Mission
The mission of the Iowa Wesleyan Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement is to prepare future graduates for global stewardship by connecting learning to service.
Academic Service-Learning
Don’t just TAKE a class… EXPERIENCE IT!!!
Service-Learning is a course-based, credit-bearing, experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflects on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility. (Bringle & Hatcher, 1996, p. 2)
Degree seeking students at IWC will take classes with SL components as part of their graduation requirements.
Students who begin their studies as:
- Freshman will complete 4 classes with SL
- Sophomores will complete3 classes with SL
- Juniors will complete 2 classes with SL
- Seniors will complete 1 class with SL
Classes with SL are noted with an (SL) or (SL#) in the course catalog. The SL# indicates that a course has an optional service-learning component. If you take an SL# course be sure to complete the project satisfactorily in order to receive credit.
New Courses with SL for 2012-13
Ethics: An ethics course designed for students to experience a project with purpose.
Leadership and Service: A course designed to improve student's understanding and practice of servant-leadership.
Student Award Winners
Congratulations to the following students for modeling exemplary service at IWC in 11-12!
Jacob Ayers, freshman Spirit of Service Recipient
Laura Cooper, junior Iris Hart Meinhard Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Erin Noon, senior Service Scholar
Co-Curricular Civic Engagement
Do Something that MATTERS!!!
At IWC our students engage in a number of non-credit bearing projects outside the classroom as well. Our fraternities and sororities assist local non-profits with fundraising. Our sports teams regularly help out with community events and many of our students take part in exciting alternative break programs offered at IWC.
Alternative Break Trips 2012-2013
- Alternative Fall Break: Iowa City
- Alternative Spring Break:
Washington D.C.
(be watching for details!) - Alternative Summer
Break International
(be watching for details!)
Contact Information
Alisha Vincent, Ed.D. DirectorSamantha Johnson, AmeriCorps VISTA, Assistant Director
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Phone: 800.582.2383 ext.6362 or 319.385.6362
Fax: 319.385.6363
Community partners are those organizations or persons who collaborate with IWC to provide meaningful opportunities for our students to make a difference in the lives of others while growing as responsible, socially-involved citizens.
Community partners collaborate with IWC to offer both co-curricular and academic service-learning opportunities.
Academic service-learning is…
Course-based, credit-bearing, reflective and connected in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility. (Bringle & Hatcher, 1996, p. 2)
Examples of academic SL projects at IWC include: Developmental Psychology students who mentor local youth while connecting their course-based theory through reflection and written activities in the class. Pharmacology students who work with local pharmacies on the unused prescription drug take-back program, and Small Group Communication students who connected with a local non-profit to develop a social media networking campaign.
To propose an academic service-learning project please complete the following form. **Please note that we hope to develop academic SL opportunities that: A) have the potential to be repeated every semester or every year, B) can offer at least 12 hours of engagement in the service project per student, and C) can be clearly connected to the objectives of the academic course.
A representative from the SLCE office will forward your proposal to the appropriate contact who will be in touch with you to determine the feasibility of developing an academic SL project.
Form for Course-Based Academic Service-Learning proposal
Co-curricular projects are those…
that are not directly embedded within a course but by which students still engage in meaningful ways. These projects are open to any student, may be short or long term, but are non-credit bearing. Our clubs, fraternities, and sports teams often work together on volunteer projects throughout the community. Types of co-curricular volunteer projects IWC students have been involved in in the past include: leaf raking, community clean-up, assisting at local fundraisers, wrapping Christmas presents, and more.
To propose an opportunity for students to engage in a non-course-based volunteer project please complete the following form. A representative from the SLCE office will post the opportunity to the IWC campus community.
Form for Non-Course-Based Volunteer Project Proposal
Community Partner of the Year
THANK you to the Henry County Mentoring Program for your continued support of IWC students. Last year IWC students comprised nearly 60% of all mentors in Henry County! Cassie Gerst and the team of Club M were involved in both course-based academic service-learning through our Developmental Psychology classes and co-curricular projects with some of our community-minded students.
Contact Information
For questions please contact our the Service-Learning and Civic Engagement office at 319-385-6362 . This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or room 228 Hershey Hall.
The ten steps listed below applies ONLY to those students who are planning to finish their service requirement for graduation during or before the Fall semester 2012.. Information on completing the service requirement for all students not planning to complete by fall 2012 will be distributed the week of March 12-15. Students are encouraged to contact the SLCE office with questions regarding the status of their requirement.
All students need to read the following information regarding how to successfully finish their service requirement at Wesleyan.
Step One:Meet the Staff
Meet with the Service-Learning Staff. Each student should meet with a representative from the Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement the FIRST semester they begin their studies at Wesleyan. Call 319-385-6362 or stop in to 228 Hershey Hall to set up a 10 minute appointment.
Step Two:Fill out your BIF
Each student must fill out a BASIC INFORMATION FORM the first semester they begin their studies at Wesleyan. This form allows the Center for SL and CE to track students’ service progress.
Step Three: Plan ahead
Set a goal for completion of your required service hours and make a plan to reach that goal. Talk to your advisor about Service-Learning classes you may be able to get service credit for in the future and figure out how many/if any service hours you will need to complete outside of service-learning coursework.
Note:
RSI (OLD PROGRAM) students must complete 160 hours of service and register for 6 hours of RSI
Service-Learning students (NEW PROGRAM… 2009 registrations through current) must complete
120 hours of service (if you start at IWC as a Freshman) then register for SL300
90 hours of service (if you start at IWC as a Sophomore) then register for SL300
60 hours of service (if you start at IWC as a Junior) then register for SL300
30 hours of service (if you start at IWC as a Senior) then register for SL300
Students who are 24 or older might qualify to apply retroactive hours IF they completed a significant amount of service hours after high school and before they started at Wesleyan. Call or stop by the Service-Learning office to see if you qualify. (***Steps 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 still apply to all students approved for retroactive status).
Step Four: Get organized
Start a file somewhere safe where you can put all service correspondence. This includes letters sent via email from our office, copies of forms you submitted, notes about the service project(s) that you complete, pictures from your service project(s) etc. etc. Having ONE place where you put all service related information will help immensely as you proceed. This file will be very handy when the time comes to put together your final paperwork and complete your Capstone project (developing your final service exhibit and writing your final paper).
Step Five: Check your IWC email
Check your IWC email account!!!! The majority of student correspondence from the Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement comes to your IWC email account. Do not ignore these emails or you may miss a very important message from us. We NEVER accept “I never check my email” or “I never received that email” excuses from students… (so don’t try). J Print important correspondence and put it in your service folder.
Step Six:Fulfill your service hours
Fulfill your service hours. There is MORE THAN ONE WAY that students can receive service credit for hours served. Students can meet their requirement by doing any combination of:
a. Taking a course that has a Service-Learning component. More and more courses are being added to the schedule all the time. These courses are marked with an SL in the course catalogue. If you take a course with a service-learning component, the instructor will let our office know that you fulfilled the service requirement at the end of that semester. So, you do NOT have to do paperwork… other than what is required for the instructor. Don’t forget to keep notes and pictures for your service file.
b. Get involved in campus service activities. Various clubs and organizations on campus initiate service projects. Watch for emails and posters about activities where you can be awarded SL credit. The campus advisor (a faculty or staff member) will notify our office regarding volunteers and the time they devoted once the service activity is completed. So you do NOT have to complete additional paperwork to receive credit.
c. Do an Independent Service Project. Students are welcome to take their own initiative to volunteer with an organization outside of campus and courses (i.e. in their hometown, with an area organization such as the Fellowship Cup, doing an international service project).
Here are the MANDATORY steps for completing an independent service project. Don’t miss a step or you may not get credit!
1. Fill out a PROJECT PROPOSAL AGREEMENT and wait for approval (approval can take up to 1 week) before you can begin counting your service hours.
2. Keep a Journal that includes these critical items:
i. Date and Time served with hours totaled at the end
ii. Summaries of service activity for each date entry, with reflection
An example:
1/1/11, 11AM-4PM: Today we worked on updating the outdated donation portion of the website for XYZ non-profit. The executive director was thrilled when she learned that I knew how to use FrontPage and could teach her how to make updates. It is an amazing feeling knowing that this help might assist the organization in receiving more donations.
3. Notify the SL office immediately following the conclusion of the hours you served at your independent service project. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 319-385-6362 with your last date of service. (You will be deducted points if you do not notify our office immediately… within 48 hours.)
4. Turn in your journal (drop off to 228 Hershey Hall, mail to: Attn: Service Learning, 601 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant, IA 52641-1398, OR email as an attachment to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) (You will be deducted points if you do not turn in your journal within two weeks from your last date of service.)
You may complete more than one Independent Service Project, but you will need to fill out a PROJECT PROPOSAL AGREEMENT and turn in a journal for each independent project that you engage in.
Step Seven: Check in
Check in with the SL office on a regular basis. It never hurts to check in to make sure we have properly given credit where credit is due.
Step Eight: Watch out for deadlines
Be mindful of Deadlines. Confirmation of the completion of ALL service and corresponding verification (such as a journal for independent service projects or letters from supervisors for retroactive students) must be on FILE with our office the semester before you plan to finish your Capstone.
If you plan to do your final paper and presentation in:the Fall semester, FILES must be completed by August 1st.
the Summer semester, FILES must be completed by June 15th.
Step Nine: Complete your capstone
Once all of your service hours are completed (through Service-Learning Courses and/or Campus Service Projects and/or Independent Service Projects) and those hours are confirmed in your FILE in our office, you may proceed with your capstone project (writing your final paper and putting together your service exhibit).
Note: This Capstone activity (paper and exhibit) is ALWAYS done the semester following the completion of your service hours.
Step Ten: Keep serving
Keep serving. We hope you learned a lot from all of your service experiences at Wesleyan and that you will continue to be an active and engaged member of society in your life in the future.
- If you are creating an exhibit for Capstone you may stop by Hershey 228 to see an example exhibit for ideas.
- Students are welcome to submit service project ideas at anytime, or contact the office about existing projects they would like other students to get involved in.
Academic Service-Learning Standards
Click here to view the Academic Service-Learning Standards
Service-Learning Faculty Member of the Year
Assistant Professor of Nursing Lisa Kongable: Lisa is very involved in volunteer activities outside of the classroom and actively brings that passion for helping other to her students as well. Lisa worked with her students to organize a collaborative project between nursing students and Girl Scouts and worked with students to organize a mental health project this spring. She is a leader for the National Assoc. of Mental Health.
Course of the Year
Psychology of Gender (Danaher): During Women of Wesleyan Week IWC psychology students took the lead role in planning, organizing, and executing a number of activities throughout the IWC campus and greater Mt. Pleasant community. These activities ranged from self-defense classes to discussions on human trafficking. All activities were closely tied to learning objectives and students reflected on their role in advocating for women throughout the course.
Click here to find syllabi and other relevant SL resources for faculty
Co-curricular projects
If you are advising a club or group that is doing a non-credit bearing volunteer project we want to hear about it. Please complete the following form to let us know what you are doing, who is involved, and how much time your students devote. This information is valuable for us to keep track of all the civic engagement activities our students take part in. Thanks for your cooperation!
