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Getting Started in Service Learning + Community Engagement





Faculty/Instructor Support + Resources

  • Ambassador Program

    Service Learning and Civic Engagement Ambassadors serve as liaisons to their offices and departments. CSL Faculty Fellows lead our Ambassador programs.

  • Individual Support or Navigation

    Meet with a CSL staff member or faculty fellow for guidance on developing service learning courses, building community partnerships for engaged research projects, and more!

  • Awards and Recognition

    The CSL recognizes students, faculty, staff, and community partners in our annual award process.

  • Mini-Grants

    Service Learning Course Mini-Grants support instructors who are launching a service learning course component or developing a new community-engaged course.




Student Support + Resources

  • Individual Consultations

    We meet with students individually to discuss service and civic engagement opportunities. These meetings are scheduled through Jayhawk GPS/Navigate app. We will also be holding walk-in office hours on Tuesdays from 2-4 while classes are in session!

  • Student Service Organizations

    The CSL advises three student service organizations- these are great opportunities for students to build community with peers holding similar interests!

  • Economic Opportunity Programs

    We manage two programs that support students in overcoming barriers to participation in service and civic engagement activities- Community Service Capacity Awards and the Student Community Action Corps.

  • Certificate in Service Learning

    This academic program recognizes undergraduate student participation in service learning activities and engaging in community service.

 

Definitions

Service Learning is an "educational experience that allows students to participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility" (Bringle and Hatcher, 1995). 

Civic Engagement means "working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference" (Thomas Erlich, Civic Responsibility and Higher Education). 

Community Engagement describes "the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national and global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity" (Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching).

 

How Does KU Support Service Learning and Civic Engagement?

In 2020, KU received the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, a national recognized designation for institutions demonstrating a commitment to service and community engagement. We will be eligible for redesignation in 2026!

 For the 2020 presidential election, KU received the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge's gold seal for achieving an increase student voting rate between 70% and 79%. Also in 2020, KU Chancellor Girod signed onto ALL IN's President's Commitment for Full Student Voter Participation.

KU's Jayhawks Rising strategic planning process includes a focus on "Strengthening Service to Local and Global Communities." One of the strategies in this area is the implementation of mechanisms that reward and celebrate community engagement.

The University of Kansas and the Center for Service Learning are affiliated with several national organizations and professional associations. Membership benefits include access to discounted conference registration, communities of practice, and more. 

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