Anita L. Stafford Office of Community Partnerships and Engagement
914.395.2573, my.slc.edu/communitypartnerships or partnerships@sarahlawrence.edu, 220 Bates, 2nd floor
Sarah Lawrence College has a rich history of education for social responsibility and a commitment to linking classroom learning and community-based work. Through on-site work, students can develop deep relationships with their community beyond the campus, expand their academic inquiry, learn more about their beliefs, develop skills in community organizing, assist in the mission of a local agency, and explore their ideas about what it means to be an engaged and contributing citizen. The staff of the Anita L. Stafford Community Partnerships and Engagement supports and connects students and faculty interested in working for social change with agencies and organizations in Yonkers, Westchester County, and New York City.
Community-Based Learning
The Office of Community Partnerships helps students find community-based sites to complement their academic studies whether through a practice-based course or for conference work. The College and community organizations collaborate to help students learn about their placements and the social issues pertaining to them, before and throughout their work experience. Opportunities include, but are not limited to, tutoring and mentoring elementary school-aged children, teaching English as a second language, leading writing workshops with prison inmates, organizing for unions throughout New York City, promoting environmental causes, community organizing, and working with the elderly through assisted living sites. Students can also come to the office to discuss other options they might like to pursue. Staff also coordinate College vehicles and stipends for transportation for students to and from community-based sites.
Co-Curricular Projects
There are several ways students can engage in co-curricular projects. Our office sponsors and supports student-led initiatives, programs that are developed and sustained by students. Some examples of these include Right to Write, Health and Science Afterschool Program (HASAP), and Enviro-Earth. For students wishing to volunteer on their own time, Community Partnerships maintains a database of community- based organizations. The office organizes an annual day of service for Martin Luther King Jr. Day for students to work in local agencies.