Madison House Programs, UVA Students
Madison House
Get Involved with Madison House at UVA

Whether you're passionate about health care, education, environmental sustainability, or animal welfare, Madison House offers a wide range of programs to match your interests. Discover how to become a volunteer in one of our programs!

Get Involved with Madison House at UVA
Volunteer Stories, UVA Students
Madison House
Student Leadership: Chelsea Li

As a first year at the University of Virginia (UVA), Chelsea Li (CLAS ‘20) wanted to soak up all the opportunities that the University had to offer. She found herself exploring new clubs and classes and was especially eager to be in the community. “In high school,” she said, “I felt as if I was missing a lot of the learning that happens outside the classroom.” This desire to stretch her curiosity across disciplines and interests, along with an intrinsic desire to uplift those around her, was what first brought Chelsea to Madison House.

Student Leadership: Chelsea Li
Alumni, Volunteer Stories, Student Athletes
Madison House
Olympic Silver Medalist Paige Madden’s Madison ...

The House has long been a place where students can come to find or rediscover themselves and their place within the community. This held true for Paige, who shared that “it gives me peace of mind knowing that I am a good swimmer but that's not what defines me. There's so much more to life, like helping others. My time at Madison House has allowed me to see that.”

Olympic Silver Medalist Paige Madden’s Madison House Experience
COVID-19, UVA Students
Madison House
Madison House Youth Mentoring Volunteer ...

Kruse, from Ridgeland, Mississippi, is a fourth-year student in the McIntire School of Commerce. She initially got involved in the program because of her prior experience in advocacy work.

“Ultimately, the goal of the program is for students to learn about environmental science through a native lens,” Kruse said. “Maelee Hearington, another UVA student, and I wrote the curriculum to focus on science, social activism and social justice. We also provide additional resources like workbooks, markers, easels and notebooks.”

Madison House Youth Mentoring Volunteer Inspires Native American Youth Through Science
COVID-19, UVA Students
Madison House
Hoos Helping (Virtually!)

On March 11, 2020, all Madison House in-person volunteering was suspended in an effort to slow the emergence of COVID-19. Shortly after, a Spring Action Team headed by Madison House student volunteers Simmy Bhatia, Caroline Hallowell, and Mikaela Rirchardson worked in coordination with Dr. Rose Cole, the Madison House Director of Community Engagement, to begin developing a virtual volunteering initiative called "Hoos Helping."

Hoos Helping (Virtually!)

Class of 2020: Aspiring Doctor Takes Aim at Health Inequities

Class of 2020: Aspiring Doctor Takes Aim at Health Inequities

Among the many University of Virginia experiences that have shaped Avery Bullock’s professional aspirations, two in particular stand out.

One is a sociology course that Bullock, who earned her undergraduate degree in biology from UVA in 2018 and will complete master’s in public health in May, took during her third year, “The Sociology of Health and Society.” It was one of her favorite sociology courses, and the discussions around how socioeconomic standing influences health felt like a clarion call to the aspiring physician, who will enter medical school in the fall.

“It just captured me,” said Bullock, a Richmond resident who grew up attending UVA football and basketball games. “I decided then to apply for the master’s in public health program before going to medical school.”

Another factor in that decision? Two senior ladies that Bullock met through Madison House’s Adopt a Grandparent program, which pairs UVA students with senior citizens in the Charlottesville community. Bullock has volunteered with the program for six years, meeting with the same two “grandmothers,” both of whom live in a low-income nursing home in Charlottesville.

“They have been crucial to my experience at UVA,” she said.

Full Speed Ahead: The Coronavirus Isn't Derailing Madison House From Its Mission

Full Speed Ahead: The Coronavirus Isn't Derailing Madison House From Its Mission

If there was ever any question about University of Virginia students’ desire to fulfill President Jim Ryan’s mission of the University being both great and good, it was answered in the immediate aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic hitting the commonwealth.

Just a few hours after being required to leave Grounds to quarantine, a whopping 600 students reached out to Madison House – the independent, nonprofit volunteer center for UVA students – to see how they could continue helping the community from a distance during the pandemic.

“I know how amazing UVA students are and how ingrained service is into the culture of our institution,” Rose Cole, director of community engagement at Madison House, said, “but I was surprised by how quickly the numbers climbed.

Volunteer of the Week: Maxwell Madani

Volunteer of the Week: Maxwell Madani

Maxwell Madani is a fourth-year studying Cognitive Science in the College of Arts & Sciences. He is the Madison House Program Director and Programming Intern at Computers4Kids, social chair for the Persian Cultural Society, and president of the Neuroscience Enthusiasts Club. Maxwell also works as a medical scribe in the Emergency Department and conducts research with Dr. Xiaowei Lu in the UVA Cellular Biology department.

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BOV student member Derrick Wang reflects on his term away from Grounds

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BOV student member Derrick Wang reflects on his term away from Grounds

During his first Board meeting last June, Wang brought in representatives from IfYoureReadingThis.org and Madison House’s HELP Line for a panel about the importance of mental health.

IfYourReadingThis.org is an online mental health resource that provides letters of support from members of the University community to readers who are seeking emotional support. Madison House’s HELP Line is a 24/7, student-run free and confidential service that is available to students in need of someone to talk to during a distressing time.

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The evolution of tattoos and piercings in the workplace

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The evolution of tattoos and piercings in the workplace

Volunteering with children made me consider the stigma surrounding body accessories and tattoos

I was never forced to confront my impulsive decision head-on until last semester when I signed up to volunteer in an elementary school classroom through Madison House. Insecurities suddenly flooded my mind. What would the teachers think of me? Would they see me as unprofessional? And most dauntingly, what would the children — in all of their reckless and unconstrained honesty — say about me?

Or would they even say anything at all? I knew my father’s world is completely different from my own, so I wondered if students and younger teachers in today’s school system would even have an opinion. I know from my own upbringing that millennials and members of Generations Z and Alpha have been raised on messages of self-expression and acceptance, so the youth of today must be far more used to seeing tattoos and piercings on a day-to-day basis.

Madison House: A New Engaged Learning Initiative

Madison House: A New Engaged Learning Initiative

Madison House is incredibly excited about their newly funded Engaged Learning Initiative. With generous support from the UVA Parents Fund and The Jefferson Trust, the Community-Engaged Learning and Leadership Initiative will support faculty who want to utilize Madison House programs for community-engaged course service placements. For example, in this semester (its pilot semester), Prof. Esther Poveda’s Spanish class on “Social Justice Writing for Change”partnered with the Latinx and Migrant Aid program at Madison House; students worked with Sin Barreras and in local elementary schools to support bilingual children and their parents who speak mostly Spanish.

Volunteer Spotlight: Vivian Garcia

Volunteer Spotlight: Vivian Garcia

Vivian Garcia is a second-year majoring in economics in the College. She is currently the chair of the UVA Student Council Service Committee and has volunteered through Madison House at Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry and Greenbrier Elementary School C.L.A.S.S. Program. In her free time, she works at Asado and is a member of the Pi Beta Phi Virginia Epsilon Chapter.

Volunteer Spotlight: Max Madani

Volunteer Spotlight: Max Madani

“C4K fosters a feeling of camaraderie between all the mentors and members! I love the broad range of personalities and backgrounds I encounter here, whether it be the mentors or the students. All these interesting and unique people come together in this maker space to encourage learning and nurture an appreciation of STEAM fields.” – Max Madani, C4K Mentor & Intern

Volunteer Spotlight: Val Cyphers

Volunteer Spotlight: Val Cyphers

Val Cyphers is a fourth-year double-majoring in English and biology. Outside of her classes, Val is an ADAPT Peer Educator and a former co-chair of the program. Val also volunteers with the Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry; as a patient ambassador with Madison House's Medical Services; and is a volunteer with the Adopt-a-Grandparent program. Val has also served as a member of the University Advisory Committee on Alcohol and Substance Misuse.

The Heart Behind Madison House's Holiday Sharing Program

The Heart Behind Madison House's Holiday Sharing Program

University of Virginia fourth-year student Johntrell Bowles remembers how strangers’ generosity brightened his family’s holidays, and helped him believe in himself. Now, he’s determined to pay it forward.

Watch the full UVA Today video here

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Big-Hearted Big Sis

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Big-Hearted Big Sis

“I realized I hadn’t devoted enough time giving back to the Charlottesville community, even though I had grown to love this place,” said Anderson, now a first-year UVA Law student. She decided to join the Madison House Big Siblings Program, drawn to the idea of a “deeply personal volunteering experience.”

“The program paired me with Jazhara, who was 5 years old at the time, and through her I met Jojo, who was 2,” she said. Now the kids are 10 and 8, and have known Anderson more than half their lives. “Looking back, it’s amazing how many of my favorite memories involve these two kids.”

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Latinx Migrant Aid is dedicated to serving Virginia’s Latinx migrant community

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Latinx Migrant Aid is dedicated to serving Virginia’s Latinx migrant community

Popular Madison House program helps both adult and child Latinx migrants gain academic, applicable skills

For University students, it can be easy to get lost in the UVa bubble. Latinx & Migrant Aid (LAMA), a Madison House program, encourages students to involve themselves within the larger Charlottesville community by engaging with the region’s migrant workers.

With six volunteering sites, eight program coordinators, four community partners and 74 student volunteers, LAMA is a Madison House program dedicated to helping Latinx migrant workers and their children in Charlottesville improve their English speaking and general academic skills.

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Volunteer Spotlight: Ashley Williams

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Volunteer Spotlight: Ashley Williams

Ashley Williams is a fourth-year in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Human Biology. Ashley volunteers with Madison House's Medical Services program where she has worked in the Outpatient Surgery Center and Emergency Department for 2 years. She is also a Peer Health Educator, works as a Planned Parenthood Generation Action Community Organizer and has also been a CASPCA Foster Parent during her time at UVA. Ashley's other involvements at UVA include her role as a research volunteer in the Department of Neurosurgery Undergraduate Research Volunteer, a Culture of Respect Educator, and as the Mixed Race Student Coalition Outreach Chair.

“Whatever you are passionate about, find a way to get involved and commit to it! I think a lot of undergraduate students (especially pre-meds) get caught up in resume building opportunities instead of giving back in a way that is truly personal and meaningful to them. While giving back in any way is great, it will most likely only be sustainable work if it is important to you. “

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Volunteer Spotlight: Mira Bagous

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Volunteer Spotlight: Mira Bagous

“When I first got to UVA, I knew I wanted to get out of the "bubble" of the University and engage with the surrounding Charlottesville community. While UVA has a lot to offer in terms of involvement and service, I wanted to make sure that I learned more about the city and was an active, involved resident of Charlottesville. I heard about CART (Charlottesville Area Riding Therapy) through Madison House my first year and decided to try it out! From there, I became interested in taking care of children with medical needs or disabilities.

For me, seeing some of the students over the past three years improve in some of their skills and behaviors has been really rewarding. I love seeing that students at CART are having a positive experience, often are able to improve their skills, and leave the barn feeling accomplished. Besides that, I've also met many amazing people and really enjoyed getting to know them!”

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‘Woman of La Mancha’ Finds Her Calling Through Indigenous Literature, Service

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‘Woman of La Mancha’ Finds Her Calling Through Indigenous Literature, Service

Dodds has been working with Madison House’s Latinx and Migrant Aid Program, LAMA, at its Cherry Avenue site. Each week, volunteers work on homework one-on-one with children, in a pair that is sustained throughout the semester to facilitate close bonds between tutor and student. […]
“That is the best and most accurate way to learn about the U.S.’s Latinx community,” she said. “It contextualizes our studies in a way that makes them even more real; having met immigrants who have gone through the struggles we are learning about in class with guest speakers and articles about immigration and xenophobia makes the issues so much more real to use and helps us humanize the statistics we read about in articles.”

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Madison House Volunteers Featured as 'Volunteer Of The Week' Twice In A Row

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Madison House Volunteers Featured as 'Volunteer Of The Week' Twice In A Row

Every week, University of Virginia’s Learning in Action, an initiative designed to connect students, faculty, and community partners to social entrepreneurship, community engagement, and co–curricular service opportunities, features a volunteer as their ‘Volunteer of the Week.’ Madison House has been at the forefront of service at the University of Virginia, and this can be reflected in Madison House’s consistent appearance within the Volunteer of the Week’s highlights. For two weeks in a row, Madison House volunteers have been featured by Learning in Action.

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University creates President’s Council on Community-U.Va. relations

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University creates President’s Council on Community-U.Va. relations

Bryant hopes to involve other students in the President’s Council, noting that many of the relationships that the University has developed with the community come from connections with students, such as mentoring through Madison House.

“Even if [students] aren't officially members of the working groups, making sure that [students] are able to come to the meetings and give input,” Bryant said. “And if we have surveys, I think student voice will be prioritized.”

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Student-athletes play it forward through Madison House's ACE Program

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Student-athletes play it forward through Madison House's ACE Program

The Virginia Athletics department launched ACE as a way to connect student athletes with volunteering opportunities. Currently, the program has almost 70 athletes, and last fall, the program teamed up with Madison House. Under the leadership of Rachel Clark, Class of 2019 alumna and one of Madison House’s 2018-2019 community engagement interns, ACE has made it easier to send athlete volunteers into local elementary schools.

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Madison House celebrates 50 years of serving Charlottesville, empowering students

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Madison House celebrates 50 years of serving Charlottesville, empowering students

Roughly 3,000 students a year volunteer through Madison House. Nearly 40,000 have participated since the center opened in September 1969, according to Tim Freilich (Col ’93, Law ’99), executive director of Madison House and a volunteer there during his undergrad years. In 2018-19 alone, he estimates, students contributed more than 108,000 hours to local projects, from adopt-a-grandparent programs and teacher’s aide positions to patient-care roles at hospitals and free clinics.
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“You can’t learn this type of leadership through a textbook,” Freilich says. “The experience that our 300 student leaders get as they lead their peers is probably the most valuable thing that Madison House does.”

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Hurricane Camille and Madison House at UVA Are Forever Intertwined

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Hurricane Camille and Madison House at UVA Are Forever Intertwined

Madison House, the independent, nonprofit volunteer center for UVA students, [was] founded (in its current iteration) shortly before Camille. This year also marks its 50th anniversary.

“My own opinion is that student response to Camille had a great deal to do with subsequent support for Madison House,” Casteen wrote. “It had existed before Camille, and its people had always had their own active lives, but the work following Camille made everyone grow up very quickly.

“Campus Compact came along two decades later. Madison House and its volunteers invented their model on their own.” It’s a model that has worked well over the last half-century.

“Madison House has been what its creators and student volunteers hoped it would be – a catalyst for action by students to benefit surrounding communities and a constructive force in the lives of people living in communities around us,” Casteen wrote.