Service-Learning: A Powerful Curricular Tool to Engage and Build Community

1. Service-Learning: A Powerful Curricular Tool to Engage and Build Community Larry Thacker, MEd, Director Student Success, Retention, and Career Services Connie Theriot, PhD, Counselor Educator Mark Tichon, PhD, Counselor Educator Lincoln Memorial University

2. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. - Mohandas Gandhi

3. LMU Student Service Initiative • What is the LMU Student Service Initiative? • Broadens horizons through community service. • Designed to grow better appreciations of the importance of volunteerism • Opportunities in co-curriculum learning • A personal and organizational impact on the larger world.   • Who Participates in the Program? • History of the Student Service Initiative • Initiated in 2004 by University Advancement • Administered by Student Services since 2006. • Yearly growth since inception • Find additional resources at: • http://www.lmunet.edu/campuslife/initiative/index.shtml • New Community Service Pathway Pages(LMU Intranet)

4. LMU Student Service Initiative • How Does the Program Work? • Students are required to participate in 10 hours of community service learning each semester • Preferably related to their academic field of study • The Student Service Initiative excludes internships and payable services • What are the Program's Advantages? • Career Path Knowledge • The Gift of Time and Energy • Experience / Networking / Real World Connections • Personal Development • Challenging the Comfort Zone

5. LMU Student Service Initiative • Example Settings Available in the LMU Community • Nursing homes and hospitals • United Way • Sports: AYSO soccer, Little League, Special Olympics • Salvation Army • Relay for Life • Beautification Projects Relay for Life • How is SSI promoted? • Registrations / Orientations • Departmental / Class promotion • Frequent email reminders / Pathway updates / Referrals to website • Walk-in questions • Distributing hardcopy SSI forms for completion by end of semester / flyer distribution • UACT 100: Strategies for College Success Course group work

6. LMU Student Service Initiative - Participation • Fall 2008 Participating Students: 333 Hours: 4,864 • Spr 2009 Participating Students: 223 Hours: 2,612 Target: 1,124 Eligible Year Total: 7,478 • Fall 2009 Participating Students: 467 Hours: 6,691 • Spr 2010 Participating Students: 297 Hours: 4,326 Target: 1,269 Eligible Year Total: 11,017 • Fall 2010 Participating Students: 718 Hours: 10,598 • Spr 2011 Participating Students: 485 Hours: 5,892 Target: 1,486 Eligible Year Total: 16,490

7. LMU Student Service Initiative -Chart of Recent Participation

8. LMU Student Service Initiative - Challenges • While many students participate in strict service learning, many simply perform important community service in the region, either with organizations with which they are already associated or with groups they search out. • On Campus – Trail / Campus Clean-ups, SCOOP Day, Earth Day, Lincoln Ambassadors, Campus Tours, Preview Days, departmental volunteering, Heal Haiti Bake Sale / Silent Auction, RAM clinics, Trunk-or-Treat Halloween Festival • Off Campus – Faith Groups and Churches, Relay For Life, Food Drives / Pantries, Animal Shelters, Senior Centers, ROHO, City Events, Fall Festivals, Fund Raising Runs / Walks • True service learning opportunities for every student • Improved participation via communication / Pathway • Co-Curricular initiatives

9. LMU Student Service Initiative • Pathway Pages • LMU Intranet, single stop point for campus community • The new community service pages features weekly community service postings, rather than posting on a website • A thorough list of regional organizations, links, contact numbers for student initiated inquiries

10. LMU Student Service Initiative -Collaboration with Counseling Program • Goals and Objectives of Counseling Program • Resources of Student Success, Retention, and Career Services Office • Needs of the Appalachian Community • Encourages opportunities for Civic Engagement and Authentic Learning infused into Curriculum

11. Service Learning and Counseling - ACA Advocacy Competencies • American Counseling Association Advocacy Competencies (ACA, 2003) • Empowering clients by helping them build advocacy skills • Negotiating relevant services to help clients access resources • Building collaborative relationships with relevant community agencies to address these challenges • Implementing systems-level advocacy initiatives • Communicating relevant information to the public • Engaging in social/political advocacy • 79% of Counseling leaders believe advocacy to be important (Myers & Sweeney, 2004), yet… • Many Counselors lack training in advocacy information and skills (Myers, Sweeney, & White, 2002)

12. Service Learning and Counseling - Infusion into Counseling Curriculum at LMU • Service Learning Initiative has been incorporated into Counseling Programs at Lincoln Memorial University as a powerful curricular tool • Service Learning Experiences in Four Courses: • CG 521 - Career Counseling • CG 531 - Social and Cultural Aspects of Counseling • CG 593 - Counseling Practicum • CG 621 – Consultation and Crisis Intervention • Experiences are designed to be sequential and developmental in nature, culminating in a Capstone Consultation

13. Service Learning and Counseling • Examples of Student Projects at LMU

14. Service Learning on YourCampus -Facilitated Small Group Activity

15. Sources Cited • American Counseling Association (ACA, 2003). Advocacy Competencies. Alexandria, VA: Author. Retrieved September 24, 2011, from http://www.counseling.org/Resources/Competencies/Advocacy_Competencies.pdf • Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2004). Advocacy for the counseling profession: Results of a national survey. Journal of Counseling and Development, 82, 466-471. • Myers, J. E., Sweeney, T. J., & White, V. E. (2002). Advocacy for counseling and counselors: A professional imperative. Journal of Counseling and Development, 80, 394-402.