Complementary Learning

Some kinds of learning are best accomplished outside the classroom, so an important part of the Honors Program is participation in activities that complement traditional academic work. Complementary learning activities typically involve service to the community, and participating in events that expose students to new cultures or challenge their ways of thinking about their relationship to the larger society.

SUBMIT COMPLEMENTARY LEARNING HERE

Complementary Learning Quick Guide

Tips for earning and submitting your complementary learning hours:

• All submissions must be made through the Honors webform
• Submit your hours contemporaneously - within 30 days of when you took part in the activity
• The maximum number of hours that can be submitted for one activity is 15
• Students are required to earn a minimum of 20 hours per year as long as they are earning Honors Points, for a minimum total of 70 hours
• If you are unsure if an activity will count for complementary learning send us an email first
• And always reach out to honors@rit.edu with any questions, or stop in the office to ask us about complementary learning

Check the Honors Handbook for more detailed information about what counts as complementary learning, how to report what you've done, and how many hours you need.

Current and Ongoing Opportunities:

Please see below events and activities that are approved by the Honors Program office for Complementary Learning. This webpage is updated regularly to add new opportunities - but they are in no way the only activities you can take part in to earn complementary learning hours. Please reach out to the Honors office if you have any questions. 

Saunders College of Business is hosting the New York State Region 10 High School DECA Competition on December 17, 2024. DECA students present their business plans to local business leaders who served as the competition’s judges. A variety of subjects are at the center of each business plan including accounting applications, business finance, marketing management, and retail merchandising to name a few.

SCB is looking for volunteers to assist with set up, manage tables, greet and direct students, monitor lunch, collect students' money for lunch at Ritz/Brick City, monitor students during the guest speaker's presentation, and distribute tickets. 

More details about these roles can be found here. 

This event will be all day, primarily located in the Gordon Field House and SAU.

Volunteers can sign up here.

The RIT community is invited to the 8th annual Let Freedom Ring program commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year's keynote speaker is Irshad Altheimer, the Ellen M. Granberg Endowed Professor and professor of criminal justice and the Director of the Center for Public Safety Initiatives (CPSI).  

This event is an approved complementary learning opportunity. 

January 20
Keynote Address from 10:30-11:30am in Ingle Auditorium
Reception from 11:30am-1:00pm in Fireside Lounge

Learn more and register here: Let Freedom Ring | Diversity and Inclusion | RIT

RIT Cosplay Troupe runs a 100% student-led cosplay convention and is looking for student volunteers to help run the event. Tasks may include checking badges, checking in with panelists, working with special guests, and helping with artists in the 'merch market'. SnowFest is January 25, 2025 from 9am-10pm in RIT SAU and Campus Center.

Applications to volunteer are open until January 1, 2025. Cosplay SnowFest - Volunteer Application

Learn more about SnowFest here: Cosplay SnowFest

Deborah Archer is the eighth President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), she leads America’s premier civil rights and civil liberties organization. But it’s not the first time this civil rights lawyer, scholar and teacher has fought for what’s right. In fact, she has been doing it since she was a child.

The first person of color to lead the ACLU, Archer is a leading civil rights and civil liberties advocate, civil rights lawyer, professor, writer and commentator. Her talks explore the intersection of race, civil liberties and the law — challenging audiences to confront America’s legacy of racism and injustice. She also helps audiences understand how systemic racism impacts all aspects of American life, from our workplaces and campuses to transportation, education, housing, economic opportunity, criminal law and more.

In addition to serving as the eighth President of the ACLU, Archer is Professor of Clinical Law at the New York University School of Law, and Faculty Director of the Law School’s Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law. Previously, she was an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the ACLU, where she litigated in the areas of voting rights, employment discrimination and school desegregation. Archer was also a member of the faculty at New York Law School and an associate at the international law firm, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025 | 12:00-2:00PM
RIT Gordon Field House and Activities Center
RSVP for this event here! 

RIT Running and Multisport Club is looking for volunteers to help run their annual Try-a-Tri. Try-a-Tri is a beginner friendly triathlon where participants do a 15 minute swim, 15 minute bike ride, and 15 minute run, all inside Gordon Field House. Volunteers will help count laps in the pool and track, document wattage on bikes, and run check in. This year’s Try-a-Tri will be raising money for Camp Good Days, a local summer camp for children fighting cancer.

Volunteers can sign up for the entire time, or take shifts. The first shift will be 6:40am-9am, and the second shift is 9am-11am.

Please reach out to Nick Duggan at nkd2840@rit.edu if you are interested in volunteering. 

February 23, 2025 
RIT Gordon Fieldhouse 

With direction from Humanities NY, Honors program Assistant Director Garth Freeman will be leading a series of reading and discussion sessions meant to engage students in dialogue around what it means to serve. This text-based discussion forum will use selections of poems and excerpts from larger works taken from The Civically Engaged Reader to generate dialogues about our roles and responsibilities as citizens and members of our local, regional, and global communities. These sessions will activate ideas about how we can individually and collectively address social challenges and work towards positive change in our personal and professional lives. These one-hour sessions will count towards Complementary Learning. 

Upcoming dates:
1/17 @ 12:30 pm No Pizza - SAU 1829 Room MLK’s sermon - The Drum Major Instinct

Tora-Con 2025 is seeking leaders for their team! 

Tora-Con is an annual two-day convention in Rochester, NY celebrating anime, cosplay, and nerd culture in general. Help run a full weekend of guests, performances, anime-themed events, games, and convention fun!

RIT Anime Club is currently looking for the following leadership positions: Revenue, Media, Operations, and Events. If you're interested in any of these roles, learn more at an RIT Anime Club's General Meeting, Fridays at 7pm in Gosnell A300.

Registration link: Registration Link

Attend an Honors Council meeting to learn more about getting involved in the Honors Program! Council meetings are a great way to meet and talk to your college's delegate, hear updates on Honors events, and provide feedback and suggestions for what you want to see. Honors Council meetings are every other Monday. The next meetings for the Fall semester are 11/18 and 12/2. 

Attending Council meetings counts for 1/2 hour of complementary learning.

Connect with Rochester!

The CLCE has an ongoing list of local organizations looking for volunteers that can be found here. They have a variety of focuses to explore, including Food Justice, Housing, Community Development, Environment, Animal Welfare, Activism, Youth Development, Health and Wellness, and Parks and Recreation!

Volunteer at the MAG

“Ask Me” volunteers are the backbone of all MAG events. They help contribute to MAG’s mission by welcoming and providing a friendly atmosphere for guests of the museum during special events. Prospective volunteers must be 18 and older and apply by filling out the application below. There are no educational requirements, but one should have an interest in art, strong communication skills, commitment to a short training session, and a minimum of a 2-3 hour assignment each month.

Fill out the Volunteer Form here!

Volunteer at the National Kidney Foundation

🌟 The National Kidney Foundation of Upstate and Western NY is on the lookout for passionate volunteers! Whether it's diving into administrative roles or capturing the heart of their events with photography - there's a spot for you! 📸
Connect with Kristen West Ryan for more information

• 📞 : 585.598.3963 x373

kristen.ryan@kidney.org
By volunteering, you’re not just helping out - you're championing the Kidney Foundation’s vital programs and showing immense love to our local Kidney Community.
🌐 Learn more: National Kidney Foundation

(Please note to submit hours to CLCE and select Honors as your associated club/org to receive comp learning!)

Volunteer with Shift2

🌟Shift2 is a non profit organization on a mission to maximize the usefulness of existing technology to make a positive impact on people’s lives. They are conveniently located on Jefferson road.

Volunteer Duties Include:

• Wiping hard drives
• Troubleshooting devices
• Installing Operating Systems
• Physically cleaning computers
• Dismantling and recycling parts
• Sorting RAMs for resell
• Matching Computer Monitors

Available Monday- Friday anytime from 9am-6pm
📧Contact Lisa M. Muhammad at lisa@shift2nfp.org for more information.

Volunteer at Deaf Refugee Advocacy

Seeking enthusiastic volunteers to further their mission. Presently, they have openings for the following positions:

1. Teacher Resource Aide: Assisting in teaching ASL, English, and other subjects to our students.
2. Special Projects: Involvement in various special initiatives.
3. Transportation Provider: Offering support to clients requiring transportation to and from the office or specific locations.

Should you have any queries about volunteering, training, or require further information, please don't hesitate to contact them at
📧 (inquiry@deafrefugeeadvocacy.org) or via video phone 585-286-3440.

Volunteer with Tru-impact

Join TRU-Impact Inc. and Empower Rochester's Youth!
🌟 Passionate about making a difference? TRU-impact is looking for student volunteers to tutor and mentor local youth. Be a part of a dynamic team, helping children reach their full potential!

📚 Schedule: 1-2 times a week, 4:30-6 pm, Mon-Thurs.

Contact TRU-impact:

📩 Deanna Baddley:
deanna@truimpactroc.org
🌐 Learn more: TRU-impact

The YWCA is a powerful resource in our community, helping women and girls by empowering them to regain control of their lives and get on the path to a healthy, successful future. YWCA is seeking volunteers who want to make a difference.
For more information, please reach out to April Allen at allen@ywcarochester.org or sign up here

Volunteer at the Willow Center

Willow Center is the only New York State certified domestic violence service provider serving Monroe County. Our mission is to prevent domestic violence and ensure every survivor has access to the services and supports needed along the journey to a safe and empowered life.
If interested, reach out to volunteer@WillowCenterNY.org

Volunteer at the League of Women Voters

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy. Volunteers help set up registration tables and engage in activities like postcard writing and distributing non-partisan literature.
If interested in volunteering, please fill out this form.

Volunteer at the the Agape Haven

We are a growing grassroots organization meeting needs of the under-served population, especially women and girls. We empower our community using a holistic approach by providing access to educational resource, social emotional support and food security. 

To volunteer, contact Julia Oakley at info@agapehavenofabundance.org or Sign up Here!

Volunteer with Flower City Pickers

Flower City Picker's mission is to support the local community with free food through the recovery and redistribution of safe but otherwise landfill-bound food. By enriching other hunger relief agencies and local farms, Flower City Pickers strives to establish and grow a platform for waste prevention and civic engagement. Since our start, we have recovered and redistributed one million pounds of food, keeping it in our neighbors' hands and bellies instead of the landfill.

Volunteers meet at the Rochester Public Market Saturdays between 2:30-4:00 pm to collect unsold food from the vendors that would otherwise be thrown away. These items are packaged and are then distributed to local agencies that directly serve the people in our community that can benefit from these donations. Follow this link for more information and to sign up: VOLUNTEER — FLOWER CITY PICKERS | FEEDING PEOPLE, NOT LANDFILLS

Volunteer with Rochester Greenovation

Rochester Greenovation helps people in Rochester NY keep things out of the landfill by running a second-hand store where you can donate items others can use, and where people on a budget can buy things at a very reasonable price. They sell a huge array of items needed for every-day living: furniture, clothes, tools, plates and glasses, pots and pans, as well as records, artwork, and odd bits of Rochester history and culture.

Volunteer at the store or to help with special projects by visiting: Volunteer — Rochester Greenovation (rocgreenovation.org)

Volunteer with Generation Two (G2)

Generation Two (G2) is a program run through The Strong National Museum of Play that connects community volunteers with kindergarten and first-grade students for one-on-one, child-directed play sessions in Rochester-area elementary schools. The sessions are designed to help the children practice social-emotional skills, build self-confidence, and forge intergenerational relationships—all while having a lot of fun doing so! They would love to welcome any interested individuals as either weekly or one-off play buddy volunteers. You can find more information here: Generation Two

Volunteer with Jewish Family Services

JFS volunteers are a diverse group of Rochesterians, united by their passion for serving the community in meaningful ways – from delivering meals, providing companionship to older adults, supporting new moms, providing literacy services, and much more. You can volunteer with JFS in many different capacities and programs. Check out their opportunities here: Jewish Family Services of Rochester

Volunteer with R Community Bikes

Volunteer as mechanics at the Rochester community bike shop where you can restore donated bikes that are given away to people in need. No prior mechanical skill/bike knowledge is required. They conduct training/orientations about every 6 weeks at 226 Hudson Ave, Rochester, NY 14605.
Interested students can visit the website here: R Community Bikes

Volunteer with Rochester Education Foundation

REF is looking for college student volunteers to help guide and inform high school and middle school students on career opportunities and options! You can learn more about College Connect and other opportunities here: Rochester Education Foundation