Thank you for your interest in the Service Learning Program at Marquette University.
In the last 15 years of the Service Learning Program's existence, thousands of Marquette students have participated in this exciting and transformative form of experiential education. Thanks to the commitment of our community partners and faculty, these students have had the opportunity to observe the concepts they are learning about in "real time." The community becomes the classroom and their text. Through their service learning experience these students were able to test the new skills they were developing in class, and apply and analyze the theories they are learning. Just as important, especially at a Jesuit institution, is that service learning exposes students to the "gritty realities" and the social justice issues that exist in our community. Students begin to grapple with how their talents and gifts should be used to meet the world's greatest hungers and needs. They are confronted with inequality, discrimination, and oppression, and are called to become the change agents of tomorrow.
Marquette's Program is one of the top service learning programs in the country. The Program has been recognized numerous times by US News and World Report as an excellent example of service learning, and Marquette University has been named with distinction to the President's Honor Roll for Community Service. We are proud to be a leader in this field, and embrace opportunities to disseminate information to other Programs.
Some of our goals in the coming year include:
- Launching a new faculty conversation series for faculty to discuss their service learning practice and community-based research efforts.
- Continuing to enhance our faculty development programming and offering monetary incentives for course development and community-based research.
- Collaborating on the successful inaugural year of the Dorothy Day Social Justice Living Learning Community. Students participating in this opportunity will take two service learning classes and serve at their agencies for the entire year.
- Increasing the amount of community-based research and community engagement on campus.
- Hosting the second annual Faculty Seminar and bus tour in Spring 2010. In recognition of the Centennial Celebration of the Co-Education of Women at Marquette, this year's focus will be on women's issues.
- Improving the collaboration with other university programs that focus on community engagement and justice initiatives.
- Preparing to host the Jesuit Service Learning Directors bi-annual meeting in the spring of 2011, and the Midwest Service Leaders Conference in the Fall of 2010.
If any of your questions about service learning are not answered by viewing this Web site, please feel free to contact our office by phone at (414) 288-0302.
Sincerely,
Kim Jensen Bohat
Director
Service Learning Program
Marquette University
Contact Us
