Thank you for your interest in joining our team! There are three levels of involvement, or tiers, that shape the team roles. Please also review the expectations for becoming a member of the team to give you context for your volunteer work at MESC.
We welcome volunteers and consider their role to be vital as they will be representing The Middle East Studies Center and The Ohio State University. As such we have specific expectations and guidelines and we supervise volunteers carefully. We expect those who take part in our programming and community events to facilitate their organization, execution and follow-up. There are some skills and abilities and skills required and basic rules to be aware of before you apply.
Needed skills and abilities:
- Good organization skills and communication skills for event logistics, registration, and for getting feedback from participants.
- Intercultural experience at home or abroad.
- Arabic, Turkish, Persian, or Hebrew interpretation for events and meetings.
The following expectations apply to most activities:
- To acquaint volunteers with the policies and traditions of the center.
- To provide the volunteer with opportunities for observations of partners as appropriate.
- To involve the volunteer in a variety of activities this might include: meet and greet activities, conference and program registrations, ticket duty, fundraising and marketing projects and developing positive organizational relationships.
- To promote the volunteers understanding of the needs of the center and the consideration of alternatives to meet those needs.
- To establish a positive environment for the volunteer, including acquainting the volunteer with other volunteers and providing the volunteer with appropriate materials, resources and working space.
- To help volunteers become aware of themselves as people who have the potential to be helpful and make a positive impact in the local community.
- To assist volunteers with research, outreach, and education.
Rules & Regulations
- Please arrive to volunteer site at least 15 minutes before your scheduled shift. If you are lost or cannot locate the volunteer site, please telephone a MESC team member immediately.
- To remain an active volunteer and/or cultural consultant, you must participate in at least one volunteer opportunity per semester otherwise, you forfeit your position.
Dress Code:
- Business casual/professional dress (as the event dictates) is required at all times. If you have any questions regarding appropriate dress, please ask a MESC team member.
Conduct/Behavior:
- Chewing gum, while volunteering, is prohibited.
- Eating and drinking should be limited, while volunteering.
- Use of cellular phones, pagers or any other electronic devices, while volunteering, should be limited to emergencies.
- Remember you are representing both The Middle East Studies Center and The Ohio State University in the community
- Remember to remain open-minded and respect difference and diversity
- Smoking is prohibited.
- Consuming alcohol is prohibited.
- Use of illegal drugs is prohibited.