For Community Partners

Partner with the Student Community Engagement Center 

The Student Community Engagement Center (SCEC) is continually seeking partnerships with community organizations in the Portland Metro area. If you are a community organization interested in partnering with the University either to recruit student volunteers and interns or seeking University support for a project or initiative, please read below.

Share Your Volunteer Opportunities with Students through GivePulse

Get the word out about volunteer opportunities and (unpaid) internships! By creating a profile on GivePulse and affiliating with PSU's GivePulse Service Opportunities Portal, you will be able to advertise your upcoming, ongoing, and recurring volunteer opportunities to the PSU campus.

• Create your GivePulse profile and register your organization here -- just make sure to check that your organization is not already in the GivePulse System.
• You can find a short how-to to explain the process here.
• You can also watch a couple basic instructional videos, one providing an overview of GivePulse and the other showing you how to create your community partner profile and affiliate with PSU.
• GivePulse also has helpful resources, like this tutorial on how to post volunteer opportunities. 

Serve Your City Projects

The Student Community Engagement Center hosts Serve Your City projects as a way to encourage students to get involved with service opportunities in the community one a project-by-project basis, knowing some students are still exploring their interests and/or may not have the time to commit to a longer opportunities. Throughout the term, we set up a handful of one-time service experiences ranging from 2-4 hours, on weekdays, weekends, and evenings, depending on scheduling needs. We are especially looking for projects that are accessible within 30 minutes of PSU by public transit. If you are interested in hosting a service opportunity for our students to engage with in a Serve Your City Day, please contact volunteer@pdx.edu to let us know what kind of projects you have in mind.

Student Leaders for Service 

The Student Leaders for Service program matches students with community partner host sites to serve 4-6 hours/week for the full academic year in direct, indirect, and/or advocacy-based volunteer roles. SLS members can serve as liaisons, helping connect organizations to the PSU campus and working to promote further engagement of PSU students with their host sites and in the broader community. Applications to serve as an SLS member host site typically open in February, six months before new academic year begins, and students are connected with community partners between May and August. 

The Student Community Engagement Center is no longer seeking community partner sites for the 2025-26 Student Leaders for Service program. If you are interested in learning more and possibly partnering with us for the following academic year 2026-27, please see the Student Leaders for Service program position description to get a better idea of the program and what we expect of students. We will invite community partner host sites to apply for the 2026-27 academic year in February 2026. Please contact volunteer@pdx.edu for more information or to express interest in serving as a future host site.

Other Ideas?

Set up a meeting with our Coordinator, Melia Tichenor, to discuss and explore other options for partnerships. Partnership meetings primarily take place during the summer months and/or December & March to allow for conversation and exploration before the start of the next term. Email: tichenor@pdx.edu. 

The Student Community Engagement Center is one of various access points for community partners. The PSU schools, departments, and programs below are also committed to partnering and collaborating with the community. 

PSU Schools, Departments, and Programs

Interested in working with academic classes at Portland State? 

A key component of PSU’s commitment to letting knowledge serve the city is our course-based community engagement and community-based learning (CBL). Might the work of your organization be of particular interest to engineering or economics students? Not sure which courses might be a good fit for you? Reach out to Harold McNaron (hmcnaron@pdx.edu) for more information.

Partner with the School of Social Work

The School of Social Work recognizes the need for field placements that provide opportunities for students to be exposed to a range of roles and skills, client populations, service delivery models, community resources and the development of social work competencies. For more information check out the School of Social Work website or contact field program assistant Jessica Hayes at jessica.hayes@pdx.edu.

Partner with the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program

Women’s Studies majors and students earning a post-baccalaureate certificate in Women’s Studies complete 6 credit hours of practicum as part of their degree requirements. Through the practicum, students put their knowledge to practical use as they work with an on- and/or off-campus organization to further its mission.
Contact Vicki Reitenauer, (503) 725-5847, vicr@pdx.edu.

Partner with University Studies Capstone Courses

If you would like to create a partnership with one of the University Studies Capstone Courses, contact Seanna Kerrigan, Director of the Capstone Program at (503) 725-8392 or email at kerrigans@pdx.edu.

Partner with School of Business Capstone Course

Portland State University's School of Business invites community organizations to partner with our Senior Capstone program, where interdisciplinary teams of senior business students collaborate with local businesses and nonprofits to address real-world challenges. Over a 10-week academic term, these student teams apply their comprehensive academic knowledge to projects such as market assessments, feasibility studies, and strategic business plans, providing valuable insights and actionable solutions tailored to your organization's needs.This collaboration not only supports your strategic objectives but also offers students practical experience in navigating the complexities of today's business environment.

By partnering with PSU's Capstone program, your organization can benefit from fresh perspectives and innovative approaches. Our students, guided by experienced faculty, are equipped to assist in areas including human resources, marketing, finance, and supply chain management. Engaging with the Capstone program fosters a mutually beneficial relationship, contributing to the growth and development of both your organization and our students. To explore this opportunity and learn more about becoming a community partner, please visit our website; https://www.pdx.edu/business/community-partners

Additional Campus Resources

Post Jobs and Paid (or Volunteer) Internships to Handshake

If you would like to post jobs and/or paid (or volunteer) internships for students, consider utilizing our Handshake jobs and internships database, managed by our campus Career Center. More information can be found on the PSU Careers page.