Creating Bridges: Co-Curriculum and Service Learning in Sociology Senior Seminar Daniel Sarabia

1. Creating Bridges: Co-Curriculum and Service Learning in Sociology Senior Seminar Daniel Sarabia (sarabia@roanoke.edu/(540)375-2220) Assistant Professor of Sociology Collaborator: Ed Hamilton Director of Academic Grants and Foundation Relations

2. Pedagogical Development • Interdisciplinary work • Collaborations • Experiential and Service Opportunities • Linkages (Curricular and Co-curricular activities) • Institutional Support • Group Meetings • Departmental Support • Pedagogical Conferences • Stipend (lunches, books)

3. The Literature Students who spend time talking with faculty outside the classroom: • demonstrate higher academic self-confidence • show improved academic performance • devote greater effort to other purposeful activities while in college • are better integrated into the academic and social life of the university • are more likely to aspire to graduate work

4. Bridge Building • Can be achieved by using or extending instructional time, linking the classroom to the community (on and/or off campus), and encourage collaborative work that includes all students in a class. • Enter service learning and applied sociology • endeavors to identify opportunities to put sociological knowledge to work.

5. Motivation • Offer an alternative to the traditional capstone • Move towards creating an applied track • Build partnerships with community • Put sociological skills and knowledge to work • Faculty Development • Tap into College Resources (Relationships, expertise)

6. The Intent Implement a collaborative model that restructures the sociology capstone course through the College's Collaborative Teaching Grant (CTG).

7. Project Description Help students integrate their base of sociological knowledge, and add to their skills set, through a special focus on applied sociology and grant proposal writing in the Sociology senior seminar.

8. Project Goals • Integration   • Reflection • Connections • Collaborative learning • Service learning and co-curricular experience

9. Course Outline • Course employs vulnerability as a theme. • “It is gratifying that sociological insights have served in a number of instances to improve the lot of groups of human beings by uncovering morally shocking conditions or by clearing away the collective illusions”—Peter Berger

10. Methods • Major project for course: working with 4 agencies (each serves a vulnerable population). • Class divided into four groups; the second week of the term, each group meets with the agency at their site, and is in contact with the agency throughout the term. • October agency meetings

11. Bradley Free Clinic • Mission: provide free medical, dental, and pharmacy services to uninsured and underinsured in the Roanoke Valley • Clients: working uninsured, the temporarily unemployed, and their families • Need: to expand the restorative dental care services for patients without any insurance.

12. Interfaith Hospitality Network • Mission: to return homeless families to independence by providing temporary housing and skills development. • Clients: homeless families with children • Need: to establish a follow-up mentorship program of trained volunteers to assist families after they leave IHN.

13. Methods Cont. • Components of grant proposal and contact person (individual and group component). • Individual submissions, us, group submission, us, agency feedback • Contact (executive directors, grant proposal writers—sociologist) • Course is co-taught (linkages, evaluation of assignments, debriefings).

14. Assessment • Initial and final surveys in both sections • CTG interview/focus group • Feedback from agency representatives • Grant Proposals • Continuing to tinker • Volunteer component • Timeline (first agency meeting to final proposal draft) • Reviewer • Hearing from client served by agency

15. Impact on Students • Discuss the role of collaboration in the course: “This course proved to me how important working efficiently in groups is and how much difference we can make by working together. I have a greater appreciation for group work because of the class even though it can be difficult.”

16. Impact on Students • On working with an agency… “It was cool to make the connection with the agency and the class because it makes you feel your work is actually for more than just a grade.” “Made the experience more real, our work could really make a difference.”

17. Impact on Students • On integration… “Writing a proposal allowed me to synthesize all the knowledge I have accumulated to effectively make a case for my organization.” “On the midterm we were required to apply theories to our projects to help a ‘real’ cause.”

18. Challenges • Real world project… • Turnover within agencies • Change of plans (Develop project) • Endowment • Illness (Skype and Home Meetings) • Senioritis

19. Observations • Real people affected • Need to raise expectations of yourselves • Accept responsibility • Use all information provided • Research • Writing (organization, proof read) • Independence & Collaboration

20. Real People • Bradley Free Clinic • Provide food vouchers to families with children whose income falls between 150 to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. • YWCA • Provide 25 women with scholarships to attend Virginia Western Community College.

21. Impact on Instructors • Feedback (Co-teaching and debriefing) • Friendships • Instructor as Student (Skype and Growth) • challenges

22. Successes • Students who now work with non-profit organizations • Students further developing the skills in graduate school (applied sociology and social work programs) • Adding to my own skill set • Reflecting on my own teaching • Nurturing connections to the community • Two grant proposals funded

23. In Closing • CTG created opportunity to: • Rethink approach to capstone • Experiential and interdisciplinary • Led to conversations about possible applied track and possibilities outside of seminar • Allowed for co-teaching • Interactions within CTG and relationships with community