What is Service-Learning?

The National Service-Learning Clearninghouse defines service-learning as a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.  

The Global Service Program works toward achieving its service-learning goals by focusing on:

•	Civic Responsibility: Empowering participants to become leaders and global citizens while at the same time understanding that one person can truly make a difference.
•	Diversity: Exposing students to different cultures and belief systems, so they begin to understand that others, whose opinions may differ, can also be right.
•	Integrated Curricular Learning: Providing background and instruction that directly links to the issues we will address throughout the service project.
•	Meaningful Service: Addressing a need or concern that is identified by the communities in which we serve.
•	Collaboration: Engaging in collaborative service with community members on projects that benefit both the community and the volunteers.
•	Reflection: Creating a forum for active reflection before, during, and after the service-learning experience.
•	Evaluation: Providing opportunities for participants and partners to have a voice through evaluation of program goals.

By immersing themselves in the service trip experience, participants grow to understand how they can impact communities and make a difference in the world. In addition, they learn a lot about themselves and their capacity as change agents. These are truly transformative experiences.