Community Partnerships' Service Learning
Our Mission Statement...
Service Learning, a program of Adams State College Community Partnerships, facilitates multi-faceted learning opportunities by connecting educators and students with service providers, non-profits and other community partners to foster personal growth and civic engagement while meeting community needs in the San Luis Valley.
What is Service Learning?
Service-Learning is a form of experiential learning in which students address community needs while achieving specific curricular objectives. Service-learning is more than traditional "volunteering" because it combines service activities with structured reflection. Reflection enhances student's classroom and field experiences, while fostering an ethic of civic responsibility among service- learners.
Service Learning Projects
Private Probation
We have opportunities available for students and community members who need to fulfill court-mandated community services requirements. Please see here for more information.
CHAMPS
Each semester, the Adams State College Athletics department offers a CHAMPS (Challenging Athletes Minds for Personal Success) course. This course is meant to allow students to develop leadership skills and a connection to their community, while helping beneficial organizations in the San Luis Valley. Working through us, CHAMPS students sign up with various agencies throughout the San Luis Valley, providing these groups with valued community service while becoming a beneficial component to the SLV themselves. Please see the CHAMPS webpage here for more information.
Service Learning Benefits
Faculty
- Individual meetings to discuss appropriate service sites that match course objectives.
- Literature and sample assignments that aid in connecting students' service to coursework.
- Class presentations to introduce service learning to students.
- Tools for implementing service learning such as contracts, risk forms, times sheets, etc.
- Support and assistance with the development of "reflection" assignments.
- Coordination of Service-Learning class activities.
The Service-Learning office is available to support faculty with the integration of service-learning into curricula. Services offered by the office include:
Community
- College students who serve as human resources, able to meet agency need.
- The opportunity to help cultivate energy and enthusiasm for a lifetime of volunteerism among service learners.
- The opportunity to participate in an educational partnership in which community agencies act as co-educators for service-learning students.
- Service-learners are potential future employees with job skills, a sense of creativity and appreciation for diversity.
The service-learning office is available to support community organizations hosting service learning students. Types of support offered by the office include:
- Site visits by the service-learning staff to discuss agency needs and service-learning opportunities.
- Help to design and formalize service-learning opportunities.
- Facilitation of connections among instructors
There are many benefits for community agencies who host service-learning students including:
Students
- Real-world experience relating to subject being studied.
- Opportunities to build community networks for future employment and volunteer opportunities.
- Development of insight into possible career paths.
- A heightened understanding of social issues and projects.
- In depth insight into the class work.
- Scholarship money for college.
The Service-Learning office is available to support students engaged in service- learning. Types of support offered by the office include:
- Advice in the selection of appropriate service sites.
- Consultation and discussion of ideas and concerns that develop throughout service- learning process.
- Assistance with reflection and assignments related to service-learning.
The benefits to students participating in service-learning are innumerable, but they include:
