Service learning is a method of teaching whereby students have the opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to a meaningful experience in the community.
Service learning consists of the three main components. The first component involves the planning of a meaningful experience. The second component is that of the experience itself which takes place within the context of a nonprofit organization. The experience is focused on impacting an identified community need. The final component is reflection. Through structured reflection, students are able to make the connection between the course objectives and the experience.
Service learning helps to make course knowledge more relevant to everyday life while fostering an ethic of service and civic responsibility in the students. Students can participate in service learning through courses that require service learning, courses that offer service learning as an option, or through independent study.
The Service Learning Program seeks to centralize and coordinate the service learning activities on campus. The Program also offers support to faculty who teach service learning courses, identifies community placement where the service learning experience can take place, represents the College in problem solving community partnerships and involves faculty, staff and students in the ongoing development of the Program.