Center for Civic Engagement & Social Impact (CCESI)

WCU defines service-learning as a form of experiential education that combines community service with curricular goals. Students work towards solving a social problem or meeting an identified need in the community. This work is usually done outside the classroom, but not always.

Service may consist of advocacy work, direct service, or community-based research with students and the community. The service in these classes is directly tied to academic learning. Faculty also guide students to think critically and reflect, making connections between the service activities and academic learning. Examples of reflective activities include classroom discussions, presentations, journals, or D2L posts.

Community-based research is a collaborative and participatory approach to research in which community organizations (e.g., schools, non-profit agencies, residents and civic leaders) partner with academic researchers (faculty, academic staff and students) to produce knowledge that solves real world problems. This type of research may include serving as a consultant, as a co-Principal Investigator, or in a variety of other partnership roles.

For the purposes of this report, community service projects are defined as assistance to a nonprofit or governmental agency. The projects are non-curriculum based, and recognized or coordinated by faculty at the university. They include both mandatory and voluntary community service.  Service can occur both on and off campus.

Examples include:

• Large projects for community organizations, such as strategic planning
• Co-curricular trips, such as taking students to New Orleans to do hurricane relief work with Habitat for Humanity

It is reported to the WCU President, Provost, Deans, PASSHE and Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Because of your commitment to community-based teaching, WCU has been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation, receiving the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification for achievements in Curricular Engagement and Outreach and Partnership. The University has also received the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll since 2006. Accurate annual reporting by faculty of student community engagement is necessary in order to remain competitive for future honors and distinctions for community-campus partnerships, so we appreciate your prompt and thorough reporting.

Contact Dr. Linda Stevenson, Service-Learning Faculty Associate