One of the best ways for students to enrich their college experience at The University of Alabama is through community service. Whether volunteering for local organizations, participating in campus-wide service initiatives or supporting causes they care about, students gain valuable experiences that help them grow as leaders, connect with others and develop a stronger sense of belonging.
Service projects can also contribute to benefits in the classroom. Our data shows that UA students who serve even just one hour in the community have better GPAs and are more likely to graduate.
Students can find and register for hundreds of volunteering opportunities year-round through BamaPulse. The community engagement platform allows students to search for local nonprofits and on-campus service organizations, log their contributions and print an impact summary containing all volunteer hours.
While there are countless ways to contribute to the surrounding community, here’s a look at the seven main service teams on campus.
Al’s Pals
Al’s Pals is a mentoring program where UA students support elementary-aged students. Mentors help mentees with homework while looking to strengthen enrichment in and out of the classroom. Mentors commit to spend one afternoon per week working at local school sites. The program spans over 10 weeks of each semester, with mentoring taking place on Mondays through Thursdays from 2:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Applications for the fall semester are open through the end of August, with the semester beginning in September. A completed application and background check are required before placement as an Al’s Pals mentor. The background check link is included within the application.
Beat Auburn Beat Hunger
Beat Auburn Beat Hunger (BABH) takes the legendary Iron Bowl Rivalry to the community, as Alabama and Auburn compete in an annual food drive. The student-run event was created by the Center for Service and Leadership (CSL) and the West Alabama Food Bank.
BABH is held during the seven weeks leading up to Alabama’s football game against Auburn. The food drive unites UA students with faculty, staff and alumni as well as the surrounding community to help fight hunger and poverty in West Alabama. Meanwhile, Auburn University and the Food Bank of East Alabama work to aid in similar efforts in the other half of the state.
Along with providing bragging rights for the winning school, BABH’s impact reaches beyond both campuses. Since the event’s inception in 1994, Alabama and Auburn have raised over 11 million pounds of food for Alabamians in need.
Beyond Bama
Beyond Bama allows students to take advantage of their university breaks each semester by organizing service trips during those times. Participants in Beyond Bama travel to communities in need, both domestically and abroad. The trips provide students with education on issues such as literacy, poverty, culture, hunger, homelessness and the environment.
Fall trips occur during the Fall Break, which typically takes place in late October. Spring trips occur during Spring Break, which generally takes place around the middle of March.
Big Days of Service
Every year, Big Days of Service presents Serve Big, a series of volunteer events designed to make a meaningful impact in the Tuscaloosa community. Service opportunities include Ripple Effect during Weeks of Welcome, MLK Day of Service in January and Hands on Tuscaloosa events in both the fall and spring semesters.
These campus-wide service days provide UA students with an opportunity to connect with local organizations, give back, and build lasting relationships with community partners. Students can register for Serve Big events through BamaPulse.
Big Days of Service
Serving Bama organizes weekly volunteer opportunities with local non-profits, addressing causes such as outdoor and environmental efforts, housing security, community development, and animal welfare. Serving sites are available Mondays through Fridays during the fall and spring semesters. Transportation is provided. Register for serving opportunities through the Serving Bama group on BamaPulse.
UA Habitat
UA Habitat for Humanity is a student-run service organization at The University of Alabama with a mission to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Since UA Habitat for Humanity’s inception in 2013, more than 10,000 volunteers have served.
UA Miracle
UA Miracle is the largest student-led philanthropic organization at The University of Alabama. The organization works year-round to advocate and raise funds for pediatric care at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham. In 2026, UA Miracle set a fundraising record by collecting $394,178, pushing its fundraising totals past the $3 million mark since its inception in 2011.
