Overview: Service is a way to say volunteerism. This includes community service that helps a community outside of Arizona State University and is defined as unpaid service that helps the community.

Consider: 

• Is the community this activity impacts outside ASU? Or is this just targeted at ASU students? 

• Do I know enough about the target community such that my actions won't have unintended consequences? 

• Who will benefit from this?

• What separates volunteering from unpaid internships?

Options for Opportunities:

• Nonprofit organizations including ASU's Changemaker Central, Devils in Disguise, the Salvation Army, Feed My Starving Children, St. Mary's Food Bank, etc.

• Other Mission Team volunteering events

• Nonprofits in Phoenix & Tempe from the Pulse or around campus

Overview: Committing to serve regularly in a meaningful capacity with a group/organization associated with a mission/cause that you are passionate about, or want to learn more about.

Consider: 

• This is an opportunity to serve in a way that is less about fulfilling a requirement and more about striving for personal growth and community-wide change.

• Most meaningful change takes time to achieve, and involving ourselves with something meaningful consistently will allow us to see the growth and change that we put effort into making possible.

Options for Opportunities:

• An on-campus organization 

• A religious organization

• Off-campus organizations (shelters, outreach, political, health-related, etc)

• Holding an active role in an NGSC Committee for a semester.

Overview: In order to further our understanding of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Accessibility, we need to be able to see differences among peoples both like ourselves and different. Understand that no single person is alike another because of where we come from, and what has gotten us to where we are today, be it nationality, race, social economics, backgrounds, etc. In understanding DEI and accessibility we can work further towards our missions of creating change by better understanding the ways in which these influences affect those in the community involved.

Consider: 

• Is this event helping to grow further understanding of other peoples and their cultures?

• Did this event help to further your understanding of DEI events?

• Will this event allow you to incorporate this new DEI knowledge to take action to shift your mindset, actions and behavior towards your leadership?

Options for Opportunities:

• Attend or volunteer at cultural festivals

• Attend conferences & workshops focused on topics of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access

• Support businesses owned by underrepresented populations

• Visit and explore new parts of town - community asset mapping

• Visit exhibits focused on topics of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access

Overview: Growth is being able to change and evolve over time as you move forward through new experiences and gain new understanding.

Consider: 

• How will improving your personal growth and skills boost productivity?

• What professional skills do you want to develop? Long term? Short term? Life long process-4 year?

• Will this fulfill your potential?

• What is important to you? What are your personal values?

• Is this demonstrating self-care?

• Are you forming lasting relationships?

Options for Opportunities:

• Conferences

• Schedules coffee/lunches

• Introduction emails

• Requesting a mentoring relationship and follow-through

• Keynote + Event speaker events

• Personal Growth Reading challenge (1 book per semester)

• Creation of personal growth plan

• Recording of achievements

• Physical Health Challenge

Overview: Valuing: as well as emphasizing, manifesting and embodying the followin​​g:

• RESPECT: In appreciation of our students and staffs planning efforts

• RESPONSIBILITY: To be an active and growing member of the NGSC

• INTEGRITY: To be honest in reporting events and connecting with others in betterment of oneself

• SELFLESSNESS: To be proud of other members' time & commitment by going out of one's way to be involved.

A community of diverse people exposed to various perspectives. Culture defines the proper way to be & behave in an organization.

Consider: 

• Are you actively seeking out to connect with NGSC members?

• Are you showcasing your interests & involvements?

• Is this helping to challenge our students to be good members of the community?

• How many NGSC members are involved? Is the event open to all members of NGSC?

• Are you being open-minded?

Options for Opportunities:

• Study Hours

• Hikes

• Sports Nights

• Small NGSC Get togethers

• Supporting Staff

• Volunteering at non-mandatory events

• Attending other Mission Team events

• Mentorship

• Traveling

Overview: Members interacting with the community or policy makers in order to enact change. Standing up for what they believe in while also advocating for a difference to be made both inside of their community as well as outside. In relation to NGSC potentially working towards a social mission while advocating for policies and laws that correlate with it. Using your voice to give an awareness to what you’re passionate about to bring change.

Consider: 

• Are you actively engaged or spreading the word?

• Are you advocating to the greater public?

• What advancements is your voice or advocacy causing?

• Is change able to be influenced by your actions?

• Making informational flyers & starting clubs

Options for Opportunities:

• Advocating for and with local politics

• Speaking at an event that is advocating for a change to be made

• Getting involved within an advocacy group

• Sharing factual information of ongoing issues with those around you

• Planing or attending fundraisers

Overview: The Public Service Academy and Next Generation Service Corps were founded with the vision to develop military and civilian national service leaders, side-by-side, armed with the skills, networks, and experiences to take on our most complex challenges. 

The U.S. military serves critical functions to defend and support our nation, but with so few citizens serving in the military, civilians lack an understanding of the culture, values, and experiences of those who serve our country in order to bridge the gap we want to emphasize further understanding of civilian-military relations.

Consider: 

• According to the Council on Foreign Relations (2018), under 1.29 million, or less than 0.5% of the US population is active duty personnel in our armed forces. The U.S. military serves critical functions to defend and support our nation, but with so few citizens serving in the military, civilians lack an understanding of the culture, values, and experiences of those who serve our country.

• Understand further collaboration while looking at this sector of work 

• Further Public Service Academy initiative to go outside of just the NGSC

• How can we be proactive in working with civilian-military rather than just reading about things that they do?

Options for Opportunities:

• Consulting with the NGSC Civil-Mil Chair

• Working with or recruiting from the ROTC/JROTC

• Engaging with the AZ National Guard, the Center on the Future of War, the McCain Institute, Family Readiness Center, and other Military or veteran-focused nonprofits and other organizations.

• Attending PTSD-related mental health awareness events

• Helping Military members transition into civilian life

• Interning with the aforementioned organizations

Overview: Making thoughtful and intentional decisions on buying or consuming products. Actions that support sustainability show that you are taking responsibility for the Earth and the impact we make. The ability for all to meet their needs without compromising future generations from meeting their needs! The ambition toward reducing global waste.

Consider: 

• Instead of only choosing to buy something made of recycled or repurposed materials once, challenge yourself to commit to this for a week, month of semester.

• Identify alternatives to everyday actions that have intentionally positive impact on a community

• Consider exploring the organization and its outcomes of the sustainable or fair business practices

• How can this connect to your social mission? Are there barriers to conscious consumerism or sustainability practices in addressing your social mission?

• What is important to you?

Options for Opportunities:

• Buying from a social enterprise as Christmas presents - (ex. Bombas, an organization that will donate a pair of socks to a shelter for people experiencing homelessness

• Shopping at a local farmers market for your weekly produce - supporting local farmers and vendors with your $$, more sustainable farming by only having what is in season

• Choosing to use a reusable mug when ordering at Starbucks for a month 

• Researching and purchasing from B Corps organizations when restocking on household goods

• Support businesses owned by minority or underrepresented community members

• Supporting organizations that hire ex-felons or is outwardly advocating and transparent about fair labor wages (i.e. Dave's Killer Bread, Tony's Chocolonely) 

• Repurposing / DIY project to not have to buy a new item

• Growing your own food

Overview: Build your connections with individuals across disciplines and learn from professionals of different backgrounds.

Consider: 

• How can you form lasting connection over just getting contact information?

• How can you approach conversations with a mindset to learn?

• How to professionally network?

• Is this connection beneficial?

Options for Opportunities:

• Engaging in an ongoing mentorship and reflect at the end of the semester

• Attending an internship or event fair and follow up with one person you met

• Meeting a Mirabella resident for coffee

• Scheduling a conversation with someone you admire or want to learn from

• Maintaining interconnections with people & organizations

• Participating in anything that expands career opportunities for you

Overview: Public Service is service and work that is focused on benefitting and bettering the public and community. It also allows people to think of impacts greater than themselves as well as understanding how the public servants who represent us currently, and being mindful of what they would like to be changed. NGSC trains students to be well versed in all 3 sectors; that said, public service is often within the public or government sector.

Consider: 

• This is traditionally within the public sector.

• This may be hard to conceptualize for new students because realistic depictions of careers in government are hard to come by.

Options for Opportunities:

• Community Organizations

• Public Speaking

• Voting

• Teachers

• Advocating for Representation