Contact Us

Our office is located on the second floor of the Putnam University Center. To make an appointment, please contact:

Laura Clerc, Director

lclerc@willamette.edu
503-370-6807 voice
503-370-6407 fax

Community Service Learning Coordination Team

Rachel Buckley
rbuckley@willamette.edu

Hi, my name is Rachel Buckley and I am from San Jose, California. I am a sophomore with a possible major in Politics and minor in Spanish. After being at Willamette for one full year I am quickly falling in love with Oregon's beautiful outdoors. Last year I interned for Greenpeace's Project Hot Seat, a grassroots campaign to stop global warming by working with our representatives from Congress and also volunteered twice a week with Tiger Club at Bush Elementary tutoring fourth graders in math and reading. I like to doodle, play the piano (when I have time) and laugh whenever possible. Community service has always been an integral part of my life, and I think it is an essential tool to help us grow in our understanding of the world and of the people around us. I am passionate about the environment and its health as well as teaching/mentoring children.

Claire Fallat
cfallat@willamette.edu

Hi! I'm Claire Fallat from Tacoma, Washington. I am a sophomore here at Willamette University. I have not decided on a major yet. I am involved with Tiger Club (a program where Willamette students can tutor children at a local elementary school). I am a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority, and, as a freshman, I served on my dormitory's hall council. I am working on creating a family tree and sifting through old family photos dating back to the 1890's. I am interested in community service because I believe that it is a positive way to contribute to your community and learn more about it. Through my work with Tiger Club, I have learned a lot about the people and culture of Salem; that knowledge cannot be attained strictly on a college campus. I am really passionate about education and the students in the Salem area. Both of my parents are involved with education, so my whole life has revolved around school people. I want to help children have a positive attitude about school and show them the importance of education in seeking future goals.

Kaitlin Greene
kgreene@willamette.edu

Hi, my name is Kaitlin, and I am a sophomore from Pullman, Washington majoring in Sociology. My interests include running, rock climbing, biking, cooking, and crafting. I'm a member of the Willamette Cross-Country and Track Team and Angles. I love eating good food and especially desserts. I've been to over 30 of the US states and have traveled to Canada, Mexico, Chile and Japan. Dancing in my kitchen is one of my favorite pass times. My first experience with community service was a week spent volunteering with my church group in New York City. We spent time at numerous soup kitchens, food and clothing banks and homeless shelters for men and women. I greatly appreciated being exposed to a less glamorous side of one of America's most iconic cities. More importantly, this experience gave me a better understanding about people who have fallen on hard times and what those of us who are privileged enough to live stable lives can do to help. Many years have passed since my trip to NYC but my passion for service has only increased. I find myself now most passionate about issues concerning hunger. Over the years, I have volunteered at many food banks across Washington State and have recently become involved with the Marion Polk Food Share located in Salem, Oregon. I am inspired by their commitment to ending hunger and am increasingly reassured that through community service each individual can make a difference.

Stazzy Groleau
ngroleau@willamette.edu

My name is Nastassia Groleau, but most know me as Stazzy. I am from Mountain View, California. I am a senior double majoring in Spanish and Sociology and minoring in Studio Art. I am on Willamette's Varsity Soccer team and a member of Pi Beta Phi. A couple facts you should know about me: Both my parents are French so I am bi-cultural and bilingual. I studied abroad in Chile last spring. I eat chocolate at least once or twice a day. I believe community service and working towards social change are valuable for yourself and the community you work in. I am very interested in working towards social change. Making a community aware of the social injustice they foster or actually trying to counteract a social justice issue in a society is very challenging. I believe working to encourage social justice is very demanding since it often involves changing the people's perspective and point of views. Often time's people do not see a problem at all where we will see one. But helping your surrounding communities thrive and grow is very rewarding and worth the work.

Emily Johnson
ejjohnso@willamette.edu

My name is Emily Johnson, and I am a sophomore from Denver, Colorado. I am majoring in chemistry, hoping to go to medical school after I graduate and eventually become a developmental pediatrician for kids who have Down syndrome. I also play oboe in Wind Ensemble and orchestra on campus. In addition, I am the president of Best Buddies which is a club that pairs students with individuals with developmental disabilities to form one-on-one friendships. Finally, I am the Willamette representative for the Oregon Campus Compact Student Advisory Board which strives to connect college campuses in Oregon around community service. I have been passionate about community service for as long as I can remember. It has become a huge part of everything I do. I am especially interested in working with people with disabilities as well as in health care. I volunteer with the Willamette Valley Down Syndrome Association, Adam's Camp, Special Olympics, and Best Buddies which all work to improve the lives of individuals with a variety of special needs. In addition, I work with Salem Hospital, the Down Syndrome Clinic at OHSU, and the Denver Adult Down Syndrome Clinic. Through this volunteer work I hope to increase inclusion and awareness for all people with disabilities. I focus in these two areas, but I love to explore all areas of the community. Feel free to contact me with any questions you have about community service on campus!

Violet Martin
martinv@willamette.edu

Hello, my name is Violet Martin. I am a sophomore planning to major in English and possibly writing. My cultural roots originate in Mexico City but I have lived most of my life in East Wenatchee, Washington. I enjoy a good book, listening to and creating music, and many types of food (especially when I've made it and get to delight in its deliciousness). Here at Willamette, I play the flute in the Wind Ensemble and am a member of Alianza. Community service is a developing passion of mine. I have begun to grow in my personal awareness of the surrounding community and its needs. Being a Latina, I have come to realize the importance, not only of higher education, but also the support that contributes to the materialization of that opportunity. There are numerous obstacles to be overcome - language and culture for example. Sometimes, however, all it takes to help someone is support and access to helpful resources. Starting this year, I am excited to volunteer in ways that give support to all community members and make their individual goals more accessible.

Matt Pitchford
mpitchfo@willamette.edu

Hello there! My name is Matt Pitchford and I'm a sophomore student. I'm planning on being a Rhetoric and Media Studies major and I'm involved with the Campus Ambassadors Christian Fellowship here on campus. I enjoy playing ping-pong, sipping a Chai Tea at Governer's Cup, rollerblading, collecting pens, and a spontaneous adventure or two. I'm originally from Silverdale, WA, where I was homeschooled throughout high school. My interest and involvement in community service really began as a Boy Scout in my hometown. I found that I was passionate about environmental responsibility and bettering our surroundings. Concurrently, I developed an intense passion for communication, which is a fundamental aspect of many social and community issues. Since that time, I have really sought to help people with both my words and actions.

Tiger Club Coordinators

Katie Hendricks
khendric@willamette.edu

My name is Katie Hendricks. I live in St. George, Utah when I'm not at school. I am a junior studio-art major who is involved in Tiger Club, Poi Club, Angles, and Opening Days. I work part time at Hollywood Video and enjoy reading, painting, and eating dinner with my friends.
Doing community service is my way to show that I care about the people around me. Tiger Club is the perfect work for me because I'm comfortable working with children, especially when tutoring them. I believe that everyone should get involved in some activity that benefits society no matter how small the task seems to be. It is rewarding for the volunteer and the community.

Colin Schilling
cschlli@willamette.edu

Hello, my name is Colin Schilling. My majors are economics and psychology. I am a junior from Coeur d' Alene Idaho. I was vice-president and president of my hall until moving off campus. I am the founder and president of the WU Scuba Divers and I take part in many other clubs on campus. I love to backpack, bike, swim, run, scuba dive, snowboard, travel, cook, garden, and do anything else that is an adventure. Over the last two summers I have been to China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Ecuador. I have been interested in and participating in community service for a long time. I have always thought that, as a fortunate individual, it is especially important to dedicate some of my time to helping those in greater need than myself. After traveling to many third-world countries it has become even more apparent to me how fortunate all of us are. I think that helping children is one of the most critical types of community service that can be done, especially regarding their education. Now more than ever our public school system needs help. As the Willamette clock tower says "education brings national security". We need our youth to be intelligent and they need our help in the process.