student volunteers gather on boardwalk

Fresh Start student volunteers - For more photos, see Volunteers Image Gallery.

From leading tours to tending the gardens to facilitating special events, community members and students provide critical support for everything we do at the Arboretum. No matter where your interests lie, we have a volunteer opportunity that is just right for you. Every October, volunteers (especially service organizations) are invited to be part of our Pumpkin Festival team! During the summer, we need people to help provide educational activities and serve as garden guides in Childhood’s Gate Children’s Garden.

  • Volunteers must be 18+ years old.
  • Minors age 16+ may volunteer if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
  • Interested volunteers should fill out a volunteer application online.
  • Volunteers who will be working with minors (e.g., children’s garden volunteers) need to complete a suite of publicly available clearances. The volunteer program manager is available to assist you with the clearance process and will reach out to you with the next steps following the submission of your application.

All new volunteers must read the volunteer guidelines listed above, then complete and submit a volunteer application. Once you have submitted your application, you will be contacted by our volunteer program manager about the next step in this process and automatically notified of volunteer opportunities that match your preferences. If you have questions about the application, please email arbvolunteers@psu.edu.