Offer a range of community service positions that are challenging and developmentally appropriate, and that contribute to the common good.
Develop placement opportunities in a variety of community issue areas and organizations to engage students’ interest and to provide for career exploration.
Carefully match students to positions through an interview or other process. Ensure that positions are developmentally appropriate for students’ differing levels of experience in work settings, professional responsibility, and particular tasks.
Provide students with leadership development opportunities to deepen their commitment, develop new skills, and exercise their creativity.
Agree on a definition of appropriate community service work-study positions, including how “community service” will be defined and what types of placements will be acceptable.
Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
Brown University works closely with students to create or find community service work-study positions that complement their academic and other experiences. Brown strives to provide students with experiences in the community that develop skills they could not gain through an on-campus work-study experience. To do this, the campus developed a set of criteria for appropriate community positions and instituted an application process for community organizations seeking to employ students. Strong community supervisors are especially important. Students are matched to developmentally appropriate positions where they are encouraged to build community relationships, reflect on their experiences, think critically about their service, and consider the larger community context of their work.
Claudia DeCesare
Coordinator of Off-Campus Work-Study
Swearer Center for Public Service
Columbus State Community College, Columbus, Ohio
Columbus State Community College strives to connect work-study eligible students in particular fields of study with community service positions that complement their academic interests. To do this, campus staff members review the interests and backgrounds of students who are work-study eligible but who have not yet located positions. Then, with community agencies, they develop positions that match students’ particular interests. They send customized letters to students alerting them to positions available in their chosen field of study.
Monika Wright
Financial Aid Advisor
