Montana Tech is a public, four-year institution granting degrees in math, science and engineering. The Technical Outreach Department strives to connect students’ academic experiences to critical community needs. The VISTA project will build the capacity of service-learning initiatives by engaging students, faculty, and student clubs with nonprofit agencies in the surrounding area to collaborate on projects within the community which are related to students’ scholastic and professional goals, making students’ theoretical classroom lessons relevant to real life. The Montana Tech Service-Learning project addresses poverty on several levels. Firstly, community organizations are able to better deliver their services to community members through the volunteerism of Montana Tech students. These poverty areas are as wide-ranging as the service sites. Secondly, Montana Tech students are exposed to community service and volunteerism in a specialized and unique way, tailored to their academic pursuits. Long-term, this has great implications, as it suggests increased civic engagement and employment in service fields that are focused on alleviating poverty – again, as broad as the chosen disciplines.
Member Duties: The VISTA with Montana Tech Service-Learning will build the capacity of the program through the following duties: -Present service-learning opportunities within the community to undergraduate students, faculty members, staff and administration in all academic departments on campus -Develop the recruitment of students for specific service-learning opportunities -Connect with various nonprofit agencies and organizations throughout the community to identify critical student service-learning project needs -Engage students, faculty and staff with nonprofit community organizations and agencies for collaboration on specific projects -Follow-up with faculty members and service site supervisors regarding individual student progress -Organize reflection activities with participating students via group meetings and Blackboard website -Work with faculty and departments to incorporate service-learning into the curriculum for future courses and programs
Program Benefits:
Childcare assistance if eligible, Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend, Health Coverage, Living Allowance, Relocation Allowance, Training
Terms:
Prohibits paid work outside of the sponsoring agency at any time
Service Areas:
Community and Economic Development, Children/Youth, Environment, Health
Skills:
General Skills
For more information and to apply, go to this site: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=36119
