NHHAW Interdisciplinary Service Learning Project Melissa Sprenkle, Communications & Brandon Everest, Social Sciences The importance of scholarship *and* service in undergraduate learning.
WHY SERVICE LEARNING? It facilitates, activates and engages as a pedagogy. Experiential basis that builds upon previous knowledge and experience. It builds on existing strengths among students. It works with the benefits of high expectations. (teacher expectancy effects)
Overview of NHHAW Project SNAP Challenge through Food Research and Action Council (FRAC) Walk for Health and Housing through Goodwill Street Outreach Program Hygiene/Personal Care Drive through Father Fred Foundation Student Based Research Conference
Walk for Health and Housing Worked with Ryan Hannon, Goodwill Street Outreach Coordinator to take a guided tour of downtown Traverse City with an eye to the experiences of homeless people. Met with TC Mayor, Jubilee House Coordinator, Safe Harbor Coordinator, and others to learn about challenges of homelessness in our region.
Hygiene/Personal Care Drive Worked with Father Fred Foundation to drive up personal care items often forgotten by general donors. These items are costly to low-income people and assist children in school and adults seeking work. Raised over 3000 items and $500 and added to the Food for Through Drive on campus.
SNAP Challenge Developed by FRAC as an awareness raising effort asking people to join the 25% of SNAP recipients who live off this program exclusively to meet nutritional needs. Participants survive one week on the average SNAP benefit of $29 and share their experiences via social media.
Student Reflection While the SNAP Challenge isn’t a completely accurate way to experience how people in poverty survive day-to-day, it gives a good understanding of the struggles and hardships that accompany living on the tight budget of $29. Over the course of a week that I attempted my SNAP Challenge, it really put into perspective how fortunate I am to live the life I do. I found great difficulty in going the entire week on a mere $29.
Student Reflection I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I thought it would be more manageable than it really turned out to be. The night before I started the challenge, I took my $29 and went out and bought items to provide me with my meals throughout the week. I was okay with what I had obtained, and was sure I could make it through the week on just what I had bought. It turned out that I was incredibly wrong.
Student Reflection I wrote in one of my posts that I hope in the near future people in America won’t have to take the SNAP challenge. People and policies have to change. I don’t know how people in America can possibly think that hunger is not an issue here.
Student Research Conference Semester culminated in a research conference exhibiting student research and presentations of their work through the semester. Attended by students, faculty, administration and community members and human services professionals.
Service LEARNING The poster presentations helped students to apply content taught in their respective courses to real problems in our community and beyond. We focus on communications and critical thinking skills as well as cognitive and personal reflection in this process.
Teaching SOCIOLOGY It takes very abstract concepts and theories and allows students to apply them to real life situations and circumstances to see how they play out in the world. It changes the commitments students have to the material, to themselves and the class and to their world.
Student Reflections “In this class, I was able to learn a lot more about empathy and respect than I thought I would. I will forever be thankful for the new life lessons I have learned, and the myths I have debunked. Due to the way that the class was set up, I was able to gain so much out of this class. This class has gone beyond defining terms and taking texts to learning respect and empathy, and changing who I am as a person; this is nothing something I have ever been able to say about a class.”
Student Reflections “Even though I took a sociology class at the high school, they did not teach me everything that I learned here. I felt that in this class I was pushed to go outside of my comfort zone. Such as going up in front of the classroom and almost giving the lesson to the class. I also felt that I was not just some silly high schooler, but I actually knew what I was talking about.”
Student Reflections “The greatest successes of the class was the group work and volunteering. I do volunteer at home a lot, so doing the volunteering that went with the topic of homelessness and poverty was nice. Before this class, I hated hearing that I was going to have to do a group project from a teacher, but getting the chance to work with a group of people who just as interested in this topic as I am was awesome. It made me excited to be able to work with my group every week. Personally, this class really changed me.”
Teaching COMPOSITION Service-Learning gives students purpose in their writing. Witnessing community needs and the ways in which community members meet those needs deepens their understanding and empathy, which are both necessary for effective writing.
Student Reflections I especially enjoyed being in this group because there was a strong connection to all of the readings we had read throughout the semester in class. It helped to be able to see in real life the places that are involved after reading about them in an article.
Student Reflections Through the Walmart day, I learned a couple things. The first is that there are more people willing to help than I thought. The donations put forth by people helps substantially for those in need and it’s really something to see these efforts in action. The second thing I learned is just how awful it must be to be at a shortage of things that I use so thoughtlessly every day. To not have soap, or toilet paper, or tampons when you need them is something I have not ever thought about.
Student Reflections I was amazed to see how many people actually gave help to the cause. Some people even bought 5 or more items and didn’t even want to be entered into the raffle because they must just want to show kindness. I really learned that anyone regardless of how they look or walk could potentially be willing to help.
Future of Experiential Learning Although preliminary, NMC has expressed interest in pursuing experiential learning as a student-centered goal for the institution. Work has begun to draft a proposal and recruit possible committee members for further consideration. To do this well, we need everyone’s support and resources.
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