Community Partners and Service-Learning
What is Service-Learning?
Service-Learning can best be defined by what it does for students. Service-Learning helps students gain a better understanding of course content by experiencing it first-hand. Service-Learning students are placed in real-life settings where they have the opportunity to use and apply skills learned in the classroom to meet community needs. Service-Learners have the chance to apply their skills/knowledge, make real decisions that positively impact their surroundings, experience and embrace diversity, gain deeper understandings of themselves and society and develop as leaders.
Why Does ECU Encourage Service-Learning?
ECU believes that as our future leaders, students should receive an engaging, informative, real-world education that fosters responsibility to their personal, local and global communities. This includes nurturing a sense of civic responsibility as well as encouraging ethical decision-making and compassion for all. Service-Learning is the best tool for giving our students the diverse, engaging environment necessary for this type of learning.
How Does Service-Learning Benefit the Community?
Service-Learning is a valuable educational tool for students and university faculty, but it also benefits the community in which students serve. Below are some of the major benefits of Service-Learning to community partners.
- Increased human resources
- Access to university resources
- Increased awareness of community issues and resolutions
- Youthful, optimistic ideas
Sample Projects?
Service-Learning students participate in projects relevant to a variety of majors at ECU, including health, communications, education and child development and family relations. Below are examples of Service-Learning projects that may be relevant to you as a community partner:
- Promotional videos
- PowerPoint presentations
- Public service announcements
- Brochures
- Mural painting
- Fundraising
- Letter writing
- Tutoring
- Visiting clients
- Designing or organizing office space
- Landscaping or construction
- Event Planning
- Website Construction
