Engagement, Leadership, and Service

The Engagement, Leadership, and Service (ELS) department within the UGA Division of Student Affairs believes student engagement is a pivotal part of an enriched collegiate experience.

ELS seeks to deliver programs, services, events, and significant learning experiences which strengthen students’ connection to the University, cultivate a sense of community, and empower students to be engaged and contributing leaders. Within ELS, students can join and create student organizations, participate in and lead service opportunities, engage with leadership trainings and content, coordinate or attend multiple events, and so much more.

102 Tate Student Center
45 Baxter St, Athens, GA 30602
(706) 542-6396 | ugaels@uga.edu

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Programs

Engagement

Student organizations and other involvement opportunities on campus create a way for every student to engage with the UGA community in their own, unique way.

Leadership

Opportunities such as the Collegiate Leadership Conference, Leadership UGA and LEAD Workshop Series allow students to grow their skill sets and reflect on their personal development.

Service

UGA's service driven organizations and the Service staff from within the ELS provide a range of opportunities for students to participate in service and cultivate these opportunities for their peers.

Activities

Student activities and events on campus provide space for students to engage with their peers. Students within University Union & Homecoming committees work to plan events throughout the year.

Student Governance

The Student Government Association and Graduate Student Association encourage students to represent their peers through legislation and council initiatives.

Latest News

MEDLIFE at UGA 2020-2021 co-presidents Seena Mansouri and Emma Jones

MEDLIFE at UGA receives top student organization award

April 8, 2021

MEDLIFE at UGA was named “Organization of the Year” during the 20th Annual H. Gordon and Francis S. Davis Student Organization Achievement and Recognition

Serve UGA: Books for Keeps
Friday, April 23rd 2021
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Event Location:Books for Keeps Warehouse
420 Athena Drive , Athens, GA
Join ServeUGA this semester for volunteering opportunities with Books for Keeps! Books for Keeps works to improve children's reading achievement by addressing barriers related to the accessibility and appeal of reading material.
We volunteer on an ongoing basis at Books for Keeps. Once you sign-up, a Service Ambassador (ServeUGA site leader) will be in touch with you with more information about what to expect.
The University of Georgia is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities upon request. Please contact the Department of Engagement, Leadership, & Service via phone at 706-542-6396 or email at amanda.torrence25@uga.edu with specific requests.
COVID-19 Information:
Books for Keeps is maintaining strict safety guidelines in order to provide a safe work environment for all volunteers and staff. Adhering to the following rules is mandatory when volunteering in-person until further notice:
- All volunteers are to wear face masks. If you do not have a face mask of your own, one will be provided to you.
- All volunteers must sanitize their hands when they arrive and as needed throughout their shift.
- All volunteers must maintain social distancing protocols and provide 6 feet of distance between themselves and others while working in the warehouse.
- All volunteers are asked to leave any snacks or drinks in their vehicle and may excuse themselves to use them as needed.
- All volunteers must answer the registration questions in the affirmative in order to attend a shift.
- We do not have access to a public bathroom at this time and ask that you make the necessary accommodations prior to arriving.
- Books for Keeps reserves the right to excuse volunteers from the shift if any of the above rules are not followed.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact any of the following Service Ambassadors:
Chantel Mackey: ckm14021@uga.edu
Eisha Baig: eisha.baig@uga.edu
Beth Mekonnen: btm66692@uga.edu

Visit Books for Keeps' website
Like Books for Keeps' Facebook page

***Important info on getting to the warehouse***
The warehouse is at 420 Athena Drive, near Athens Tech and Southern Brewing Company. Please follow the directions below. There is no signage at the road, so it is easy to pass right by it!
- If you're coming from Hull Road/Hwy 29, you'll go over a set of railroad tracks. Our building is the third driveway on the right after the railroad tracks.
- Look for the doorway with the blue awning facing the road.
- When you pull into the parking lot, drive all of the way to the far side - you'll see a door with the Books for Keeps logo, next to a loading dock.
More Details
Dark Waters
Friday, April 23rd 2021
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Event Location: Tate Theatre
Part of the University Union Spring 2021 movie calendar.
More Details
Wall-E
Friday, April 23rd 2021
9:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Event Location: Tate Theatre
Part of the University Union Spring 2021 movie calendar.
More Details
Serve UGA: Brooklyn Cemetery
Saturday, April 24th 2021
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Event Location:Brooklyn Cemetery
205 Alps Rd, Athens, 30609
Join Serve UGA this semester for volunteering opportunities with Friends at Brooklyn Cemetery! Hidden in the woods behind Clarke Middle School in Athens, Georgia is a portal to another time. Concealed by vines and brambles, Brooklyn Cemetery is an African American cemetery that was used primarily from the 1880s to the 1990s. Those who were laid to rest here mostly lived in the Brooklyn/Hawthorne area of Athens. Nature and time have laid claim to much of the cemetery; some tombstones have fallen and are covered with ivy, other graves are completely unmarked.
The purpose of this service project is to not only educate participants of the historical significance of the cemetery but to also aid in the ongoing beautification, preservation, and research of a once lost landmark of the African American community in Athens, Georgia. Volunteers will work to remove overgrowth, fallen limbs, and underbrush from the gravesites.

We volunteer on an ongoing basis at the cemetery. Once you sign-up, a service ambassador (ServeUGA site leader) will be in touch with you with more information about what to expect.
The University of Georgia is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities upon request. Please contact the Department of Engagement, Leadership, & Service via phone at 706-542-6396 or email at amanda.torrence25@uga.edu with specific requests.
COVID-19 Information:
All participants will be required to abide by the University's requirement of face masks and social distance practicing while on campus. When serving in the community, participants will be required to abide by any safety policies established by state and local officials and health leaders, as well as policies the community partners put in place. Failure to abide by these policies could result in being asked to leave your service site.
This status of this event is subject to change based off any new of state, local, and university policies and protocols that occur leading up to the event.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact any of the following service ambassadors:

Harsh Patel: htp62553@uga.edu
Janelle Booker: jrb29857@uga.edu
Alyssa Ginn: arg32505@uga.edu

Visit Brooklyn Cemetery's website.
Like Friends of Brooklyn's Facebook page.

More Details
Dark Waters
Saturday, April 24th 2021
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Event Location: Tate Theatre
Part of the University Union Spring 2021 movie calendar.
More Details
Wall-E
Saturday, April 24th 2021
9:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Event Location: Tate Theatre
Part of the University Union Spring 2021 movie calendar.
More Details
Dark Waters
Sunday, April 25th 2021
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Event Location: Tate Theatre
Part of the University Union Spring 2021 movie calendar.
More Details
Wall-E
Sunday, April 25th 2021
9:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Event Location: Tate Theatre
Part of the University Union Spring 2021 movie calendar.
More Details
Serve UGA: UGArden
Wednesday, April 28th 2021
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Event Location:UGArden
2500 S Milledge Ave, Athens, GA
Join Serve UGA this semester for volunteering opportunities with UGArden! UGArden promotes sustainable and healthy food systems through teaching students how to grow food with organic practices and sharing the harvests with members of the local community in need.

We volunteer on an ongoing basis with UGArden. Once you sign-up, a Service Ambassador (ServeUGA site leader) will be in touch with you with more information about what to expect.
The University of Georgia is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities upon request. Please contact the Department of Engagement, Leadership, & Service via phone at 706-542-6396 or email at amanda.torrence25@uga.edu with specific requests.
COVID-19 Information:

If you are an individual looking to volunteer, please consider the following:
- Know the UGA Guidelines for protecting yourself (and others).
- If you are experiencing symptoms or have a temperature, you should not volunteer. (Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever over 100.4, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell without stuffy nose.) **This is not an exhaustive list of symptoms. Additional information can be found on the CDC or UGA Websites.**
- If you have come in contact with someone who has Covid-19, you should not volunteer.
- Volunteers are **REQUIRED** to wear masks
- Volunteers should practice social distancing (maintaining at least 6 feet between each other).
- Volunteers should wash their hands frequently.
- Volunteers should avoid touching their face during volunteer activities.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact any of the following Service Ambassadors:

Elizabeth Esser: eae93560@uga.edu
Akash Sinha aks65973@uga.edu
Morgan Beckham: mab30715@uga.edu

Visit UGArden's website
Visit UGArden's facebook
More Details
Serve UGA: Books for Keeps
Friday, April 30th 2021
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Event Location: Books for Keeps Warehouse
Join ServeUGA this semester for volunteering opportunities with Books for Keeps! Books for Keeps works to improve children's reading achievement by addressing barriers related to the accessibility and appeal of reading material.
We volunteer on an ongoing basis at Books for Keeps. Once you sign-up, a Service Ambassador (ServeUGA site leader) will be in touch with you with more information about what to expect.
The University of Georgia is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities upon request. Please contact the Department of Engagement, Leadership, & Service via phone at 706-542-6396 or email at amanda.torrence25@uga.edu with specific requests.
COVID-19 Information:
Books for Keeps is maintaining strict safety guidelines in order to provide a safe work environment for all volunteers and staff. Adhering to the following rules is mandatory when volunteering in-person until further notice:
- All volunteers are to wear face masks. If you do not have a face mask of your own, one will be provided to you.
- All volunteers must sanitize their hands when they arrive and as needed throughout their shift.
- All volunteers must maintain social distancing protocols and provide 6 feet of distance between themselves and others while working in the warehouse.
- All volunteers are asked to leave any snacks or drinks in their vehicle and may excuse themselves to use them as needed.
- All volunteers must answer the registration questions in the affirmative in order to attend a shift.
- We do not have access to a public bathroom at this time and ask that you make the necessary accommodations prior to arriving.
- Books for Keeps reserves the right to excuse volunteers from the shift if any of the above rules are not followed.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact any of the following Service Ambassadors:
Chantel Mackey: ckm14021@uga.edu
Eisha Baig: eisha.baig@uga.edu
Beth Mekonnen: btm66692@uga.edu

Visit Books for Keeps' website
Like Books for Keeps' Facebook page

***Important info on getting to the warehouse***
The warehouse is at 420 Athena Drive, near Athens Tech and Southern Brewing Company. Please follow the directions below. There is no signage at the road, so it is easy to pass right by it!
- If you're coming from Hull Road/Hwy 29, you'll go over a set of railroad tracks. Our building is the third driveway on the right after the railroad tracks.
- Look for the doorway with the blue awning facing the road.
- When you pull into the parking lot, drive all of the way to the far side - you'll see a door with the Books for Keeps logo, next to a loading dock.
More Details
Graduation Celebration
Friday, April 30th 2021
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Event Location:Tate West Lawn
45 Baxter Street, Athens, Georgia
This event will be a way to celebrate class of 2021 and all of their hardwork. We will have free food, prizes, a photobooth and more! Masks are required. Guests are welcome.
More Details