Service Learning Center

Benefits of Service Learning & Community Service

Benefits to Students	Benefits to the University	Benefits to the Community
Enriches student learning of course material and brings books to life and life to books	Enriches a culture of creative, active, enhanced teaching and learning	Provides substantial human resources to meet the needs of local communities
Engages students in active learning; a learning that demonstrates the relevance and importance of academic work in their life experiences and career choices - excellent for resume building	Builds reciprocal partnerships with the local community	Allows the energy and enthusiasm of college students to contribute to meeting critical community needs
Increases awareness of current societal issues, especially as these issues relate to specific academic areas of interest	Creates new areas for research and scholarship	Fosters an ethic of service and civic participation in students who will be tomorrow's volunteers and civic leaders
Broadens perspectives of diversity issues	Increases opportunities for professional recognition and reward	Creates potential for additional partnerships and collaboration with the campus
Enhances critical thinking skills	Extends campus resources into the community and reinforces the value of the scholarship of engagement
Improves interpersonal skills, increasingly viewed as crucial skills in achieving success in the professional world	Supports Institutional mission, values, and long-range planning goals
Develops a sense of civic responsibility through active community involvement