Service-learning+centers'+relationship+to+formal+academic+programming

**Service-learning centers’ relationship to formal academic programming** Nancy Castle, Ph.D., Professor, Center for Non Governmental Organization Leadership and Development [ncastle@niu.edu] Judith Hermanson, Ph.D., Director, Center for Non Governmental Organization Leadership and Development [jhermanson@niu.edu]



 **Keywords:** Service-learning centers, service-learning majors and minors, religious private schools
 * Format:** Poster presentation
 * Track:** Program evaluation and assessment
 * Date and time:** Thursday 3:20 – 4:30 **Location:** Salon 4/Salon 9

Many postsecondary schools in the US have added Service-Learning/Community Engagement (SLCE) to their campus culture by establishing service-learning centers designed to work with students, faculty and the community to varying degrees. While debated, NSSE data in particular seems to point to the success of including SLCE via retention and long-term impact on students. Clearly SLCE Centers provide a great resource, but are they the sole indicator of a campus commitment to the ideal of preparing responsible world citizens? This study begins an exploration into factors that may influence the permanence of SLCE as part of the campus culture via academic discipline. There are many questions to be asked in this endeavor. A first exploratory question might be: Do schools that have established SLCE Centers also have formal majors, minors or certificates in the subject? Relatedly, do schools with strong religious affiliations tend to have both? The purposes of this exploratory study were to: 1) determine if schools that had officially designated SLCE Centers also offered an academic program, i.e., a major, a minor or a certificate, in SLCE (or closely related field); and 2) to describe the presence of SLCE Centers in religious private schools and their relationship to an academic discipline. Results, explanations, discussions and a delineation of future questions and directions will be provided. **References:** No references were provided within this proposal. **Please click here to access a PDF of this page: ** [|Castle_Service-learning centers’ relationship to formal academic programming (1).pdf]
 * Summary:**

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