"Service" Defined

In order to better track the types of service activities ACU students are involved in, we have created three categories of service for our documentation purposes.

These are:

1. Service to Community, 2. Service to ACU, and 3. Service to Church.

Here are our definitions for those areas and some service examples that would qualify for each area:

1.   Service to Community

It is defined as unpaid services provided for or through a non-profit organization that helps the organization or the individuals, groups, or community sector that the organization serves.  Community service is also defined as helping an individual or family in our community with meeting a specific need even though this opportunity was not identified through a formal organization. 

Examples:

• Designing brochures, stuffing mailers, answering phones
• Reading to students, tutoring/mentoring kids, working in childcare setting 
• Helping at the animal shelter, picking up trash, delivering meals
• Mowing lawns, other person/home care (when individuals have no other resource)
• Working construction to benefit someone in need
• Raising money for a specific need (someone else's medical bills) or for a nonprofit organization

2.   Service to ACU

It is defined as any voluntary action or selected position (that is not paid as wages or scholarship) taken to specifically benefit the ACU community. 

Examples:

• Working with the production of Sing Song or Freshman Follies as a volunteer  
• Holding an unpaid elected or appointed office in a student organization  
• Assisting with special ACU events (Lectureship, Welcome Week, Homecoming)  
• Assisting in any office or department on campus

3.   Service to Church

It is defined as any unpaid position or voluntary action taken to specifically benefit that church body. 

Examples:

• Teaching a class, cleaning the building  
• Working with a specific program sponsored by the church  
• Helping in the nursery or preschool or with other age group activities

For questions on documenting hours see Documenting Student Service Activities.