Volunteer Services

All volunteer service must meet the following requirements to count as service hours at TCC.

• All volunteer service must be completed with a non-profit organization.
• Volunteer service can be completed on or off TCC campuses.
• All students completing volunteer service for a TCC course or the Tulsa Achieves program must log and have their hours verified on the TCC GivePulse platform.
• Activities that do not count:
  • Service with a for-profit business
  • Service for which compensation is received
  • Faith and worship-based opportunities
  • Fostering pets

TCC provides students different ways to volunteer through on-campus events, student organizations and clubs, or in courses such as Service-Learning. A few examples include:

• Fresh Check Day
• Assisting with TCC Theatre Productions
• Serving as an Ambassador (True Blue LEAD, Wellness Services, etc.)
• Campus Previews
• Running a Book Drive in a Service-Learning Course
• SGA Food Drive

Student Clubs & Organizations

Activities by or with a student organization or club that benefit the TCC population or the community can be counted as volunteer service. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Partnering with a non-profit organization for group volunteer events on or off-campus. (Running a clothing drive on-campus, volunteering as a group at the Food Bank, etc.)
• Attending TCC events on behalf of department requests. (New Student Orientation, Multicultural Day, Tulsa Achieves Blueprint, etc.)
• Hosting an event for TCC population or the greater community.

Activities that only benefit the student club & organization will not count for volunteer service. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Attending, preparing, or leading club meetings.
• Promoting or marketing and recruiting for club or organization.

Service-Learning & Internships

Service hours completed through a Service-Learning course must be verified by the course instructor or non-profit partner to count.

• Unpaid internships with a licensed non-profit organization can be counted for volunteer service.
• Clinicals, paid internships, and internships with a for-profit business will not count for service.

Besides volunteering on-campus, TCC students have access to volunteer with more than 100 different local community non-profit organizations. When volunteering off-campus, students will still need to follow the general volunteer requirements.

Religious Organizations

Students can volunteer with any religious organization as long as they are a licensed non-profit and the service benefits the community and not only the organization or its members. Examples can include:

• Clothing and food drives or pantries
• Community-wide events

Activities that will not count for service hours includes but is not limited to:

• Faith and Worship-based activities. (Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, teaching religious instruction, etc.)
• Choir, running lights or video, or any other activity for worship services
• Cleaning and maintenance on organization or performing lawn care

Online & Remote Opportunities

Online and remote volunteer opportunities have become more popular in recent years. Service will be counted if approved by the organization.

Service that cannot be verified by the organization will not count. Please make sure you have a plan in place to get your hours verified before starting online or remote volunteer opportunities.

Donations & Fundraising

Students will not receive service hours for donations or attending and participating in philanthropic events. Students can volunteer with fundraising opportunities but they must provide their time and not donations. Examples of what count include:

• Any essential duty at a charity event approved by the hosting organization. (check-in attendant, manning the water table at a charity walk, etc.)
• Service hours can be given for students who spend their time planning and organizing the event. To receive service hours, the student must provide the Volunteer Coordinator with a detailed list of the time spent. For questions contact our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@tulsacc.edu.

Examples that do not count:

• Donating food items or money
• Participating in a charity walk, run, or other event where you are a participant instead of a volunteer

• If your service requires driving to a site, be sure you know where you are going. Use common sense.
• Once there, lock your car. Do not leave valuables in plain sight in your car.
• Be sure to carry a contact name and number for the community partner in case you are running late or get lost.
• Stay in well-lit areas.
• Report any incidents to your professor or volunteer coordinator immediately.
• Students serving in the community will observe all TCC campus COVID-related protocols related to social distancing and washing hands frequently and thoroughly.
• Students at risk of complications of COVID-19 are strongly advised to seek remote or virtual service opportunities.

• Avoid open-toed shoes for most volunteer experiences.
• Use good hygiene practices.
• Avoid very tight-fitting and overly revealing clothing.
• Dress comfortably.
• Direct all questions about dress to your professor and/or your community partner.

Tulsa Achieves students must follow the Volunteer Service Guidelines as well as all service hours must be completed with a Tulsa County non-profit organization. Service hours completed with an organization outside of Tulsa County will not count for Tulsa Achieves.

Each student in Tulsa Achieves is required to complete volunteer service for each academic year in the program. View the guidelines for Tulsa Achieves volunteer service:

• Forty volunteer service hours are required per academic year started in the program (Fall to Summer semester). Service hours are not pro-rated by semester.
• Service hours must be completed with a Tulsa County non-profit organization and provide a benefit to the community.
• Must log and verify service hours on TCC GivePulse.
• Volunteer service for each academic year must be completed by Aug. 1 for the preceding Fall and Spring semesters.
• Service hours are not affected by the amount of funding you receive.

Service that does not count for Tulsa Achieves:

• Service completed with for-profit businesses
• Service performed with organizations outside of Tulsa County
• Fostering animals
• Ministry and worship-based activities
• Service that only benefits the agency at which it is performed
• Service for which compensation of any form is received
• Internships, clinicals, fieldwork experiences, court-ordered community service, etc.

Tulsa Achieves volunteer service for each academic year must be completed by Aug. 1 for the preceding Fall and Spring semesters.

If you do not complete your Tulsa Achieves volunteer hours by the Aug. 1 deadline each year, a transcript hold will be placed on your account, preventing you from obtaining a copy of your transcript until the hours are completed.

Incomplete Tulsa Achieves volunteer service hours will never remove you from the Tulsa Achieves program, affect your funding, or impact your ability to enroll at or graduate from TCC.

The following activities have also been approved for students to obtain Tulsa Achieves volunteer service hours:

• Donating Blood (1 hour per donation)
• TCC Wellness Trainings (Mental Health First Aid, Suicide Prevention and Kognito Training,
• Talks Saves Lives, & Project Connect)
• Attendance for the yearly Center for Creativity Dare 2 Care Fair
• TCC Work Readiness Program (courses for Job Readiness, Job Keeping, and Job Seeking)

Forty service hours are required, even if you are only attending for one semester. Service hours are not divided by semester and students have the entire academic year (Fall-Summer) to complete them, even if attending only one semester.

Yes, service hours are a requirement of the Tulsa Achieves program and are not tied to the amount of funding received.

No. Incomplete service hours will only result in a transcript hold until the service hours are completed.

Yes, as long as they meet the requirements for a Tulsa Achieves approved site (non-profit organization located in Tulsa County).

Yes, if the activity is one that benefits the community, such as a food pantry or clothing drive. Worship-based activities that are for the benefit of church members only do not count.