Service Learning Courses in Higher Education

If you are reading this post, chances you are enrolled in or affiliated with CIS 112 at the University of Kentucky. CIS 112 is a service learning course, and our students are required to spend at least 10 hours this semester serving at a local community-based organization. Offering service learning courses is a new trend on college campuses.

At UK, there is an Office of Community Engagement, and its vision is "to envision a campus and community connected through authentic partnerships to advance positive societal change." This office can assist instructors and students with serving the community.
One of the questions I asked students to answer on their midterm reflection is about whether or not service learning courses should be required in college, and so far, the responses vary. Some students note their importance but don’t believe they should be a requirement.  “I think that Service Learning courses can be very valuable, but I have serious doubts as to whether they should be required. I think that for many majors, there would be better ways of preparing students for their careers. For example, education majors could go get a job as a teaching assistant. This would allow them to earn money to support themselves while also educating them more thoroughly on both how to teach and how to relate to students.”

Another student expresses a slightly different opinion. “This was my first service learning class and I loved it. I absolutely think this should be applied to other courses or even part of the UK core. I have learned so much from just my organization and from hearing about others as well. Also I know that these organizations need volunteers, some desperately, and what better way than requiring a couple thousand students to complete service. While there will definitely be a lot of grumbling about it, in hindsight the students will most certainly learn a lot.”

Service learning courses weren’t part of the curriculum when I was in college, but if they had been, I’d like to think that I would have enjoying taking one and learning more about the community I lived in during my college years.  

No Such Thing as "Perfect" Service Learning

As I listen in on group discussions in class I realize that not everyone's service learning experience is ideal. No organization is flawless, and a lot of them have several issues, as I witnessed first hand last year! My service learning site had never had experience with volunteers before, therefore they were unsure about how to utilize us as a strong resource.

The beginning of the semester got off to a rocky start, but eventually we were able to help them do some house cleaning jobs around the office, as well as advertise for them around Lexington. If nothing else my group learned how to roll with the punches and try our best even in the face of obstacles.

So don't freak out if your experience isn't perfect! Almost none of them are. The important thing to remember is to be flexible and open minded, willing to help in any way you can. Also don't be afraid to take initiative in situations where you think you could benefit the organization! This should be a learning and growing experience for both the students and the organizations. So stay positive throughout!

The many benefits of service

As all the CIS 112 students start their work with their respective organizations, I'm also starting my own service learning journey as a head coach of one of the Girls on the run teams. Through my past few weeks with the organization I have come to understand more and more how service learning benefits every person involved. 

Girls on the run does a particularly great job of showing coaches that they will benefit from the service they provide just as much as the young girls do. During our coaches training, we had to go through a lesson ourselves as if we were the girls in the program. This gave the coaches a chance to talk about our own expectations and worries for the coming season and emphasized the community dynamic that Girls on the Run creates.

Me sporting my Girls on the run coach uniform

While the lessons are certainly geared towards the young girls, being able to have open-hearted discussions about sensitive topics such as self-esteem and body image is therapeutic in itself. Every Monday and Wednesday I am excited to go share in the love and support offered by the girls and coaches in our own little part of the Girls on the run Community. Seeing all those smiling faces that are willing to be honest, brace, and jump in and try new things with coaches who are dedicated to making it a positive experience is truly rewarding. 

Whether you are 8 or 68, Girls on the run creates a community dedicated to uplifting and helping others. The organization even has a blog dedicated to building a positive community. A recent post features details about the importance of being compassionate towards yourself. While this certainly is a message we try to convey to our girls, it is also an article that can teach coaches a thing or two. This is just one of many examples of how volunteering for Girls on the run develops me as a person while I work to help my girls learn and grow. 

I hope you can all find a way to grow positively from your service learning experience. Here's to a great semester! 

I'm jealous!

After talking with more than thirty organizations in the greater Lexington area during the past year, I am excited for all CIS 112 students to go out and work with these organizations this fall. I also am jealous since I have learned so much about them, and I wish I had the time to work with them.

I know each of your experiences will be different, and I look forward to reading about them on your blogs and essays and also hearing about them during class discussions.

In preparation for your service learning experience, you all visited the database that we put together with information about the various service learning organizations. If you're curious about what organizations your classmates are working with this fall, you can visit the database here: CIS 112 Service Learning Database

I'll briefly write about one of the service learning organizations our students worked with last year. We had about 10 students each semester work with Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge in Nicholasville, KY.  For 30 years, Wolf Run has fostered and rehabilitated many different animals so that they can be reintroduced to their natural habitats in the wild. Those not able to be released remain happily at Wolf Run and are involved in programs to spread awareness and education about wildlife and its preservation.

Wolf dog ambassadors from Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge and Savannah Massey, director of the refuge and volunteer coordinator, visited classes in the School of Library and Information Science last fall.

The wolf dogs made a visit to our classroom last fall, and it was a unique experience. UKNOW also wrote an article about it.

Nayeli, a wolf dog who wasn't even one year old yet, visited a CIS 112 class last fall.

I will be blogging this semester just like each of you, and from time to time, I might share some of your experiences, photos, videos, etc. on this blog. I think it's a great way for all of us to learn more about these organizations and the experiences you will have this semester.