Alternative Breaks is a program within Leadership and Volunteerism that sends small groups of WKU students to outside communities around the United States to engage in service learning during university breaks.

One of M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan's featured events is Big Red’s Blitz, where participants “blitz” Bowling Green, completing four hours of service at local non-profit agencies/organizations.

Big Red’s Blitz volunteers, also known as “Blitzers,” are sent out into the community in groups to work alongside Big Red, M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan Mentors, and fellow classmates, to complete various service projects. Whether they’re sorting items at The Salvation Army, cleaning up local parks and wooded areas with Bowling Green Public Works, pulling invasive species at Lost River Cave, organizing building materials with Habitat for Humanity, or painting picnic tables at Potter Children’s Home, Blitzers are committed to “getting off the bench” and “doing something big” in their community!

The Dynamic Leadership Institute, known to many as DLI, is designed to teach students the interpersonal skills and knowledge needed to engage in various leadership roles on campus, within the community, and in their futures. 

The High School Leadership Conference (HSLC) is a conference sponsored by the Student Activities Office at WKU for high school students in Kentucky and the surrounding region. The goal is to develop young leaders and prepare them for their futures.

The Office of Student Activities: Leadership & Volunteerism is excited to reconnect with faculty, staff, clubs, student organizations and community groups to offer a variety of leadership trainings. 

Leadership trainings are an excellent way to develop students in and out of the classroom on effective ways to build their individual leadership skills. Sessions can be tailored to meet your needs and to accommodate any group size. We can come to your class, your next organizational meeting or staff development!

https://www.wku.edu/leadership_vol/moth.php 

The multicultural retreat is used to bring WKU students from various backgrounds and cultures together to learn more about one another and 'break down barriers' within the WKU community. All students at the university are invited to participate in the spring semester. This program may take place on campus or on a cultural trip away from campus.

The National Society of Leadership and Success is the largest nationally ranked collegiate honor society in the United States.  The society provides a Leadership development program, speaker broadcasts, scholarships, and awards, with a mission to build leaders that shape a better world. This organization is also known as “Sigma Alpha Pi”. These Greek letters may sound familiar, perhaps reminding one of sororities and fraternities. The difference between regular fraternities and sororities and the NSLS is that NSLS is a group nationally known for their production of many outstanding leaders.

V.I.P (Volunteering In Progress) is a monthly drive program which dedicates each month to a different cause. This program connects students to community service and volunteer opportunities in the community as well as on campus. Alongside drives, V.I.P sponsors monthly volunteer days where students can participate in a day of "action" by giving back to the community. 

Our office works to connect students with volunteer opportunities in the community and to connect the community with WKU volunteers. Check out this page if you are looking for a place to volunteer in the community. If you are part of a community group looking to reach WKU students, contact amelia.kolb@wku.edu with the service site, a short description of volunteer duties, how to sign up, and best contact information.

Weekend in the Woods is a 2-day freshman and sophomore leadership retreat hosted by the Department of Student Activities at Western Kentucky University.  Weekend in the Woods is an exclusive opportunity only available to freshmen and sophomore students at WKU, who want to develop their leadership skills.