Students at UNA can use a new online program, Campus Connect, to learn about volunteer opportunities and participate.

Galaxy Digital is a website that makes it simple and seamless for organizations to manage their volunteers. Campus Connect is a feature for students through Galaxy Digital.

Bethany Green, director of leadership and volunteerism, said the Student Engagement Office launched the new program to make it more accessible to contact organizations and hopes it will get more student involvement in volunteerism.

Any UNA student can use Campus Connect to see the needs of local nonprofit organizations, count their hours of volunteerism and add organization’s events to your their Outlook calendar.

Students can access the feature directly from una.galaxydigital.com or through the UNA website under CONNECT Volunteer.

Students can enter their hours manually for the organization to approve or the organization adds the hours.

To log in, go to “Students Login Here.” Any UNA student can access the login page using Canvas login credentials.

This feature allows students to search what organizations are looking for volunteers with both immediate and continuous needs, Green said.

Junior Maci Gassaway said Campus Connect is easy to use and sync student Outlook calendar to.

“Let’s say that you decide you want to volunteer at an event Kindred Hospice is hosting,” Gassaway said. “You can sync that event to your Outlook calendar, and it’s one big calendar with all your other appointments on it.”

Organizations such as Hospice of the Shoals, Big Brother Big Sister of the Shoals, Lauderdale County 4-H, Shoals CASA, Habitat for Humanity and more can be contacted through Campus Connect.

“We are working on adding even more organizations,” Green said.

Freshman Danielle Covert said she believes this new feature will help get the word out about multiple volunteer opportunities.

“Staying connected to your community will pay off in the long run,” Covert said.