USM/L-A Wraps Up Another Successful Service-Learning
Year
September 2005
During yet another successful year of service-learning initiatives,
students from USM's Lewiston Auburn College have provided
significant assistance to the local community. Whether it
was helping children to read, assisting the elderly, or creating
data bases, students experienced first-hand the challenges
faced by people of different backgrounds and learned more
about schools, social service organizations, and other groups
that strive to address local community needs.
Service-learning is a teaching method which combines community
service with academic instruction as it focuses on critical,
reflective thinking and civic responsibility. Service-learning
programs involve students in organized community service that
addresses local needs, while enhancing their academic skills
and commitment to the community. It also enables students
to apply concepts learned in the classroom to real world situations
and provides an opportunity for them to develop a greater
appreciation of their role as citizens in a democracy.
"Without service-learning, community needs might not
be met, due to lack of time or people," says Laurie Hearne,
of AmeriCorps* VISTA, who coordinates service-learning at
USM/L-A. In their annual service-learning report, Laurie and
her supervisor, Marv Druker, professor of leadership and organizational
studies, wrote that over 450 students and 15 faculty members
from USM/L-A participated in public service education and
volunteerism, with students contributing almost 2,000 hours
during the 2004-2005 academic year, resulting in a significant
increase over the previous year.
USM/L-A's committed goal is to institutionalize service-learning
as part of the higher educational learning experience, which
is now firmly rooted in the Lewiston-Auburn community. Some
examples of community service completed by USM/L-A students
include the following:
* Occupational Therapy (OT) students partnered with independent
elders from Maison Marcotte's congregate living facility and
observed the elders' skills around occupational performance
and their elder partners' engagement in occupations in daily
life. OT students also facilitated learning and fun activities
with Somali girls in the 7th-9th grades with the support of
United Somali Woman of Maine.
* Computer Science students provided area non-profit agencies
with database assistance and helped them develop brochures
and bulletins. Research Methods students compiled data to
assist the Lewiston Police Department conduct a neighborhood
survey.
* English as Second Language (ESL) students tutored new immigrant
residents in strengthening social skills.
* The International Students Organization of Lewiston Auburn
(ISOLA) raised community awareness about multiculturalism
in L-A by hosting potluck suppers, discussions, dances, etc.
* Leadership and Organizational Studies students, sponsored
by the Androscoggin Chamber of Commerce, conducted community
leadership training workshops in collaboration with USM/L-A's
Civic Leadership Institute.
* Environmental Science students worked to develop the USM/L-A
nature trail, and completed the "Botanical and Fungal
Nature Trail Guide" to encourage the university community
and the public to enjoy nature and green space on the campus
grounds.
* Western Civilization and Human Geography students hosted
the Second Annual Androscoggin Labor Folk Festival and also
raised money for the Seeds of Peace Camp in Otisfield, Maine.
* Applied Social Policy students participated in orientation
and mentoring of Lewiston Middle School students (Lewiston
Youth Empowerment Program); assisted with a supplementary
reading program for school children at Sherwood Heights Elementary
School; worked on the research and design of a model preschool
program, and helped design and implement a children's safety
and spirituality program. Students from this class also worked
to enhance the ability of local agencies to pursue micro-level
policy and program initiatives including: grant-writing projects
to provide support to special needs students so they will
be more likely to graduate from high school; a grant to fund
the L-A Civic Leadership Institute; a grant for research for
the College for ME/Androscoggin initiative; research for the
Maine Community Foundation on how to best collect and share
information on the impact of donor dollars to encourage future
donations; and a Community Partnership grant for service-learning
project expenses.
For more information about service-learning at USM/L-A, please
contact Laurie Hearne at 753 6547 or check the website at
www.usm.maine.edu/servicelearning/.
