Students who participate in the VIP Program as volunteers can set a schedule that works best for them and may work between 1-10 hours each week. Volunteers support the African American Cultural Center through a wide range of activities, programs, or events. Volunteers can be recurring or serve as needed based on their schedules. Fun fact: our volunteers typically have hiring priority.

Students may participate in the VIP Program through for-credit or non-credit internships.

For-credit internships are typically required components of a degree program and involve placements that enable students to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired during their coursework. For-credit internships may be one semester or one academic year, and the hours required for the internship are generally pre-determined for each degree program. Non-credit internships are available for students who are looking to engage in high-impact learning and service opportunities.

Non-credit internships allow students to develop and apply knowledge and skills, can help students discover personal and professional interests, and look great on resumes. Students who sign up for a non-credit internship work a fixed number of hours (10-15) each week and support the work of the African American Cultural Center in a variety of capacities.

Internships provide opportunities for students to learn leadership, facilitative, and program development experience.

Students may participate in the VIP Program as part of a practicum course required for their degree program. These courses are designed to allow students to gain experience working in their field. Practicum requirements vary by major, and students wishing to fulfill a practicum requirement by working at the African American Cultural Center should contact their advisor to ensure that a placement in the African American Cultural Center will meet the requirements for their program.

VIP participants help out by answering phones, scheduling appointments with staff, checking out library materials, connecting students with resources and keeping the center running during staff meetings or other times when the staff is out of the office.

Learning Outcomes: 

• Participants will develop a comprehensive understanding of the day-to-day operations and inner workings of identity-based campus community centers at institutions of higher learning.
• Participants will assist with the application of best practices to aid in having a successful day-to-day operation for the African American Cultural Center.

VIP participants play a crucial role in many of our outreach and education initiatives by doing the necessary research to find and compile information for a variety of uses, such as our heritage and history month awareness campaigns. Furthermore, we utilize research to assist with AACC decision-making and to guide best practices. DEI research provides VIP participants with a rich opportunity to increase their knowledge and to help educate others.

Learning Outcomes:

• Participants will conduct and analyze research to increase knowledge of various topics across the African diaspora/African American culture.

Participants will work with the African American Cultural Center to plan, compose and construct meaningful and intentional research to add to the body of scholarship on Black folx and for Black folx.

VIP participants will assist the African American Cultural Center with multiple art exhibitions throughout the academic year. VIP participants will develop exhibition content, gallery design, plan artist talks, opening programs and assist with other main components of the production of art exhibitions.

Learning Outcomes:

• Participants will understand the vital role that art plays in capturing various historical and contemporary happenings related to African American and African diaspora cultures.
• Participants will build upon this knowledge by assisting with the execution of various art exhibitions for the Cultural Center.

VIP participants will assist the African American Cultural Center Library through circulation desk support, shelving/shelf reading, weeding, collection development and provide support for the “Everything Black Club” and Afterhours Study Vibes, and assist the library coordinator in ongoing outreach initiatives. In addition to library programming support, support will also include assisting the library coordinator with ongoing African American Cultural Center archival projects.

Learning Outcomes: 

• Participants will develop a holistic understanding of the growing importance of literature and research for the African diaspora and classify what works enhance the collection.
• Participants will assist with the implementation of intentional programming that supports the mission, vision and direction of the African American Cultural Center Library.

VIP participants will assist the African American Cultural Center by assisting with program and event support through every step of the program planning/implementation stages. VIP participants will be able to develop strategic program/event ideas, support program/event marketing needs, assist with set-up and takedown of various programs and assist with assessment.

Learning Outcomes: 

• Participants will identify and demonstrate best practices for effective DEI programming and event management.
• Participants will help lead the execution of African American Cultural Center signature programs and events to include carrying out the planning and assessment stages