Student Benefits
Service-Learning is... learning through experience. It combines academic instruction with community-based learning through service projects that meet community needs. Service-learning experiences offer students the opportunity to explore the richness and diversity of their community, examine social justice issues, and make a contribution to the well-being of the community at large.
Giving Is the New Receiving
Center for Service-Learning courses are curriculum based and students earn credit for their service-learning projects just like any other class assignment. Through civic participation opportunities provided by the Center for Service-Learning, students are able to meet their course learning objectives while meeting identified community needs. Service-learning experiences are also an opportunity to make personal and professional connections within the community and discover new paths for their futures. Many of our students have completed a service-learning course with more focused career goals. Employment opportunities have also been made available to many of our students because of the experiences they have gained through service-learning. Regardless of whether or not the program takes you to your destiny, service-learning is a great way to mix it up a little while making a difference.
Thinking Outside the Classroom
Students tell us that service-learning is a rewarding experience. Here are some of the benefits you will receive by participating in a service-learning class:
- Earning class credit while serving the community.
- Exploring new career opportunities and making valuable connections.
- Discovering new passions.
- Developing skills for the workplace.
- Working with other students to reach a common goal.
- Gaining an enhanced sense of purpose and citizenship
What To Do Next
Our staff is available to answer all of your questions on how you can participate in service-learning projects. See our sample of service-learning courses and faculty participants in this section.There may be other WWU professors who include service-learning in their teaching. To find out who they are, contact the Center for Service-Learning at 360.650.7542.
