier National Park anytime from mid-June to mid-September to record observations at their own pace.
I’m reaching out to kindly ask if you’d be willing to share this opportunity with your students. We welcome participants of all backgrounds and all experience levels – no prior experience with research or the outdoors necessary! Volunteers enjoy:
  • Species identification training & resources
  • Flexible and self-paced research experience
  • Free entry and camping at Mt. Rainier NP!
Attached is a flyer with more information that you’re welcome to share. You can also visit meadowatch.org, find us on Instagram @meadowatch_uw, or contact us at mwatch@uw.edu with any questions.
Thank you so much for supporting this effort- we truly appreciate your help in spreading the word!
Warm regards,
Elena Vega de Soto
Outreach Intern, MeadoWatch- UW Brosi Lab
—
MeadoWatch
Department of Biology
University of Washington
Box 351800, Life Sciences Building
Seattle, WA 98195-1800
www.meadowatch.org
Posted on by

Seeking Volunteer Support for Spring CELEbration – May 7

The CELE Center and Mary Gates Endowment for Students are holding the annual Spring CELEbration on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 4:30-7:30pm in the HUB (Ballroom and beyond!), with pre-event lighting talks scheduled between 3:45 and 4:30pm. Spring CELEbration is a forum for undergraduate students involved in community service and leadership activities to showcase student service, leadership, and activist work conducted in partnership with the community.   

  

We are looking for volunteers for this event and we would love your help at Spring CELEbration! Volunteering during Spring CELEbration directly supports our student presenters. By taking up a shift, you will provide logistical support and deep engagement, empowering students to share their impact and achievements with pride.

  

Please sign up to volunteer here by EOD April 23, 2025: Spring CELEbration Volunteer Sign-Up  

 

We will send a confirmation email with more information to all volunteers on April 30, 2025!  

  

Volunteer Roles:  

·         Materials Prep 

Help the day before the event—pinning posters to foam board, organizing supplies, and queuing up all the items that we’ll need in the HUB 

·         Shift available: Wednesday, May 7, 10:00am-1:00pm in MGH 171 

  

·         General Volunteer 

Readying materials for the event and helping with various event-day needs, such as poster/room setup, signage, greeters, traffic directors, assisting with presentation rooms, etc. 

·         Shifts available: Wednesday, May 7, 3:30-5:30pm and 5:30-7:00pm 

  

·         Logistics: Set-up and Break-down 

These awesome folks show up early and stay late to help with all the little things that make an event work well. 

·         The first shift will help with easel set-up, table prep, and technology details in preparation for the event. 

·         Second shift will break things down, put things away, and ensure that we are good stewards of the HUB space at the end of the event! 

·         Shifts available: Wednesday, May 7, 2:00-4:00pm and 6:45-8:00pm 

  

·         Participant Engagement Volunteers 

Folks in this role will be tasked with active participation as audience members for poster and lighting talk presentations. You may be asked to help with some technical support in the room and/or serve as a timekeeper if asked to be a “room lead”.  

·         Shifts available: Wednesday, May 7, 3:30-4:45pm, 4:15-5:00pm, 4:45-6:00pm and 5:45-7:00pm; or, if you are available for an extended shift, 4:45-7:00pm 

  

·         Photo Booth Wrangler 

Manage the photo booth line—making sure that the crowd doesn’t block exits or cause havoc! You are a great fit for this role if you don’t mind asking people to follow instructions and/or if you have good boundary setting skills with strangers! 

·         Shift available: Wednesday, May 7, 4:00-7:00pm 

  

·         Welcome and Wayfinding Volunteer 

This crew will staff the check-in table for students and welcome all guests. You are a great fit for this position if you love connecting with people and helping them orient to a new space! 

·         Shifts available: Wednesday, May 7, 3:00-5:00pm and 5:00-7:00pm 

  

More information about the event can be found here: https://cele.uw.edu/about/news-events/spring-celebration-25/ 

 

If you have any questions, please contact us at springcele@uw.edu  

  

Posted on by

Redwood Volunteer Opportunity

Hello all! 

 

We’re in need of some student volunteers in a couple weeks for a research project down at Pack Forest.

To volunteer,  Fill out this sign up, and fill a volunteer form attached below to me. Questions? Email Bea at boliva95@uw.edu.

 

Here are the full details:

 

WHAT

Come to Pack Forest to measure Redwood seedlings. Depending on how many volunteers we can coordinate, it will be all day Saturday and likely most of Sunday, we have a lot of trees to measure. We will have Pack Forest housing provided for an overnight stay and transportation back on Sunday. If you cannot stay the full time, please coordinate your own transportation there or on return.

 

WHERE

Pack Forest, UW’s Research Forest near Eatonville, WA. It’s a 1 hour 45 min drive from Seattle main campus.

 

WHEN

April 26th and part of April 27th.

 

TIME

We will leave campus around 7:30 am Saturday, either stay there and head out to the field again on Sunday, we will return to campus whenever we finish.

 

FOOD

Dinner and breakfast will be included if we stay overnight, but please bring enough Lunch for both days as well as snacks and water.

 

TRAVEL

Students will travel in a UCAR from Seattle Campus and drive to Pack Forest. We plan to leave the UW Campus at around 7:30 am. If you can only come for one of the days or are uninterested in staying overnight at pack forest, please arrange your own transportation.

 

SIGN UP HERE:

To volunteer, fill out this sign up and volunteer form and we will get back to you with more details. Please reach out to me, Bea Oliva via boliva95@uw.edu if you have any questions!

 

We really appreciate your interest in helping Redwoods research.

SEFS_Volunteer_Form-2025