Community Partner FAQs

Yes! Students often look for opportunities that align with their interests outside of the studio, and we encourage them to use these experiences to inform the work they make as artists.

Please contact the Service Learning staff to discuss, as we review these on a case-by-case basis. Unfortunately we are not able to accommodate opportunities from for-profit organizations, individual artist practices, or other businesses.

The core of the Service Learning program is connecting students with their community in a tangible way and giving them real-world opportunities to learn and grow. While there are occasionally special circumstances that call for virtual/remote volunteering, typically we limit off-site ‘desk work’ to a maximum of 15 hours per semester. All other volunteer hours should be completed in person, and in collaboration with the community they are serving.

All volunteer hours must be unpaid, but we suggest visiting the Hire@MIAD page for more information about how to post an internship or job listing.

Students are encouraged to choose their own placements, so not every volunteer placement will work for every student and it may depend on who is enrolled in classes for the semester and what their interests are. While every student has a unique situation and interests, some of the most important considerations for students include transportation/proximity to MIAD, scheduling flexibility and availability of Friday/weekend shifts, and the volunteer work directly aligning with topics they’re passionate about (such as environmentalism, mutual aid and social justice).

Each student is required to fulfill at least 35 hours of volunteer work to qualify for an A grade in the course. Some students may decide to volunteer at multiple sites due to scheduling conflicts or special events, and some may not reach the complete 35 hour goal, but we strongly encourage students to fulfill as many hours as they can through a single placement. We recognize that community organizations get the most out of their volunteers if they’re able to commit more time to that placement, and we also want students to have a well-rounded experience with the organization they volunteer for!

We have a full breakdown of the Service Learning semester available to view here. Check out this page for detailed information about what to expect when hosting a MIAD Service Learning volunteer!