Community

At Wofford, we envision community sustainability work as that which promotes community flourishing holistically, by reflecting on the past, present and future, and the many intersections that make up our daily lives, from health and wellness to financial considerations to educational opportunities to political decision-making to our environment and place. We reflect upon the inequities that structure our daily lives and how those are experienced and internalized differently across diverse lived experiences so that we can plan and act together with a joint commitment to equity. Toria Teamer, Wofford’s Bonner manager, underscores that “a strong commitment to equity” implies that “communities’ voices are louder than that of the institution.”

Our community sustainability initiatives are most often connected to the Spartanburg community, which houses Wofford on the city’s northern border. We value our partnerships with residents, leaders, schools and organizations across Spartanburg. Through these partnerships, we are all stronger, as we learn and work collaboratively in reflection and action. Dr. Alysa Handelsman, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology and Wofford’s community sustainability specialist, states, “Through our collaborative efforts to promote holistic well being now and into the future, we are un-learning and re-learning together what community means, how we form part of it and how we can draft shared visions and action plans as we move forward.”

Curricular and co-curricular opportunities for students

There are classes and programs at Wofford that create experiential learning opportunities for students to engage with partners in imagining and building sustainable communities.

  1. Community-based learning courses:
    • Community Sustainability Seminar.
    • Spanish + Service Learning Course.
    • Interims
      • Searching for the Fountain of Youth (Kara Bopp).
      • Grassroots Leadership and Service Learning in Spartanburg (Alysa Handelsman).
      • Build an Affordable House; Save the Environment, Transform a Community (Bill DeMars).
      • Stories of Spartanburg (Philip Dorroll).
  2. Community-based research (courses and grants)
  3. Application-based programs for students:
    • Bonner Scholars
      1. Wofford’s Bonner Scholars Program, established in 1991, is a four-year scholarship program that supports diverse, civic-minded, motivated students to bring about positive community change and social justice through service, research and action. It is cohort-based (15 students are accepted from each incoming class at Wofford), intensive (280+ hours per school year + some full-time summer internships) and developmental (integrating experiential, curricular and co-curricular service, learning and reflection, leading to a capstone community engagement project and a culminating reflection presentation).
      2. Students receive a need-based tuition scholarship, other stipends and incredible personal support from Bonner Program staff, other administrators, supportive faculty, committed community partners, as well as a huge network of Bonner Scholars, alumni and staff at almost 100 other Bonner-hosting institutions.
      3. As a result, they develop as insightful leaders and effective changemakers in their communities and beyond. The program is designed to transform the students in it, as well as the campus and communities in which they serve and learn.
    • iCAN (College Access Network)
      1. Through generous external funding, iCAN (College Access Network) Spartanburg, trains and engages Wofford students as “near-peer college access mentors” to be matched one-on-one with Spartanburg County high school students in a mutually beneficial relationship. All high school students are enrolled in the Citizen Scholars Program, Wofford’s partner in the venture. Mentors regularly communicate with their mentee to build lifelong bonds and provide advice regarding the college admissions process and various aspects of college life.
      2. The program officially began in February 2018 and welcomed its inaugural group totaling 21 high school juniors and sophomores in February 2018. Currently, the program encompasses 32 high school students and 41 Wofford College students.
    • Northside Living Learning Community
      1. The Northside LLC is a year-long Living-Learning Community dedicated to sustainability and community engagement within Spartanburg's Northside. As a cohort of 12 students, participants live together in Milliken House at Northside Station while enrolled in a linked course each semester. The program seeks to expand the classroom by giving these 12 students the opportunity to live, learn and work in the Northside. In partnership with Northside stakeholders and community partners, students will tackle "big questions" and get first-hand, real-world experience dealing with the topics they discuss in class. Through this direct engagement, students will learn from and give back to the Northside community.

Consider learning more about Spartanburg and participating in community life through volunteer opportunities and/or participation in community workshops and programs.

  1. United Way
  2. Spartanburg Academic Movement
  3. Citizens Academy
  4. Grassroots Leadership Development Institute
  5. Ruth’s Gleanings
  6. Big Brother, Big Sister
  7. Determined Minds, after-school program
  8. CHEFS Club, after-school program
  9. VITA Tax Clinic
  1. Office of Undergraduate Research and Post-graduate Fellowships
  2. Center for Community-Based Learning
  3. Office for Civil Rights, Compliance and Community Initiatives
  4. Student organizations
    1. Black Student Alliance, Minding Black-Owned Businesses
    2. Multicultural Student Association, events each semester to bring together students and community partners; host elementary and middle school students with campus tours
    3. Wofford Men of Color, Men’s Dinner in partnership with the Northside Voyagers