A UF organization is hoping to use social media to serve the Gainesville community.
The Center for Leadership and Service is working with Student Government to launch #UFgivesback, a campaign that will help track students’ community service work.
Community Involvement and Service Director Kathryn Bonti said students will be taught how to connect volunteer work with technology they already use.
“We know students are doing service,” Bonti said. “We just haven’t had a way to track it until now.”
She said UF hasn’t been a strong contender for the President’s Community Service Honor Roll for Higher Education, which is a national award, in several years because CLS staff suspects students don’t report all their community service hours.
Now, when students post information about their community service work to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #UFgivesback, the CLS can use analytics to track their efforts, Bonti said.
“We really want to get people to see that there’s a larger community that you can be a part of,” she said.
Daniel Sibol, CLS community engagement coordinator, said though most students are only in Gainesville for four years, it’s important to get involved early.
“Get off campus, experience Gainesville and give back to the community you’ve been adopted into,” he said.
On Friday, program volunteers will gather on the Plaza of the Americas from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to give out cotton candy, popcorn and information about how to get involved.
A version of this story ran on page 9 on 1/15/2014 under the headline "UF service to be tracked with hashtag"
