With nearly 40 teams to choose from in the COVE, there is a volunteer group for everyone. Teams focus on issues such as community advocacy, education, public health, and environmental stewardship.
See the COVE's full list of teams: Get Involved.
Need help choosing the team that is right for you? Stop into the COVE (109 Lathrop) and talk with one of the COVE’s interns or staff advisers, or email them at cove@colgate.edu.
- Hamilton Elementary Tutoring
- Volunteer tutors provide weekly one-on-one or small group instruction to K-4th grade Hamilton Central School students.
- Hamilton Coding Club
- Volunteer coders create fun introductory classes to Scratch & Python programming for 3rd grade Hamilton Central School students each week.
- Liberty Kids
- Volunteers help 1st - 3rd grade Hamilton Central School students to build confidence in reading and foster a love of books through literacy-based activities each week.
- Morrisville Eaton Elementary Tutoring
- Volunteers provide weekly one-on-one or small group tutoring to K-5th grade at Morrisville-Eaton Elementary School.
- MadElementary
- Volunteers support 1st -5th graders at Madison Elementary School by providing additional one-on-one attention in classroom settings and encourage student confidence.
- Colgate SAT Prep
- The SAT Prep program trains Colgate students during the fall semester to provide strategic tutoring for local high school students preparing for the SAT test and other college prep material. Volunteer coaches work with small groups of students during several sessions throughout the spring semester.
- Colgate High School Tutors
- Volunteer tutors help 6th - 12th graders at Hamilton Central School through one-on-one tutoring in specific subject areas.
- MadTutors
- Volunteer tutors assist 6th - 12th graders at Madison Central School through one-on-one tutoring in the classroom weekly.
- Morrisville Eaton Secondary Tutoring
- Volunteer tutors travel weekly to Morrisville-Eaton Secondary School to support 6th-12th graders in specific subject areas.
- Refugee Tutoring
- Volunteers offer homework help and ESL instructions to students age 5 - 12 years old through the Midtown Community Center in Utica, NY.
- BRITE
- Volunteers travel weekly to Sherburne-Earlville Middle School to engage 6th graders in social skill building games, crafts, and sports.
- Sidekicks
- Sidekick mentors pair one-on-one with a local Hamilton Elementary School student between 1st - 4th grade to provide a fun, stable source of mentorship outside the classroom.
- Friends First
- Friends First mentors begin once a "sidekick" has graduated to the 5th grade. Volunteers are paired with Hamilton School students between 5th-12th grade.
- North Broad Street Mentoring
- Volunteers act as positive role models for K-2nd grade students at North Broad Elementary in Oneida, NY and organize fun after-school activities each week.
- North Broad Street Graduates
- NBS Grads help build self-confidence and a positive self-image for 4th-5th grade female-identifying students by facilitating open conversation and fun afterschool activities each week.
- Ophelia’s Girls
- Volunteers support and mentor middle school female-identifying students at Madison Central School through group discussion each week.
- M&M's (Madison Mentors)
- Volunteers pair one-on-one with middle school students at Madison Central to support students as in-school mentors, visiting the classroom each week.
- Colgate Caretakers
- Colgate students partner with the Crouse Community Day Center in Morrisville, NY to support fun, social enrichment activities for adults with cognitive disabilities and diseases.
- Colgate Hunger Outreach Program (CHOP)
- Students directly support four local food pantries in Madison County and coordinate additional advocacy campaigns and fundraisers to address issues of food insecurity.
- Hamilton Fire Fighters
- Dedicated student volunteers undergo intensive training and weekly service shifts as full members of the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department, providing emergency services to residents.
- Madison EMS
- Student volunteers participate in EMT certification training (or are previously certified) and support Madison EMS operations through weekly EMT shifts.
- The Network
- The Network is comprised of student volunteers focused on supporting survivors at Colgate and the larger Hamilton community. They coordinate campus events, youth programming, and advocacy campaigns centered on sexual assault and intimate partner violence prevention.
- Public Health Initiatives
- PHI volunteers partner with local and national coalitions to promote awareness of public health campaigns, best practices, and engagement opportunities.
- Southern Madison County Volunteer Ambulance Corps (SOMAC)
- SOMAC volunteers commit to intensive EMT certification training (or are previously certified) and support the volunteer ambulance corps through an average of 8 on-call hours each week.
- Colgate Buddies
- Volunteers develop friendships with neuro-diverse youth and adults in the Madison County community by organizing group events such as apple pickings and gardening.
- Colgate Vote Project
- CVP is a non-partisan volunteer team working to increase voter registration, education, and election turnout among Colgate students.
- Democracy Matters
- Volunteers work with the national non-profit organization, Democracy Matters, to raise awareness around issues of voting reform and campaign finance.
- Do Random Acts of Kindness (DoRAK)
- DoRAK promotes a pay-it-forward lifestyle in the Colgate community by spreading appreciative and compassionate messaging on campus.
- engAGE
- Volunteers bridge cross-generational gaps through partnerships with local elders in weekly activities such as cooking, crafting, games, and conversation.
- Habitat for Humanity
- HFH volunteers assist local organizations and Habitat for Humanity affiliates in support of affordable housing and community space preservation.
- Friends of Hamilton Manor
- Volunteers travel weekly to provide social interactions with residents at one of the local assisted living facilities.
- Pet Pals
- In partnership with the Chenango SPCA animal shelter, volunteers visit weekly with dogs and cats to help socialize, exercise, and clean.
- Rotaract
- Volunteers support the Hamilton Rotary Club and other Hamilton community events to promote a "service above self" mindset.
- Green Earth Gang
- Volunteers engage with students age 8 - 10 years old at Madison Central School through weekly hands on activities in environmental science.
- Hamilton Outdoor Group
- Volunteers help 4th-6th grade students at Hamilton Central School foster an appreciation for the natural environment through positive outdoor experiences each week.