The Boltwood Project is a student run, all-inclusive, service learning project here at UMass that aims build inclusive environments and peer to peer relationships. Volunteers go out into the community to different service sites and spend time with individuals with disabilities. Theses sites range from elementary schools to skilled nursing homes. You also receive 2 university credits for your volunteer work, reflections and attendance of 3 weekend seminars per semester. During the seminars we learn about different topics surrounding disability. There is also the opportunity to apply for a leadership position as a site supervisor in which case you would also enroll in the leadership in service learning course.

In the past three years at UMass, I have progressed from a volunteer to a supervisor, and I am now one of two coordinators of the project. I have gained invaluable experience and skills while assuming these various roles. As a volunteer, I spent time working with individuals with psychiatric diagnoses co-occurring with physical and cognitive disabilities at the Farren Care Center; this experience gave me insight and perspective about an entirely new population. Several of the patients in this facility spoke Spanish and minimal English, and I saw first-hand how important it was to them to have someone who could communicate with them in their native language. Now, as the coordinator, I organize 150 volunteers, 23 supervisors and maintain communication with over 20 different community partners. I have learned the importance of advocating for both mono-lingual and bi-lingual individuals with disabilities and the impact I can have on people in many different community settings.

My work in Boltwood has greatly shaped my experience at UMass. Not only have I created meaningful and lasting relationships with my peers and new friends at my service sites, but it has enriched my learning more than I could have imagined. My work in Boltwood definitely compliments both my majors of Spanish and Communication disorders and has helped me to form a clear vision of what I hope to do in my career as a speech pathologist. Without Boltwood I would have never fully realized my desire to work to provide speech therapy for underrepresented populations.

Service learning is a great way to get involved at UMass and in the surrounding communities. There are many service learning opportunities on campus – many of which offer academic credit. For more information about the Boltwood Project please click here or send an email to me – cbrennick@umass.edu

For more information about other service learning opportunities at UMass check out the Civic Engagement and Service Learning website.