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Office of Public Relations |
Office of Service Learning established at UD |
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A newly adapted course at University of Delaware teaches freshmen the flip side of the hospitality industry--soup kitchens, food banks and food-salvage programs. “We call it an essential part of their professional socialization,” Pam Cummings associate professor of hotel, restaurant and institutional management, said. Cummings said the course is part of a nationwide movement to encourage hospitality students to do community service. Cummings said she tries to make her students aware of the problems of hunger and poverty and how they can address those problems by applying leadership skills and their knowledge of management and of food sanitation, food safety and food preparation. She has co-written a chapter in a new book, Hospitality With a Heart. “My hope is that all of our students will be inspired to say that they will never throw food away if it could be saved for a food rescue program. We want that concern turned into action,” Cummings said. She is a volunteer waitress when the Ministry of Caring holds it International Nights to raise money to provide free meals at its Emmanuel Dining Rooms in Wilmington. Beginning this semester, Cummings’ regular freshman Introduction to Hospitality course has a service-learning component that requires 20 hours of volunteering, plus readings and reflection on what the hospitality industry can do to alleviate hunger. It is one of four courses on campus that were enhanced with the help of the new Office of Service Learning, coordinated by Susan Serra. Service learning is a teaching method that combines academic study with service. With faculty directing them, students reflect on the connection between what they learn in the classroom and their experience with real-world conditions. As Serra describes it, “Service learning has to have an academic component. If you help out at Emmaus House two days a week, that’s volunteering. If you study homelessness in your course, that’s learning. Faculty-directed reflection on your experience in the community through your course work is service learning.’’ Service learning has been part of UD for decades as nursing students track children with asthma and agriculture students do field work in surrounding communities, but there has never been a central source for information. Serra said her office would serve as a clearinghouse for students who want to do service learning and faculty who want to initiate or enhance service-learning components in their courses. “The University of Delaware is a recognized leader in innovative approaches to discovery-based student learning,’’ Provost Dan Rich said. “It is particularly well-known for three of its programs: study abroad, undergraduate research and problem-based learning. There is, however, one area of discovery-based learning that deserves more attention at the University: service learning. Service learning exposes students to the needs of the large society, engages them in addressing those needs, and connects what they learn in the classroom to real-world conditions.’’ Three additional new service learning courses will debut this fall with Serra’s help--an innovative art course that will bring an internationally recognized artist to campus to produce a public art piece with UD students and local African-American children; a psychology course taught by Gerard Hoefling, assistant professor of psychology; and a motor development course created by Nancy Getchell, assistant professor of health and exercise sciences. Hoefling developed a service learning practicum that prepares psychology students for field training in their professional area of interest and then places them with community agencies that provide services to at-risk populations. Virginia Bradley, chairperson of the Department of Fine Arts and Visual Communications, said Philadelphia artist Lily Yeh will work with UD students and local children on public art project that will be the subject of a video documentary. Getchell’s students will develop movement exercises for preschoolers at UD’s Early Learning Center. She tested her course last fall, but she said the new service learning office made it much easier to get all the elements together. “Sue Serra has been fantastic in helping me. It seemed that whenever I hit a snag, she was right there to help me out,’’ Getchell said. Serra’s office fields requests for small grants up to $1,000 to fund enhancements of the service-learning components of the courses. Faculty may apply on a rolling basis; the next grants will be issued this fall. Applications are available through the Office of Service Learning. Faculty who plan to redesign courses or make significant enhancements to add a service-learning component may apply for 2005-06 CTE/GEI/IT Instructional Grants. For information, visit [www.udel.edu/present/grant/2005/]. The Office of Service Learning offers direction for applicants. Next summer, up to 10 students will be awarded $3,000 Service Learning Summer Scholarships to enable them to participate in individual, faculty-guided service learning projects for 10 weeks. Serra also can help faculty find volunteer organizations that would welcome their students. “Anyone who has an interest in service learning is welcome to contact me. I’m looking forward to working with faculty, students and the community,’’ Serra said. Martha Carothers, associate director of undergraduate studies, who worked with Serra in setting up the office, said service learning is well established across the colleges at UD, and the new office at 12 West Delaware Ave. has resources for established service-learning classes and for faculty who have new ideas for a course. Contact: Martin Mbugua, (302) 831-8749, or e-mail [mbugua@udel.edu] |
