Service Learning for Community College Programs

Rebecca Stevens
ORIGINAL:
During the community college experience, many individual courses require service learning as
part of the required coursework. However, incorporating service learning into a program,
specifically an Honors or Allied Health program, can become cumbersome for many students.
Community college students navigate substantial barriers including financial, transportation,
family obligations, and unpaid or low paid internships. With such a variety of challenges, how
can a rigorous program incorporate service learning projects that the students will not only
complete but be able to fully engage in?
The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) has several solutions to the challenges of
service learning. I plan to present a poster sharing solutions used in the colleges Physical
Therapist Assistant program, Honors program, and at the overall college level. While faculty
and staff support and guide many of the projects at CCAC, the individual service learning
projects are student driven, community oriented, and successful on many levels.
ABSTRACT (50 words):
Incorporating service learning into a community college program, specifically an Honors or
Allied Health program, can be challenging for many students and professors. The Community
College of Allegheny County offers degree programs which demonstrate service learning
projects which are student driven, community oriented, and successful on many levels.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES (250 words)
Please list up to three goals or expected learning outcomes for your session (e.g., share a new
framework; engage participants in conversation or debate; elicit new ideas in a round-table
setting.)
1. Share a way to incorporate service learning projects into rigorous and narrowly defined
programs, such as Allied Health, and at a general community college level. Evidence of
practices within CCAC will document how several professors were able to engage students.
2. Present examples of successful service learning at CCAC. Service learning projects will be
from several programs, including the Physical Therapist Assistant and Honors Leadership, and
student life clubs.
3. Engage participants in a discussion of the methods and projects used at CCAC through a brief
presentation and a call for questions.
AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT (200 words)
Please describe how you plan to engage your target audience, noted above, and non-target
audiences (e.g., small group discussion, role-play, town hall style session, hands-on activities).
While primarily aimed at students and faculty, any audience member will be able to benefit from
this project. In a poster presentation, I would actively address any interested audience members
by asking questions regarding their own programs and/or experiences regarding service learning.
A brief presentation about CCACs various service learning projects would segue into a question
and answer forum with any audience participants. This topic could be easily transformed into
other presentation styles, but with a focus on examples of service learning projects, their origins,
and outcomes.

Service Learning for Community College Programs

Rebecca Stevens
HOW IS YOUR MATERIAL INNOVATIVE AND/OR RELEVANT TO THIS
MEETING? (200 words)
Service learning can be tailored to fit multiple needs for community college programs. In
addition to choosing projects which are relevant to the students field of study, projects can be
used to reinforce activism, civic engagement, and community outreach. Often, we see this
information coming from a faculty member or administrator who is able to look at the data from
a distance. This presentation will come from the student perspective. By combining academic
data with student experiences, the outcomes of service learning can be more accurately
understood.
Incorporating service learning into a program, specifically an Honors or Allied Health program,
can become cumbersome for many students and faculty. Community college students navigate
substantial barriers including financial, transportation, family obligations, and unpaid or low paid
internships. With such a variety of challenges, how can a rigorous program incorporate service
learning projects that the students will not only complete but be able to fully engage in?
The CCAC has several solutions to the challenges of service learning. While faculty and staff
support and guide many of the projects at CCAC, the individual service learning projects are
student driven, community oriented, and successful on many levels.

SESSION OUTLINE & TIME SEQUENCE (as appropriate) (300 words)

During the 45-minute poster presentation I would prepare a 2-3 minute overview of CCACs
service learning projects within both programs and at the overall college level. The focus of the
presentation would be on discussions with participants. To promote active engagement, I would
pose questions about each participants experiences with service learning. I would also take
questions about CCACs service learning by any participant.
IS THERE ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? (300
words) (optional)
I am a non-traditional student at CCAC studying in the Physical Therapist Assistant program and
continuing my prerequisites to complete by Doctorate of Physical Therapy at another institution.
I have previous completed a certificate in Massage Therapy at CCAC and two bachelor degrees
in English and Theater Arts at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. Over my 9 years in
various academic settings I have experienced programs which do not actively promote service
learning and those which excel in engagement within and outside the program. As a nontraditional student interested in both academics and community, I believe I can address issues
many students have about active participation and levels of engagement. I have been nominated
for the Newman Civic Fellow award and the Mary McMillan scholarship offered by the
American Physical Therapy Association. I have also received the Student Leadership Award for
presented by the Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association. These awards demonstrate my
dedication to student engagement through active participation using your current skills as a
student to connect to the community. Something I stand behind is the idea that as a student, it
can be easy to forget the real world applications of our education, but service learning can bridge
that gap. It allows the student to connect their academic skills to civic and community passions;

Service Learning for Community College Programs

Rebecca Stevens
it allows us to effect change in our community from the very start. And by beginning at the
earliest stages of learning, we can develop a lifelong desire to continue serving our community
through our profession.