Looking back at 20 years since the founding of the Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (COVE), co-founder Betsy Levine-Brown ’01 reflects: “I realize it grounded my beliefs in key elements of humanity; part of our role in the world is giving back.”
Levine-Brown, Jenny (Buntman) ’03 Indig, and Adrienne (LaGier) ’01 Forgette co-founded the COVE in 2001 based on Volunteer Colgate, an umbrella organization that oversaw more than 40 student groups. The three students, who were members of Volunteer Colgate’s executive board, recognized the need for a stand-alone center that would coordinate campus efforts. They drafted a proposal for a new community service center for their senior thesis, “A Strategic Plan for Student Community Outreach Activities.”
The plan outlined six detailed reasons for a new community outreach center. In their reasons, they noted the benefits of service learning: open- mindedness, reduced negative stereotypes due to increased interactions with a variety of people, personal development, increased faculty-student connections, and an opportunity for students to apply their course knowledge in real-life scenarios. Lastly, they cited other northeastern liberal arts schools with service centers, such as Middlebury.
The University decided, based on the students’ proposal, to dedicate an office in East Hall to this new initiative. In 2013, its headquarters relocated into the first floor of Lathrop Hall, and it was renamed the Max A. Shacknai COVE, in memory of the son of Jonah Shacknai ’78.
Today, the COVE continues to encourage students to engage in good citizenship, locally and globally. “The Max A. Shacknai Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education fosters a commitment to social responsibility and engagement through mutually beneficial, community-centered partnerships,” reads the mission statement.
Some current student activities include service learning immersive trips, mentoring local youth, visiting senior care facilities, hunger outreach, nonpartisan voter efforts, and volunteering at animal shelters.
“Colgate is an anchor institution; the University succeeds when the Village of Hamilton succeeds,” says COVE Director Jeremy Wattles ’05. “I hope I can be a helpful part of institutionalized community work and progress on campus.”
Meanwhile, the three co- founders are now professionally involved in or associated with education, whether it be teaching, administration, or think-tank research with universities.
Forgette is the upper school head at the Hutchison School in Memphis, Tenn., where she empowers students to be active learners. “Through volunteering at Madison Group Home during my time at Colgate, I was inspired to pursue teaching and education,” she says.
Levine-Brown works at George Mason University as an associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development. At Colgate, she helped create the Levine-Weinberg Fellowship — with her father, Tom Levine ’71, and former Vice President and Dean of the College Adam Weinberg — which supports students interested in pursuing careers in community or public work with summer internship funding. She also was a member of the Alumni Council and received the Maroon Citation in 2020–21. “Civic engagement has positively affected the way I compose myself in my career and how I parent members of the next generation,” Levine- Brown says.
Indig has spent the majority of her career in public service working for think tanks and serving local government. She is currently an angel investor supporting women- and BIPOC- founded organizations focused on sustainability or improving humanity and health outcomes. She remembers the deeper sense of fellowship she felt with her peers at the COVE: “It was through social service and volunteering that I found the people I truly connected with.”
20th Anniversary Events
This academic year, the COVE has planned a celebratory event each month, including dedicated days of service, an art contest, social media spotlights, and networking events.
On Colgate’s Charter Day (March 5), alumni clubs nationwide will participate in service activities in their respective cities. (For more information, visit @colgatecove on Instagram.)
In April, there will be a community barbecue on Whitnall Field as well as an anniversary dinner with COVE founders and current members to reflect on 20 years of service.