Oregon Student Service Corps was founded in April 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. As students rapidly mobilized to make masks, provide childcare to healthcare workers, and support vulnerable populations, a need arose for a centralized hub of events and opportunities for health professions students across the state. With support from the Morris-Singer Foundation, OrSSC was launched and now has over 100 members statewide. As part of a national network of COVID-19 Student Service Corps, OrSSC aims to support student responders in co-creating service projects, providing tool kits to ensure projects are sustainable and accountable to stakeholders, and developing interprofessional service-learning curricula to incorporate the lessons of COVID-19 into the training of future health professionals.

Our Mission

Oregon Student Service Corps seeks to empower Oregon’s future healthcare and research professionals to support healthcare systems, healthcare workers, patients, communities, and fellow trainees during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic through interprofessional service-learning projects.

We collaborate to develop and maintain the following resources:

Virtual platform

Our website and social media platforms provide a centralized hub for students to learn about student-led service projects, keep track of new events, and share narrative reflections. Students can sign up to be OrSSC members and submit project proposals.

Statewide Network

OrSSC is a statewide network with members representing the wide diversity of health professions and research training programs in Oregon, including both urban and rural areas. OrSSC members meet regularly with the leadership team and receive a weekly newsletter with new events, resources, and volunteer opportunities.

Project Toolkits

We develop best practices for organizing and leading response projects, recruiting volunteers, partnering with stakeholders, and undertaking community needs assessments in order to support our communities and healthcare systems. These toolkits will facilitate efficient mobilization of student response efforts during future public health crises.  

Interprofessional Service-Learning 

We collaborate on interprofessional service-learning curricula that combine community service with a structured program of seminars and narrative practice, to ensure that service-learning plays a central role in our training as future health professionals. These curricula will help address the structural and cultural barriers between health professions. When possible, these curricula may be submitted to home institutions to allow students to get credit for their response efforts. 

OrSSC Guiding Principles

• OrSSC is rooted in interprofessional partnership and collaboration.

• OrSSC maintains a diverse student membership representing Oregon’s urban and rural communities.

• OrSSC ensures projects are sustainable and accountable to stakeholders and are safe for students to participate.

• OrSSC stands for health justice and prioritizes the needs of marginalized and vulnerable communities.

• OrSSC uses a service-learning model to incorporate community service and reflective practice into our personal and professional development.