Stone Soup is a collaborative of dozens of area churches, schools, government agencies and nonprofits, all with the goal of improving the lives of the residents of El Dorado Park. California State University, Fresno joined this partnership in 1993 and has become one of the major contributors to the program.

Now a formal nonprofit, Stone Soup offers a vast array of year-round services to the El Dorado Park residents. There are dozens of academic enrichment and recreation activities, job training programs, a senior service center, medical and dental clinics, nutrition and parenting classes, and a number of other projects.

Approximately 70 faculty and staff and over 300 students volunteer with Stone Soup each year. Faculty and students come from a variety of academic disciplines, including: Counseling, Social Work, Sociology, Child and Family Studies, Gerontology, Liberal Studies/Education, Health Science, Nutrition, Criminology, Theater Art/Drama, and many more. Students participate at Stone Soup as volunteers or through dozens of different service-learning and internship courses. There are also a large number of students who work at Stone Soup as part of the Federal Work Study program and through different scholarship and grant requirements. Everyone involved has had the opportunity to enrich their own lives and enhance their level of civic engagement.

The university has also assisted Stone Soup with financial support through grant funding, and we have acted as the fiscal agent for other grants obtained by the nonprofit. The partnership between Stone Soup, California State University, Fresno, and the other cooperating organizations and agencies is a model for highly effective and efficient nonprofit partnerships. The organization has had a significant impact on the area, as represented by the greatly diminished crime rates, improved academic achievement of the area youth, and the steadily improving socio-economic status of the neighborhood.

In recognition of their outstanding achievements, Stone Soup of Fresno and the partnering organizations have been honored with several prestigious awards, including: the Herman Goldstein POP Award, the Youth Citizenship Award, and the John Martin Fresno Area Reading Council Award. One of the most prestigious awards received by the Stone Soup project is the President s Service Award, conferred by President Clinton in 1995. In recognition of the university s contributions to the collaborative, Stone Soup gave the award to the University for housing and display. The partnership between California State University, Fresno and Stone Soup has been one that greatly benefits everyone involved. Our faculty, staff and students have significantly increased their knowledge of, appreciation for, and involvement in the El Dorado Park neighborhood and the community at large. Stone Soup has benefited from the many resources, both human and otherwise, contributed by the University. First and foremost, however, the residents of El Dorado Park have seen a dramatic change in their neighborhood and their lives. This partnership with Stone Soup has helped provide residents with the opportunities and resources they need to improve and enrich their lives in many ways.

Students for Community Service web site: http://www.csufresno.edu/scs/

The impetus for Preuss came in the wake of California’s 1998 ban on affirmative action, which caused UCSD’s minority enrollment to drop a quarter. The university looked to recruit minority students through the traditional methods–faculty visits, fancy websites and brochures–but had little faith that these efforts would yield much. So UCSD started from scratch, donating land worth $8 million and securing $13 million in private donations to build Preuss and prepare its prospective minority students. The state and local school district agreed to pay faculty salaries and operating expenses. The school opened in fall 1999 with 150 students, out of 500 who applied, all of whom are poor enough to qualify for subsidized lunches. BY 2004, Preuss will serve 700 students in grades six through twelve.

Website: http://preuss.ucsd.edu/
Excerpted from Time Magazine’s “”Build It Yourself”", by Andrew Goldstein and reported by Jacqueline Savaiano. January 8, 2001

It is supported by Berkeley’s City and Regional Planning Department and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Excerpted from the Brookings Institute Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy’s “”Urban Universities and their Role in Central City Economies”", December 1997

Kalin Gregg and Jennifer Stark at the Center for Service Learning 970.247.7641 or grigg_k {at} fortlewis(.)edu

A fine example of the opportunities that exist is the Boys & Girls Club at Trinity College. The Club is the first Boys & Girls Club in the country to be located on a college campus, and Trinity students fill all of its volunteer positions. Trinity students also are involved in the Club through internships, service-learning, and research. They serve the needs of more than 300 inner-city, low-income children who have enrolled in the Club since its opening in February. In true community spirit, the Club s construction was financed with gifts from Hartford-area corporations, foundations and individuals, including Trinity College trustees. The Club also was the first new building to be constructed as part of a neighborhood renewal effort spearheaded by Trinity College that calls for three new schools, a family resource center, new home ownership opportunities, job training, support for existing retail establishments, and new business assistance.

Retired General Colin Powell, now chairman of America s Promise: The Alliance for Youth, participated in the dedication of the Club and designated Trinity as the nation s first “”College of Promise.”" He said that Trinity s “”commitment to improving the quality of life in Hartford and to helping the city s young people dream and believe they, too, might someday attend college and live the American dream is exemplary. What are the other hundreds of colleges and universities throughout the country doing on behalf of at-risk youth? Why can t they all be Colleges and Universities of Promise?”"

The Club s activities are focused on education and the development of social skills, using Trinity students as teachers, role models and mentors. The activities include daily homework sessions; recreation that fosters team-spirit; positive competition and social skills; arts and crafts; a computer club that uses academic-oriented software; a newsletter; a percussion workshop; and a Saturday basketball league. The newest addition is a wilderness club that involves students and staff in educational trips and outings to foster positive relationships, an awareness of nature and the environment, self-awareness, character-building and self-esteem.

This program offers Trinity students an opportunity to use their skills and their athletic, intellectual, artistic and teaching/tutoring talents for the benefit of a community in need. Students engaged at the Boys & Girls Club become increasingly civic-minded; they become more aware of the real issues and problems of inner-cities. Although it happens outside the classroom, this represents true and invaluable learning, and it stimulates intellectual inquiry, civic action and leadership. This process helps mold Trinity students into responsible, involved, caring, and effective leaders of the future. It builds citizens who are more concerned about solving social problems than just studying and talking about them.

Contact person: Angel Huertas, Unit Director, Boys & Girls Club at Trinity College, yankee {at} hotmail(.)com
Web site: http://www.learningcorridor.org/bgc.htm

Economic Prosperity and Social Justice
– The New London Development Corporation (NLDC) was re-energized in 1997 when Connecticut College President Claire L. Gaudiani became its president. The NLDC s aim is to increase the city s tax base, increase the number of jobs in the city, and enhance the quality of life for all of New London s residents. NLDC was instrumental in securing a decision by Pfizer, Inc. to commit to building its $270 million Global Development Facility in New London. Pfizer’s commitment has been leveraged into other projects in New London. Projects under way include a state park at Fort Trumbull (a Civil War era fort adjoining Pfizer), an industrial pier development, downtown housing and retail space projects, and a dynamic new section of the city with a 200-room hotel, marina, health club, conference facility, and residences. The State of Connecticut has committed $60 million so far with a total of over $715 million committed from public and private sources. In December of 1998, the Connecticut College Board of Trustees voted $2.6 million from the College s endowment to be used as working capital.

In response to the economic development activities, Connecticut College has created the New London Social Justice Initiative. The broad goal for this initiative is to bring Connecticut College to a new level of engagement with its community leading to transformational changes for both Connecticut College and New London. This transformation yields an improved quality of life for New Londoners and an enhanced educational experience for Connecticut College students.

The philosophy behind the initiative is to ensure that the renaissance , which has started and will take place in New London over the next several years benefits all residents. Economic prosperity is only half of the equation. The other half is social justice, which must go hand in hand with economic prosperity. They are, in fact, two sides of the same coin. The work of the social justice initiative builds on the assets, strengths and experiences of our community to create a level of social transformation to match what is already occurring on the economic side.

A series of new programs in five areas health and wellness, early childhood development, K-12 education, the arts and public spaces, and economic opportunity — have been developed by the faculty in connection with this Initiative and the College s newest strategic plan. These programs will help to lead the transformation of New London and engage students and faculty in exciting elements of New London s emerging renaissance.

Contact person: Margaret Sheridan , Director, Holleran Center for Community Action & Public Policy,

Web: http://www.conncoll.edu/academics/centers/hollerancenter/index.html

Trinity funds these activities through $10 million in seed money from local partners such as Hartford hospital, Connecticut Public Television, and Hartford-based companies. It also has received $1.6 million in ISTEA and HUD monies and a $75 million pledge from the Fannie Mae Foundation for low-rate mortgage financing.

Excerpted from the Brookings Institute Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy’s “”Urban Universities and their Role in Central City Economies”", December 1997

The University is working in tandem with private developers, the city of New Haven, local banks, and other groups to conduct the revitalization. It also received financial assistance through tax-credits and a $2.3 million HUD grant and an ISTEA grant.

So far the project has had positive effects on the community. As of May 1997 Yale had invested $41,715,000 in these and other revitalization projects.

Excerpted from the Brookings Institute Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy’s “”Urban Universities and their Role in Central City Economies”", December 1997

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

More information on the project:
The Program is a service-learning program centered at Purdue University and supported by a Learn and Serve America Higher Education grant. Students from freshmen though seniors work in multi-disciplinary teams to solve engineering-based real world community problems in partnership with community service and education groups. Last year, the program involved 249 students from 20 different university departments, including liberal arts as well as engineering majors. Notre Dame and Iowa State universities also have EPICS service-learning efforts.

The Results:Last Spring, Purdue EPICS students developed a database for the Tippecanoe County probation court and county caseworkers. Other initiatives included a “”web information system”" for the local Habitat for Humanity – EPICS, and facilities designed for Purdue students with disabilities. Purdue and Notre Dame EPICS students set up database systems for community agencies serving the homeless in Lafayette and South Bend. A survey of service-learning participants resulted in 75% saying EPICS made them more resourceful, 70% reported a positive impact on organizational skills and 83% said their communication skills benefited.

Why It Works: Local industry joins faculty members advising the 20 EPICS student teams. Starting this fall, an advisor from Microsoft in Washington State will conduct a pilot experiment in distance advising through video teleconferences. The Local Corporate Partners Program and Corporate Team Sponsor Program seek to match an industry partner with each team. There is strong support from the universities. The Program Director, Professor William Oakes, was chosen as a Campus Compact Faculty Fellow.

Lessons: Building on the success at Purdue, Notre Dame, and Iowa State, EPICS is expanding to involve three additional schools, including Wisconsin-Madison, Georgia Tech, and Case Western Reserve. Microsoft Research endorsed EPICS as a model for service-learning and has pledged over $1 million in software, training materials and books. The expanded effort is supported by a Learn and Service America Higher Education grant.

Website: http://epics.ecn.purdue.edu/

Contact: Co-Directors – Leah H. Jamieson, lhj {at} ecn.purdue(.)edu or William C. Oakes, oakes {at} purdue(.)edu

The Project Goal.: The project will form a Kansas Service-Learning Consortium to advance the field of service-learning in all higher education institutions in Kansas.

Opportunities for Participation in the Learn and Serve Project. Two project activities provide opportunities for Kansas higher education faculty to become involved in incorporating service-learning into academic and professional activities.

Service-Learning Minigrants. Minigrants are available to faculty to incorporate a service-learning component into an existing course. Preference will be given to faculty who attend professional development workshops. Mini-grants are available on a competitive basis.

Service-Learning Institute. A professional development institute will be held in the summer of 2001 at Kansas State University. This institute will provide faculty with tools and techniques for incorporating service-learning into teaching. Faculty applying for minigrants or course development grants are strongly encouraged to attend.

Kansas State University CSP Student Coordinators are available to help with the application process and facilitate any needs that may arise i.e. travel arrangements, purchasing, etc.

There are several factors that influence whether faculty will view service as a central element in their scholarship. Three key components community relationships, institutional support, and scholarly integrity are illustrated in the example of Regis College. At that school, a service enclave a small group of faculty that has adopted the role of public servant as a primary responsibility illustrates what scholarship can look like when faculty recognize the importance of professional service.

Regis College is a small, liberal arts college in a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. Not far from Regis, Boston-based parochial schools have recently begun efforts to extend enrollment through scholarships to low-income children, many of whom are from recent immigrant families. In the spring of 1997, principals of three grammar schools and one high school expressed the need for health services for their students, many of whom were underserved. While basic services would be available at public schools, the parochial schools had no way of providing them.

When this need came to her attention, Regis s nursing department chair Amy Anderson visited the school and was, she recalls, appalled at the unmet health needs of children. Working closely with the schools and the local department of public health, the nursing department set up clinics at each school. The close relationships and communication that the college established with the schools and other health services helped the effort come off without a hitch. In the fall of 1997, the clinics went into operation, each staffed by a nursing faculty member and students.

With full funding from Regis College, the four clinics have been able to provide immunizations and conduct physical examinations. Student health problems are discussed with parents and students receive important vaccinations with parental approval. Classes in prevention and health promotion are offered for parents and children. In the course of the school year, the clinics have treated 859 children, most of whom would have received no health care otherwise. With additional funding from the college to purchase new equipment in the fall, the faculty and students will be able to perform hearing tests on all children.

The institution doesn t provide only financial support for this effort. The service that faculty are providing is given the same emphasis as would teaching or research. In terms of faculty workload, serving at the clinic once a week is counted as the equivalent of teaching one course on campus.

The growing relationship between the college and the school clinics helps improve the health of children in the community while fulfilling the service mission of faculty at the college. Through the clinics, nursing faculty have been able to engage their discipline in meeting a defined need in the community. Although the connection between the discipline and community need may be clear in a service profession such as nursing, it can be made with some effort in any field, from engineering where faculty can use engineering skills to help communities design solutions to problems to philosophy where faculty can lead community members in thoughtful discussion and decision-making related to community issues.

The relationship that faculty have developed with the community, the level of support they have received from their institution, and the extent of the tie between their discipline and service they provide make this an exemplary case of professional service in academic scholarship.

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

Regis College Department of Nursing: nursing {at} regiscollege(.)edu

Fitchburg, Massachusetts, like many small cities around the United States, has a downtown that looks more like a ghost town; the growth of the suburbs has come at the expense of the inner city. Two years ago, the Fitchburg Safe and Healthy Neighborhood Coalition came to Fitchburg State University, asking for their assistance to build and revitalize the community of Fitchburg. The two organizations joined together to apply for funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development s Office of University Partnerships an office developed to recognize the potential of such partnerships to address urban problems.

With this funding, the Fitchburg partners have embarked on a series of initiatives that highlight the variety of ways in which campuses across the country have engaged in community development. These include: initiating neighborhood planning; improving public health; supporting economic development; and changes within the structure of the university as a result.

The first and foremost role of the university in community development is as a support system for neighborhood residents to discuss how they want to change their community. Community development simply cannot occur if the community itself is not the central figure in all planning. Faculty and staff at Fitchburg State participate in meetings with neighborhood associations and community residents to discuss the residents plans and vision for the community. Through these meetings, ideas are shared and planning for specific projects begins. The university also helps leaders of community organizations to build their skills through the Citizens Leadership Institute, which provides training for leaders of community organizations.

A number of community development efforts focus on the health of the community. In Fitchburg, the neighborhood coalition had already conducted a health needs assessment before the university began working with them. When the university joined the partnership, the neighborhood association found that they were able to re-assess what they could accomplish. Working together, the university and community agencies developed an information referral system for community residents to more easily access health services. Plans now call for the development of a community health clinic over the next year. Economic development is key to bringing back the jobs and commercial life that enhance community development. Fitchburg State and the local community development corporation are attacking this issue on two fronts. First, they have developed an entrepreneurial training program for small business owners and residents with entrepreneurial aspirations to learn effective business practices. Second, they have developed the Main Street Business Support Center, a building which houses the training program and also serves as a place for community members and associations to meet downtown.

These efforts have led to introspection and change at Fitchburg State, as various departments re-envision how they can support the community. The university has provided release time for the chairs of the nursing and business departments to support efforts in the community. The nursing department is revising its curriculum to integrate service-learning and community engagement. Various other faculty members, students, and staff have begun to commit their time and university resources to community activities that support the community development effort.

Through community development, Fitchburg State has begun to redefine its role in the community, and the community s role in higher education.

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

For more information: http://www.fsc.edu/community/aboutus/partnership/

Excerpted from the Brookings Institute Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy’s “”Urban Universities and their Role in Central City Economies”", December 1997

What Is Action Research?
Action research involves students, faculty and community members to work collaboratively on research that has been requested by a nonprofit, government or neighborhood organization. A unique characteristic of action research is that the community serves as an active contributor and agent of change by participating in the design, execution, evaluation, and dissemination of academic research. Action research also provides faculty with an opportunity to synthesize their mandate for excellence in teaching, research, and service.

Why Concentrate On the East Side?
The neighborhoods on St. Paul’s East Side were selected because of the community’s demographics, problems, and opportunities. Of the 30,000 people living on the East Side, one third experience serious poverty, one third are struggling, and one third are solidly in the middle class. Neighborhood-based organizations face incredible challenges: high mobility of residents; deteriorating housing stock and business infrastructure; and depleting economic resources. Although the community has been economically impaired, the possibilities for financial reinvestment and the capitalization of human resource assets are tremendous.

Action Research at Macalester
Led by the Director of Community Service and by a former St. Paul Mayor who is now a Visiting Professor of Urban Studies, the initiative works with residents to look at issues such as housing and employment and to identify priorities for future economic development. Faculty and students pursue action research projects as part of Macalester courses or senior honors projects with the expectation that the results will have broader community impact. For instance, an Urban Geography Field Seminar class recently produced an 80-page book on the economic potential of the main business district of the East Side neighborhood; the book is being used by the current mayor to secure funding for the area from the state legislature. To date, faculty and students from Urban Studies, Sociology, Geography, Economics, Political Science, Education and Mathematics departments have participated. Faculty teams focused on the natural sciences and health care issues are developing. The efforts are supported by college funding, a federally funded HUD grant, and a grant from Minnesota Campus Compact and Minnesota Higher Education Services Office through the Corporation for National Service Learn and Serve America Program.

Community Service Office web site: www.macalester.edu/cso/

At the heart of Project SO-PREPARED is the four-person learning team. Education majors, students from other majors at Rivier College, and students from Nashua High School and Bishop Guertin High School work with students from Dr. Crisp Elementary School and Presentation of Mary Academy in weekly after school meetings to develop skills, tutor, socialize, and engage in recreation activities. Through these activities, the program seeks to build character and create responsible citizens by working on such skills as collaboration, problem-solving, active listening, and mentoring through various projects in art, mathematics, and literature. The after school lessons are coordinated with monthly character education themes from the formal elementary level curriculum.

The after school program is supported by over thirty service-learning courses at Rivier College. Service learning is a graduation requirement for Rivier students, and most fulfill this curricular obligation by taking a “”plus one”" credit option attached to one of their regular classes. Under this arrangement, students earn an additional academic credit for a class by performing a service activity (such as Project SO-PREPARED) and doing additional readings, papers, journals, portfolios, etc. related to their service project. Faculty development of the “”plus one”" options was made possible by generous funding from the Lilly Endowment and the Council of Independent Colleges. Alternatively, students may enroll in SL 100 Learning and Serving in Community, an independent one credit service class specifically geared to Project SO-PREPARED, which is also open, free of charge, to the high school students participating in the program.

Administration and coordination of Project SO-PREPARED is under the able leadership of Professor Howard Muscott of the Education Department, in cooperation with Rivier’s Center for Peace and Social Justice. A formal planning and implementation team, composed of representatives from Rivier, the two high schools, and the two elementary schools, oversees the ongoing progress of SO-PREPARED.

Contact person: Darlene Nadeau, Coordinator for Service Learning
Service Learning home page: http://www.rivier.edu/academics/service-learn/

It has received $6 million for the incubator program which is comprised of state grant and loan money and a conventional loan.

Excerpted from the Brookings Institute Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy’s “”Urban Universities and their Role in Central City Economies”", December 1997

The program is implemented within the context of meeting targeted NYS Learning Standards through interdisciplinary arts programming and a school to work philosophy. VTC students receive 90 minutes a day of academic instruction from 9 teachers and spend the remainder of the educational day in service learning activities.

Students participate in weekly reflection classes at their site. The Empire State Partnership (ESP) grant received by the three partners has enabled artists to work with both groups of students and with faculty. Two of the FDLC classes are preparing puppet shows with Brooklyn College based Puppetry in Practice. They will perform at their local nursing home, the elementary school and at VTC nursing home sites. Similarly, VTC students based at Hyam Salomon also will work with the puppeteers to prepare productions which will be performed at the nursing home. The students will perform at their schools and libraries also. Students from both schools are working as well with poets, visual and performing artists to create productions based on their own writing, oral histories they collect form family or community members, and picture books. Last year FDLC and VTC students worked together with a performance artist to prepare a production of student poetry which they then performed at a nursing home, a library and a park.
]]> http://www.compact.org/program-models/program-models-arts-in-service-programs/using-interdisciplinary-arts-programming-to-provide-service-learning-and-literacy-enhancement-opportunities-to-high-schoolers/1916/feed/ 0 http://www.compact.org/program-models/program-models-campus-community-partnerships-andor-campuscorporatecommunity-partnerships/let-knowledge-serve-the-city-an-evolving-service-paradigm-supported-by-student-leadership/1955/ http://www.compact.org/program-models/program-models-campus-community-partnerships-andor-campuscorporatecommunity-partnerships/let-knowledge-serve-the-city-an-evolving-service-paradigm-supported-by-student-leadership/1955/#comments Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 tdomf_26a6d http://compact.localhost.com/?p=1955 Over the past six years Portland State University (PSU) has been creating an institutional culture that practices the motto, Let knowledge serve the city, and the focus of our current Learn and Serve program is Students Serving the City. This emphasis includes developing mechanisms to support student leadership and student voice in the initiation, implementation, and assessment of curricular-based service-learning. By providing resources for faculty and student initiated service-learning, we have been able to institutionalize service-learning on our campus. Although there are still many ways to improve our work, we are happy to say that we currently offer more than 100 service-learning courses each year.

Student leadership and student voice contribute to PSU s service-learning program in the following ways:

Partnership between the Offices of Academic and Student Affairs
A sophomore inquiry service-learning course called Leadership for Change has been developed. It is thematically related to upper division service-learning courses. These courses have become part of a required sequence in undergraduate general education curriculum. Students in these courses are given the opportunity to understand leadership by taking initiative in their community. Students from these classes have gone on to support faculty and other students in subsequent service-learning courses.

Student Leaders
The Offices of Student and Academic Affairs jointly support a team of students called Student Leaders for Service. This newly-created team develops and assists faculty and students in implementing curricular-based service projects. They plan and implement special service projects in conjunction with national service days, and have partnered with co-curricular service organizations to encourage and support broader campus participation in their sponsored projects.

Students Assisting Faculty
Targeted support is made available for students and faculty who collaboratively work together to design, implement, and assess curricular-based service-learning courses. Through these partnerships, student leaders are able to focus attention on mentoring and supporting their faculty colleagues and community partners. The faculty member is able to focus attention on course content.

Student Initiated Service-Learning
Through a partnership with the Community Development Department, a course has been redesigned to include community partnership development and service-learning course designs. This arrangement allows Community Development students to conceptualize, negotiate, and design sustainable community partnerships and service-learning courses, while providing student driven and student-focused service-learning opportunities. Most of the service-learning courses designed through this method are offered in subsequent terms.

All of these accomplishments are evidence of university commitment to integrating service into the academic structure of the undergraduate and graduate curricula. Although we believe we have made productive use of Learn and Serve America program funds to achieve these accomplishments, we are aware of the need to continue to create an infrastructure to build student, faculty, and community leadership capacity. We want to listen to community voice as they address a host of needs, and then focus energies to produce demonstrable impacts from service and learning.