“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

1. ALICE VARNADO HARDEN CENTER FOR SERVICE & COMMUNITY ENGAGED LEARNINGDivision of Student Life: Jackson State UniversityDr. Gisele Gentry, Regina Clay, Eltease Moore, Kimberly Harris, and Whitney Menogan “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. History The Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning was founded in October of 2002, to support campus-wide volunteer outreach and co-curricular service to the community and to enhance student learning, promote civic responsibility, and respond to the critical needs in the community through collaborative campus and community partnerships. In 2012, The Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning was renamed to The Alice Varnado Harden Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning (A.V.H) after the passing of Sen. Alice Varnado Harden. Sen. Harden graduated from JSU (B.S.,M.S.,Ed.D) and served as a classroom teacher for over 14 years. Serving three consecutive terms as president of the Mississippi Association of Educators, Harden was at the forefront of the first teacher’s strike where she fought for better pay and working conditions.

3. History During the 24 years in the Mississippi Senate, Sen. Harden served as chair of the Senate Elections Committee, the Senate Education Committee and the Universities and Colleges Committee. Her reputation as a progressive leader and relentless advocate of education still lives on today.

4. Mission & Goals • Our mission is to engage faculty, staff, students and community partners in an endeavor that combines community service with academic learning. • “The University believes in an experientially enhanced learning environment where teaching, research and service are integrated and mutually reinforcing.”-University’s mission includes service & learning. • The University responds to the needs of society to the best of its ability and expects its graduates to do likewise. • To assist students in developing the skills necessary to be civically responsible citizens and to take action on social issues that are important to them.

5. Goals Continued • The A.V.H Center for Service & Community Engaged Learning seeks to inspire and facilitate meaningful partnerships among faculty, students and community organizations that foster: * Experiential learning * Real world problem solving * Faculty and student scholarship * Awareness of diversity and multi-cultural issues * Broadened global perspectives

6. Core Values • Civic Engagement • Academic Achievement • Service-Learning • Social and Educational Partnerships • Community Involvement • Compassion and concern towards others • Leadership • Active citizenship • Social consciousness for improving the world

7. A.V.H. CSCEL-?? Service requirement for all undergraduate students • Students provide valuable services to agencies on local, national and international levels. • Students are introduced to service during freshmen orientation & new students welcome week. • All freshmen university of success classes conduct orientation for community service placement. (A.V.H. CSCEL orientation and site orientations are conducted). • Clubs, organizations, athletic teams and faculty/staff also provide services to the community.

8. A.V.H CSCEL-Student Resources • Placement Information • Service Experience (Reflection) • Site Selection • Site Evaluation Forms • A.V.H. CSCEL student handbook • Community service hours on transcripts

9. A.V.H CSCEL-Student Resources • Placement Information • Site Selection • Community service hours on transcripts Future Resources • Service Experience (Reflection) • Site Evaluation Forms • A.V.H CSCEL student handbook • Electronically view service deadlines, download community and service learning forms. • Alternative Spring Break information • National Student Exchange Information • Service-Learning Planning Calendar

10. A.V.H CSCEL-Community Resources • Information on how to become an approved community partner • Guidelines for community partners • Orientations • Service applications and other forms • Service and service-learning project development.

11. Alternative Spring Break • Students travel the region and nation during weekend and week-long breaks learning about social and cultural issues and performing community service that address the issues of those areas. 2010: New York, NY: Hunger Project 2009: Mississippi Delta Beautification Project Hurricane Gustav Response 2008: Chicago, IL: Chicago Cares Project 2007: Washington, D.C: Homeless Project 2006: D’Iberville, MS: Hurricane Relief 2005: Jacksonville,FL: Hurricane Relief 2004: Gullah Islands, SC: Historic Preservation 2003: Break-A-Way Leaders Training-Kansas

12. Alternative Spring Break 2011: China? 2012: Hattiesburg, MS and New Orleans, LA: Disaster Relief 2013: Washington, D.C and New York 2014: Atlanta, GA: Hunger Project

13. Community Service & Student Service Ambassadors • These students work and serve as liaisons from the center to the agency. They coordinate on-site orientations, sign-in sheets, surveys and promote community service projects for their assigned site. • Ambassadors are required to have student leadership training.

14. National Student Exchange • This undergraduate program permits full time enrolled students to exchange within the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands. Students can study up to one calendar year at nearly 200 participating colleges and universities. • Students who participate in NSE to take advantage of the unique geographical, cultural and academic characteristics of institutions in other U.S. regions.

15. Service-Learning • “… a teaching and learning approach that integrates community service with academic study to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. -National Commission on SL

16. The Difference Between Service-Learning and Other Forms of Student Outreach • 1.) Service-Learning is distinct from other forms of student outreach because it attributes equal weight to both service and learning goals. • 2.) The service is performed as a way of learning about concepts in a course or discipline.

17. Reflection • Reflection is the key by which service experiences are transformed into learning. • Helps to promote Service-Learning Campus-wide. • Faculty Fellows Program Effective reflection: • links service objectives by integrating the service experience with course content. • occurs regularly within course. • Includes components that can be evaluated

18. Benefits from community service and service-learning • College students: Apply concepts from the classroom to the service at community agencies. • Learn to work with diverse communities. • Gain knowledge and expertise from the community. • Evaluate, question and reformulate civic value. • Prepare for participation in internships and research. • Explore career options • Provide worthwhile assistance to the community .

19. Benefits for Faculty Members • Assist in the development of innovative approaches to instruction. • Provide support for Service-Learning courses (student orientation, site monitoring and reflection activities) • Sponsor programs, speakers and symposia on service-learning. • Support faculty members’ efforts to disseminate information through conference presentations and publications. • Provide opportunities for collaborative community research and project development.

20. Benefits for Community and Community Partners • Give access to the services of university students. • Increase volunteer diversity in gender, age and race. • Allow agencies to identify needs and meet those needs through the development of service projects. • Build ongoing relationships between the university and the community partner.

21. Benefits for Jackson State University • Drive the university as an active, engaged partner in the community. • Further the goals of the strategic plan and the mission of the university. • Facilitate university teaching, research, and program development. • Increase student retention.

22. CSCEL-Faculty Resources • Training/Facilitation • Curriculum Design • Reflection Assistance • One-on-One Consultation • Faculty handbook • Service-Learning Planning Calendar • Service-Learning Course Evaluation