What is service-learning?

• Go to the Center for Leadership & Service website
• 2007 Annual Report (note: this is a pdf file)

"We strive to engage and educate students around the core areas of self-knowledge, leadership theory and practice, service-learning, values clarification, diversity, and civic engagement while being inclusive and accessible to all students."

Service-learning is a methodology that asks students to learn new information through participation in organized service activities followed by individual and group reflections. This pedagogy both deepens and advances students' understanding of complex topics and the manner in which they manifest themselves within a local, regional, and/or global community. The Center for Leadership & Service happily serves as a resource to faculty and instructors interested in developing a service-learning course.

Most of our efforts within Student Life have been with direct service within the Cleveland community with a record total of 8013 direct service hours (exceeding the 2005-06 total of 3090) and 45% of the students involved with student leadership programs involved in service activity (over last year's 32% involvement). "Viking Expeditions" is our students' newest grass roots initiative this year sending students on an alternative spring break service trip to Mississippi for Hurricane Relief. And we are continuing our collaboration with CityYear Cleveland with a corps team of nine CityYear volunteers on campus.

Many service-learning initiatives are currently underway with faculty, including our Community Leadership Development Seminar SWK493 collaboration between our Center for Leadership & Service program and Dr. Murali Nair.