Program Description: Initiated in the fall of 2003, the Community Service Work Study Program brings together community leaders and social service agencies in the Monadnock Region with faculty, staff, and students at Keene State College. The purpose of this collaboration is to increase volunteerism in the Region and promote experiential learning that is integral to the College's mission. This arrangement has proven successful for both agencies and students: Social service agencies receive assistance in addressing significant community needs, and students experience personal growth and increased citizenship skills. All work positions (called "fellowships") are paid positions, involve 10 hours of work per week, and (with a faculty sponsor) can provide course credit. A steering committee composed of community leaders and KSC faculty, staff, and students meet several times each semester to discuss the program and its strategic plan in order to maximize its effectiveness for all parties. Should you be interested in getting involved as a faculty sponsor or perhaps to recommend a student for a fellowship position, please contact Don Hayes, Director of Community Service (358-2665) or Kathleen R. Johnson, Director, Community Research Center (358-2810).
"The CSWS program helped AIDS Services for the Monadnock Region solidify a presence at Keene State College. The CSWS fellow served as an agency advocate, and we can now conduct HIV prevention peer outreach more effectively. I have seen the CSWS program develop from a mere idea to a formally developed avenue for engaging students in real-world experiences. We all win." Susan MacNeil, ED, AIDS Services for the Monadnock Region
"I have grown a great deal through the CSWS Program. In my work with Monadnock Developmental services, I have learned more about the impact of a disability on individuals and their families. My experiences working there have humbled me, in a sense that I now look at a person as a whole, and see how they can contribute to the greater community, rather than just dismissing someone as unable to participate because they have a disability." Sara Kaplan, CSWS Fellow
"This program braids together academic education with experiential learning and service to the community. Everybody wins." Judy Read, Assistant Professor, Department of Education
Current Fellow Positions: To date the CSWS Program has provided quality work and service learning experiences to 15 KSC students and six social services agencies in the Monadnock Region. The following is a partial list of positions: