Bowdoin Volunteer Corps (BVC)

Bear Buddies

Bear Buddies is a program held on Bowdoin’s campus every weekend that works with children who have physical and/or mental disabilities. A typical Saturday includes arts, crafts, sports, or a scavenger hunt!

Bears and Cubs

Bear and Cubs meets with local children every other Sunday to engage in a variety of activities & build trusting relationships, affiliated with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Bowdoin Bear PALS

Bowdoin Bear PALS volunteers work one-on-one as tutors and mentors with ESL students in the Brunswick School District.

Bowdoin Central Mentoring

Bowdoin Central Mentoring supports third to fifth grade students (ages 8-11) identified by partner schools' social workers as needing extra support. Our mentors provide social and emotional guidance through recess activities and help address any challenges the mentees face.

Brunswick High School Mentoring

Brunswick High School (BHS) Mentoring is a one-on-one, social-based mentoring program that provides additional support, bonding, and friendship for local high school students who seek that extra connection beyond their schoolmates, teachers, or even family.

Curtis Digital Literacy Center

A few times a semester, the Curtis Digital Literarcy Center holds open office hours in the library and helps anyone who comes in with basic tasks and troubleshooting on their device. Our volunteer group increases digital literacy and connects Bowdoin students to community members. It also saves the library staff time and work!

Friends Fostering Leadership in Youth (FFLY)

Friends Fostering Leadership in Youth began in 2012 as an organization that aims to instill leadership skills, confidence, and a sense of community in Bath Middle School students. We specifically support girls and nonbinary students and help guide them through their transition into teenagers.

Maine College Circle

Bowdoin volunteers partner with Maine College Circle to inform and inspire early aspirations and to empower the youth of rural Maine to build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.

Multilingual Mainers

Multilingual Mainers exposes K-2 students to a language other than English through books and conversation. Volunteers share their love of languages and cultures while receiving training and support from elementary educators. The program is hosted at Kate Furbish Elementary School in Brunswick; learn more about the program.

Next Steps

Next Steps provides support to high school students navigating the process of postsecondary planning.

Bears for World Health

Bears for World Health works to redistribute used / “expired” medical goods from hospitals throughout the Northeast to countries around the globe. Our members spend half days on Saturdays by going to the Partners for World Health facility down in Portland where they sort, package, and ultimately ship goods across the globe.

Bowdoin Emergency Medicine Club

Bowdoin Emergency Medicine Club works to connect Bowdoin students with emergency medical training such as ambulance driving and EMT volunteer opportunities with Harpswell Neck Fire and Rescue.

Bowdoin Public Health Club

The Bowdoin Public Health Club (BPHC) works to connect students with local public-health oriented community partner organizations for individual or group volunteering opportunities. Current community partners include Harpswell Aging at Home (HAH), MCHPP, SNAP Brunswick, Adaptive Outdoor Education, and Portland Free Clinic Community (PFCC).

Bowdoin Women in Science (BWISE)

Bowdoin Women in Science aims to encourage women to enter scientific fields and has the greater purpose to further the equality of women working in science.

Oasis Free Clinics Volunteers

Students assist with either clinical or administrative tasks associated with running a non-profit primary care clinic that provides free medical, dental and prescription assistance to uninsured adults living in Midcoast Maine.

Red Cross Blood Drives

Students organize, volunteer at the "canteen" and reception desk, and recruit donors for four campus-wide Red Cross blood drives per year.

Animal Aids

This group aids Midcoast Humane by providing a significant number of volunteers to do basic level work, ensuring that full-time employees can focus on veterinary care and the movement of animals.

Bowdoin Alzheimer’s Association  

The Bowdoin Alzheimer's Association is a student organization dedicated to raising awareness of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and to planning, organizing, and hosting fundraising events in support of the Alzheimer's Association.

Bowdoin Collective for the Environment

The Bowdoin Collective for the Environment (BCE) is an action network of students and community partners in the greater Brunswick area working to optimize positive environmental impact and counteract the regional effects of climate change.

Bowdoin for Justice

Bowdoin for Justice partners with four different criminal justice-related organizations to facilitate community engagement opportunities for students to make meaningful change in the carceral system.

Bowdoin Preservation Collective

The Bowdoin Preservation Collective (BPC) aims to preserve the history and culture of Bowdoin College through collaborating with local organizations such as the Pejepscot History Center to bring awareness to local history. The club endeavors to create their own educational programming through walking tours, museum exhibits, and events for students from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Friends of Adaptive Outdoor Education Center

This group seeks to provide additional support to the AOEC center through attending their biweekly parents' night out sessions and helping provide activities for participants. They will also help them with trail cleanups, other monthly activities such as dances, and weekly music sessions.

Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project

Student volunteers work with the Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project to provide legal options to low-income Maine residents, helping them to navigate the civil justice system.

Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program Volunteers

Students work in Brunswick's local food bank and soup kitchen (serving meals, assisting clients, sorting donations, etc), volunteering on either a regular or as-needed basis, in cooperation with MCHPP's volunteer base.

Polar Mail

Polar Mail connects elders in the community with students on campus in a pen-pal manner, to create lasting bonds over time.

The Rotaract Club

The Rotaract club brings people together to develop leadership and professional skills, and have fun through service. The Rotary Club of Brunswick and Rotaract student members work side by side to take action through service.

Sunnybrook Village Volunteers

Volunteers spend time with the residents of the Sunnybrook Village retirement and assisted-living community. In past visits, we've played ping-pong, listened music, and engaged with the community members.

Tedford Housing Volunteers

Tedford Housing volunteers work with children living in the family shelter of Tedford Housing. We hope to inspire creativity, build self confidence, and generate relationships with the children through intentional arts and crafts activities and games.