Are you an incoming first-year Penn State student to University Park campus? Are you looking to build friendships and spend a week in Philadelphia participating in fantastic community service opportunities, both indoors and outdoors? Then consider USE — the Urban Service Experience offered by Shaver’s Creek, Penn State’s Nature Center.
Students enrolled in USE will spend time getting dirty doing trail maintenance at Fairmont Park, assisting residents at Rosemont Retirement Community, providing help at the Hope Lodge, and interacting with children at the Boys & Girls Club of America. Evenings are spent doing cultural and socially-focused activities, like experiencing a guided tour of the inspiring neighborhood murals around Philadelphia.
Not only will you receive two credits and kickstart your academic career at Penn State, you’ll get to do it with a group of like-minded individuals, many of whom remain friends long after their first semester at Penn State.
The Urban Service Experience program is modeled after the award winning ORION program—a week-long backpacking wilderness orientation program for incoming students that has been running successfully since 1996.
Check out this video for an inside look at USE!
Visit the USE page on our website to register or call Shaver’s Creek at (814) 863-2000 for more information.