Service learning educates students in real-life situations, something that book learning can never do. As such, all students should be required to spend at least one semester immersed in a service-learning program.
As students, we require so much from our friends, family and our community to accomplish our goals. Service is a way to give back, understand just how much we take for granted and broaden our horizons without thinking only of ourselves.
“Service learning is the idea that you are going to expand some piece of knowledge that you have had and now are going to experience in the real world,” said Carolan Ownby, professor of undergraduate studies.
The idea is practical. The university experience can be a bubble for many students. To become prepared for the real world, you have to experience it. Ownby said having students volunteer at Horizonte School is one of the ways this can be accomplished.
Students who volunteer at Horizonte with a state-licensed instructor assist in teaching English to refugees and other adults who are unable to read. The experience is unlike any other. To see the struggles and fears that these adults have can make one realize that learning English isn’t easy. Tolerance, patience, compassion and understanding of others are only a small portion of what a student will learn. These life lessons are as important as anything you will ever learn from a book or a lecture.
Ownby said teaching students the true struggle of what the adults go through trying to learn English cannot be taught in her classroom. This is the only way students will ever truly understand and see what can create barriers for non-English speaking adults trying to learn a second language.
Knowing how to relate to our communities seems to get lost at the university level. Although students can be generous in times of need, this spirit of giving and charity needs to carry over into life after the U. Becoming involved in service is the way to make this happen.
“We are really lucky that the service-learning programs are funded by the state,” said JaNae Lilly, service-learning coordinator at the Bennion Community Service Center. “The state recognizes service learning as a priority and sends money earmarked for these programs.”
The program requires students to participate for two full years and complete 400 hours of documented service time. In addition, they must maintain a 3.0 GPA. For doing this, students are recognized with a service-learning distinction on their U transcripts and receive a certificate. Those who complete this program are given ropes of distinction for their graduation ceremony.
The recognition students receive is secondary to the experiences they have in the community. Sustainable community service projects are developed while in this program and continue to be a part of the student’s legacy long after they have left the U. To make a footprint in effective change through service is important for every student.
The Bennion Center is the greatest resource the U has in helping students achieve service goals and become active in the community. All students at the U should take advantage of the center, and U colleges should add service learning as a part of their major requirements.
