Class of 2026
Welcome to NCSSM, Class of 2026!
I'm sure you've heard that phrase a few times since your acceptance in April. However, I'd like to welcome you yet another time as you prepare to embark on an adventure like you've never experienced. My name is Sue Anne Lewis and I am the Service Learning Coordinator who overses the NCSSM Service Requirement for both NCSSM-Durham and NCSSM-Morganton. I have been a Community Coordinator (shout out to 1st Hunt) at NCSSM-Durham since 2004 and have served as the Service Learning Coordinator since 2011.
One stop on your adventure will be completing the NCSSM Service Requirement. This is a graduation requirement and must be completed by all students at NCSSM-Durham and NCSSM-Morganton. Below, you will find out the guidelines of the requirement. I've made this page especially for you since NCSSM will be transitioning to a new platform at the end of May/beginning of June for some of its services, including tracking service hours. The information below is the same information included on the Guidelines tab without LetServe (previously tracking platform) included.
If you have any questions about the information below, please do not hesitate to reach out.
The Service requirement at NCSSM has been a staple since the school's beginning, allowing students to give back to their home community and the state of North Carolina. Students are able to being volunteering the day following NCSSM commemencement of the academic year they were accepted (Class of 2026 may begin volunteering May 26, 2024). Students can volunteer at any point from the date above until the last day of Thanksgiving Break of their senior year to complete the 60 hour minimum requirement.
Please carefully read the FAQ below and email servicelearning@ncssm.edu with any questions or concerns you may have.
What do I need to do in order to complete the NCSSM Service Requirement?
To complete the NCSSM Service Requirement, students must complete all 3 parts of the requirement.
Students must complete a minimum of 60 hours of service.
Must attend a presentation session during their junior year to learn about opportunities
Present their service to a faculty/staff member and their peers during presentation week of their senior year.
When can my service begin? When should my service be completed?
Your service may begin May 26, 2024. All hours must be completed and entered into the new tracking platform by the last day of Thanksgiving Break senior year.How many hours do I have to complete?
Students must complete a total of 60 hours of service to fulfill the NCSSM Service Requirement.Does my service hours have to be completed during the summer?
Students may complete any hours at any point up until last day of Thanksgiving Break of their senior year.Do my hours of service have to take place in NC?
Due to the original philosophy behind the Service Requirement (giving back to North Carolina residents) all service must have some content in NC. The only exceptions are circumstances where the student resides with a second parent out-of-state during the time of the service opportunity; or if the student resides in a community bordering Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Georgia and the service opportunity is more accessible in the neighboring state. If a student is traveling to another country, they can request volunteer hours be allowed in advance by contacting the Service Learning Coordinator. If a student is approved to volunteer abroad, a maximum of 40 hours can be counted towards the NCSSM Service Requirement and 20 hours must still take place in NC. The Service Learning Coordinator should be informed of these special circumstances ahead of time, so that they can be a factor in considering final service approval. You can explain these instances in an email to the Service Learning Coordinator at servicelearning@ncssm.edu.
How do I record my service hours?
NCSSM has recently aquired a new platform which has the ability to track service hours. This platform is in the beginning stages of onboarding at NCSSM and will hopefully be ready to launch publically by the end of May/beginning of June.
Who can approve my hours?
Adults who are not related to you and are not a member of the most recent graduating NCSSM class who are a supervisor at the organization should approve service hours in SchooLinks.
What types of service hours count towards my NCSSM Service Requirement?
Volunteering at nonprofit organizations, hopsitals through the volunteer program (Shadowing doctors/nurses does not qualify), schools, NC local government programs (please email the service learning coordinator to make sure your program will count), and qualifying NCSSM opportunies.
What would NOT count for service? (This list is not exhaustive of everything that would not count for your service, but is a list of common ones received. As new ones come up, they will be added to this list.)
Internships: Some organization classify what would be considered service as an internship. If your opportunity is listed/advertised as an internship, please reach out to the service learning coordinator to approve the opportunity as service.
Donation Drives/Collection: Collecting items to donate to an organization
Shadowing doctors/nurses: (volunteering must be done through the volunteer coordinator at the hospital)
Doing something on your own to assist someone else (i.e. tutoring a student on your own, helping someone with yard work, etc)
What qualifies as service at NCSSM?
NCSSM opportunities include: volunteering through official NCSSM Service Learning opportunities, volunteering through a chartered NCSSM club where the service opportunity meets the requirements below, a service opportunity offered by a residence hall or NCSSM faculty/staff member.
What DOES NOT qualify as service?
Students cannot “double dip” service hours, meaning students cannot receive credit for their service academically, as an award, or receive any recognition and for the service requirement. Therefore, students may not use NCSSM summer research or mentorship hours to complete the service requirement as students are already receiving academic credit for the research experience. An example of double dipping outside of NCSSM would be hours for the Eagle and Gold Awards. In addition, students may not tutor NCSSM students in any capacity (through campus service or otherwise) for NCSSM Service Requirement hours.
The NCSSM Service Requirement hours must be separate from any type of award or recognition except the Durham Mayor’s Award, the Presidential Service Award, or the NCSSM Outstanding Service Award (awarded to students who complete more than 150 hours of service). NCSSM is NOT a qualifying organization for the Presidential Award. Students interested in the Presidential or Durham Mayor's Award should look at the websites for information about how to receive the award.
What club service would qualify as service for the NCSSM Service Requirement?
NCSSM clubs can receive NCSSM Service Requirement credit for service hours completed should certain guidelines be met. These guidelines can be reviewed on the Club Service page via Google Slidedeck or presentation recording.
Can my hours on Martin Luther King Jr Day count towards my NCSSM Service Requirement?
Yes! Those who volunteer on MLK Day through the NCSSM Service Learning opportunities or NCSSM club opportunities may register their hours throughthe service platform to count for the Service Requirement. Do note that students would only be able to use hours from MLK Day during their junior year as MLK Day during senior year is after the deadline to complete all hours.
Can I use hours working with a research opportunity to fulfill my NCSSM Service Requirement hours?
Students can use research opportunities to fulfill their NCSSM Service Requirement if the agency is a nonprofit and located in NC. The NCSSM summer research and mentorship experiences do not fulfill this requirement as the student is already receiving credit for the course. If a student plans to volunteer at a nonprofit research laboratory, there are a few stipulations: the students work cannot be published and/or credited with any findings that will lead to financial gain, awards, or recognition and the student cannot use this type of service to fulfill assignments and/or requirements set forth by NCSSM or another organization.
May I use a service trip through a nonprofit organization to fulfil my service requirement hours?
Service trips to other states or abroad may be used to fulfil service requirement hours as long as: 1) the organization is a nonprofit organization based in NC and 2) a minimum of 20 hours are completed with the organization prior to or following the trip at the organization in NC. If a student participates in a service trip, the student may not include the following hours: time spent traveling, sightseeing, sleeping, etc. Students may only count time spent actively engaged in volunteer efforts.
Can I tutor with a virtual tutoring organization to fulfill my service hours?
Online tutoring platforms must serve residents of NC and be located in NC. At this time, the only approved online tutoring platforms are: SMath Tutors, NC Virtual Public Schools Peer Tutoring, ViP Tutoring, TutorLion.
Can I accept a form of monetary compensation for my service?
Students cannot accept any form of monetary compensation (cash, checks, stipend, gift cards, etc.). NCSSM Service hours are strictly voluntary and must be unpaid. Any student who receives monetary compensation for their NCSSM Service Requirement hours will be subject to disciplinary action as determined by the Service Learning Coordinator and Director of Student Services.
Can students count prior service towards their NCSSM Service Requirement hours?
Service hours may not begin for a student until the day following NCSSM Commencement during their sophomore year. Students have from that date until the end of Thanksgiving Break of their senior year to complete the required hours.