Why Volunteer with the BSSC?
When you volunteer at the BSSC, you become part of a village that uplifts, supports and inspires.
- Develop leadership, communication and teamwork skills for any career path
- Make a meaningful impact on the success and well-being of Black students
- Build connections with peers, mentors, alumni and community partners
- Support identity-affirming programs and cultural events that celebrate Black excellence
- Gain experience for your resume, grad school or future opportunities
- Receive recognition and support, including co-curricular credit, references and priority access to select BSSC programs
- Expand your network through alumni and partner opportunities
- Learn through training in culturally informed student support
- Give back to future Black leaders and help strengthen the community
To volunteer, complete the form below, attend an onboarding session and select your areas of interest.
Why Volunteer with the BSSC?Sign UpWays to Get Involved
Support the planning and delivery of key BSSC events, including:
- Black Student Welcome
- Welcome Week Reps Program
- Black Excellence Graduate Celebration
- Black History Month programming
- Open mic nights, game nights and cultural gatherings
- Elevate and Empower career events
- Wellness workshops and community circles
Event volunteers help with setup, hospitality, registration, logistics, photography and community engagement.
Volunteer as a:
- High school tutor or mentor in our tutoring and pathway programs
- Undergraduate mentor in the Black Student Mentorship Program (BSMP)
- Peer leader supporting first-year students or transition programming
You’ll offer encouragement, academic support and guidance to younger students navigating high school or university life.
Support our wellness programming, including:
- Rooted Community Circle
- Soulful Therapy (with training)
- Black X-Scape peer support sessions
- Power in Motion mindfulness and movement series
Peer facilitators receive training and ongoing support from BSSC staff, helping them grow in confidence, compassion and leadership.
Help us expand pathways for Black youth by:
- Supporting recruitment fairs
- Co-leading high-school workshops
- Assisting with the NextGen Leadership Summit
- Joining Day in the Life visits
- Assisting with Gear Up for Mac: Head Start for University programming
Your participation helps students see themselves in university long before they apply.
Bring your unique skills to our community through roles in:
- Photography and videography
- Graphic design
- Content creation and storytelling
- Cultural programming
- Communications and social media
Volunteers with creative talents play a key role in amplifying Black voices and showcasing student success.
Our Community on LinkedIn
Abigail S.
Monday night’s Ubuntu Dialogue #1: Justice with Compassion brought together two remarkable thinkers, Dr. Siyabulela Mandela Ph.D. 🇿🇦✌🏿🇵🇸 and Dr. Kofi Hope, DPhil, for an evening that spanned international policy, conflict resolution, and community engagement.
Koko Sanginga
I started the semester as a Pod Lead with the Black Student Success Centre (BSSC) Welcome Week Team. As an outgoing student, I found it particularly important to be part of the orientation of our incoming class of Black students. The first years were the focus of the week but seeing our community grow and relationships form made for a very fulfilling experience.
Oyinade Adekunle
When I sent that first email to the ACGSA team to be added to the membership list, I had no idea that one day I would serve as President of ACGSA McMaster University, the only Black-focused graduate student association at McMaster University.
Landry Kalembo
I had the chance of attending the first Ubuntu Dialogue: Justice with Compassion at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. The evening featured powerful discussions with trailblazing political scientists, including Rhodes Scholar Dr. Kofi Hope, DPhil and Dr. Siyabulela Mandela Ph.D. 🇿🇦✌🏿🇵🇸 —whose presence echoed the legacy of his great-grandfather, Nelson Mandela.
Mark John Stewart
Since its inception only a few years ago, McMaster University‘s Black Student Success Centre (BSSC) has grown into a dynamic hub supporting and championing the academic, personal, and professional success and overall well-being of students.
Oluwadamilola Babatunde
It was a pleasure to be invited as a panelist for the Success & Sanity event last Thursday organized by the Black Student Success Centre Chinazo (Nazo) Okereke, CHRP and Landry Kalembo, MSc, PhD(c) . What made the experience meaningful was the opportunity to speak openly about lived experiences that are not unique to me, but shared by many student-migrants navigating academic, professional, and personal spaces simultaneously.