Making a World of Difference: Stories about Global Health: COD Community Outreach & Services

Below are just a few examples of the many ways, big and small, that the College collaborates and connects with our Community.

Join the Library in celebrating the mutually beneficial relationships that COD nurtures both inside and outside our classrooms. We sure know how to CONNECT in positive, healthy ways!

College of DuPage is a proud sponsor of the GPS Parent Series. GPS is a 501c3 organization that supports free programs featuring world-renowned authors and clinicians that present relevant, research-based information to support positive youth development. These free programs empower and strengthen families, individuals and communities by sharing practical strategies to help humans of every age thrive. GPS is *free* and open to all. No registration or subscription required! CEUs are available to school staff.

COD Library has THE most extensive collection of GPS titles available for checkout! This ongoing book display is located in the 2nd (main) floor Library lobby. You can also check out our corresponding GPS research guide.

COD Cares, the College’s volunteer corps, actively supports our neighbors, working with local businesses and non-profit organizations while fostering a culture of service among College employees, students and community members.

Through donation drives, on-campus activities and off-campus service opportunities, COD Cares meets the needs of our neighbors with holistic responses. Students, faculty and staff members have logged thousands of volunteer hours supporting local and global Non-profit organizations, including Humanitarian Service Project, DuPage Pads, Bridge Communities, Project C.U.R.E., World Relief, Red Cross, Exodus World Service, Teen Parent Connection, Metropolitan Family Services and Feed My Starving Children. In addition to service, COD Cares has addressed food insecurity by collecting shelf-stable groceries for the campus and neighborhood food pantries, distributing more than 83,000 pounds of groceries, frozen meat, and fresh produce to approximately 2,400 neighbors through a monthly mobile market in partnership with Northern Illinois Food Bank and helping to supply and furnish new apartments for unhoused families.

Whether we are planting community gardens, collecting clothing and food for neighbors in need, or providing health services to low-income families, COD Cares!

Compensated Service Hours

College of DuPage invites all students, faculty and staff to engage in volunteering and contribute to our community. With supervisory approval, the College offers Compensated Service Hours to regular full-time staff and regular part-time classified and managerial staff. 

Service Learning is an academic-based volunteer program that combines volunteer service with academic instruction. Service Learning requires students to volunteer in the community for 15-20 hours for the duration of the semester. Throughout the program, students work with an instructor to connect course concepts with their service experience. 

Service Learning Benefits for Students

• Service Learning strengthens analytical and critical thinking skills.

• Students have the opportunity to gain real-world experience while learning their coursework.

• Students can become involved in assisting with an issue that is affecting their community.

• Service Learning teaches citizenship and social responsibility skills that can last a lifetime.

• Service Learning is a resume builder, and an opportunity you can share on scholarship essays and transfer applications.

• Service Learning can ignite an interest in pursuing service as a career.

If you are interested in learning about Service Learning contact servicelearning@cod.edu.

Service Learning Placement Sites

Expand your comfort zone and learn the importance of civic engagement by participating in service learning! COD service learning placement sites present diverse opportunities that support many aspects of public health including aging, hospice, food insecurity, individuals with disabilities, foreign language/refugee services, outdoors, and youth/tutoring.

Fuel Garden

One service-learning site, the College of DuPage Fuel Garden, supports the COD Fuel Pantry, serving our campus community who identify as food insecure. The Fuel Garden consists of 13 raised garden beds south of HSC, 13 growing beds on the CHC terrace, and 6 hydroponic tower gardens.

The COD Fuel Pantry, located next to the Bookstore just inside SRC Door #1, provides free food and personal care items to all currently enrolled (full or part time) COD students, staff, and faculty with a self-identified need. We believe access to food is essential to academic success, so we work to address food insecurity on campus. Simply register and stop by once, or every week, to shop.

The Fuel Pantry was started by students in 2015 who recognized a significant need in our community. Research found that at that time, 100 out of 750 COD students reported having access to only 1-2 full meals a day, or less than a full meal a day.  As food insecurity continues to impact our campus community, the College of DuPage Foundation proudly partners with the Fuel Pantry accepting donations that stock shelves and feed the hungry.

The Dental Hygiene Clinic at College of DuPage provides a state-of-the-art educational facility and hands-on experience to students while also providing dental hygiene services to the community. Dental Hygiene students are supervised by licensed dental hygiene instructors and clinical dentists.

Services

Under the supervision of licensed dental hygiene instructors and clinical dentists, students provide preventative dental services, including:

• Children and adult teeth cleaning

• Deep scaling

• Fluoride treatments

• Traditional and digital x-rays

Patient Fees

• Clinic fee of $30 (includes: teeth cleaning, toothbrush, toothpaste sample and floss)

• Traditional and digital x-rays: ranging from $15 to $30

• Dental sealants: $8 per tooth

The clinic is free to COD employees, military/veterans and COD students. COD employee families, as well as seniors age 65 and older will receive a 25 percent discount.

For more information or appointments, call (630) 942-3250.

Contact Information

Dental Hygiene Clinic at College of DuPage
Health and Science Center, Room 1122
Directions

College of DuPage offers a multitude of programs, services and arts and cultural initiatives for community members and local businesses who are seeking unique and engaging experiences. In addition, local business and nonprofit organizations can take advantage of free or low-cost training on the Glen Ellyn campus to help them pursue development opportunities to expand their reach and growth potential.

Many COD programs use learning labs for students that give them-real world experience by providing services to the community through offerings like:

• Dental Hygiene Clinic
• Massage Clinic
• Ultrasound scans 
• Waterleaf restaurant
• Culinary Market
• Salon@COD cosmetology clinic
• Inn at Water's Edge 
• Greenhouse 
• Free tax preparation

See everything COD has to offer in your own backyard. Many of these services are free, others have a small fee.

Adult Education

Adult Education at College of DuPage is designed for individuals who have not yet earned a high school diploma. Classes are held two to three days per week at our main campus in Glen Ellyn, with both morning and evening options available to accommodate your schedule. Our mission is to offer free, high-quality instruction and support services to help adults learn English and civics, strengthen reading, writing, and math skills, and prepare for high school equivalency exams.

Students who successfully complete our programs acquire the skills necessary to improve employment opportunities, advance to further education or training and are more involved in their communities.

English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes at College of DuPage help develop your conversation, listening, reading and writing skills. ELA courses are offered year round online and in-person. Classes and books are free. There are seven course levels, beginning through high to intermediate. Classes meet four to 10 hours per week online and at more than 30 locations throughout District 502 during the morning, afternoon and evening.

Contact Information

Adult Education and ELA Office
Student Resource Center (SRC), Room 1110
(630) 942-3697