Division of Outreach and Engagement University of Southern Indiana Winter 2011 • Issue One Volume Two Service Learning: Enhancing student learning with community projects In 2007, the Division of Outreach and matching requests, and general support Engagement at the University of Southern for project execution. Staff members Sarah Indiana launched a formal Service Learning Munjas, graduate assistant, and Lauren Van Program designed to support faculty and Hook, undergraduate student coordinator, staff who incorporate community projects also are available to assist faculty and into courses or activities for USI students. The staff with projects to help ensure successful goal of the program is to enhance student outcomes. learning while providing valuable services to the community. Past service learning projects have included: a study on the efficiency of the Students who participate in the Service Metropolitan Evansville Transit System (METS); Learning Program have an opportunity trips to Jamaican orphanages for social work to better understand course material and students; web site development for local can apply their knowledge to “real world” nonprofits and small businesses; workshops experiences. and learning activities for the local Boys and Girls Club Chapter; public relations plans for USI offers three types of service learning: nonprofit and governmental groups; monthly academic, curricular, and co-curricular. home builds with Habitat for Humanity; The Academic activities are credit-based Big Read, a community literacy/reading courses that integrate community service, program funded by the National Endowment faculty instruction, and structured reflection. for the Arts; a College Mentors for Kids Curricular projects are noncredit-based program coordinated by the USI Multicultural activities sponsored by a specific academic Center; various activities and trips focusing major or program and occur outside a on homelessness and poverty coordinated traditional classroom setting. Co-curricular by USI Housing and Residence Life; and projects, which are also noncredit-based, much more. are community service activities that are often completed by student clubs or organizations This spring, with grants from the State and are comprised of learning objectives and Farm Foundation, North Carolina Campus opportunities for reflection. Compact, and Indiana Campus Compact, the The Service Learning Program staff includes: Front, USI Service Learning Program will spearhead Dr. Anne Statham, director. Back row, left to right: a major co-curricular project with the Evansville Sarah Munjas, graduate assistant and Lauren Van Area Trails Coalition. USI students, along with Hook, undergraduate student coordinator. Service learning projects as a learning local at-risk K-12 youth, will refurbish and build process in my courses have helped campus and community trails. Participants students experience ‘entrepreneurship,’ will also identify trail projects that will help using creative ways to bring resources Evansville become a healthier community and opportunities together; ‘engagement,’ through the development of hiking and biking using acquired knowledge to help people trails. The project will end with a series of I really enjoy service learning courses in need; and ‘excitement,’ balancing events during Global Youth Service Days, because I am able to apply the challenges and capability.” April 15-17. knowledge I’ve learned in the classroom —Dr. Andy Yu to help people in the community. The Assistant Professor of Since its inception, the Service Learning Service Learning Program offers a different Management Program and participating faculty and staff, learning experience as opposed to sitting University of Southern Indiana have engaged more than 5,300 students in class and learning through lectures. and 120 community partners through service Every USI student should enroll in a service learning courses and co-curricular activities. learning course.” — Chris Seibert Directed by Dr. Anne Statham, who For more information, or to find out how you Student developed and implemented service learning can get involved with USI’s Service Learning University of Southern Indiana programs at the University of Wisconsin- Program, visit www.usi.edu/servicelearning Parkside, the USI Service Learning Program or contact Statham at 812/465-1203 offers faculty and staff training, project or [email protected]. 1 Division of Outreach and Engagement • University of Southern Indiana Letter from the Dean The only certainty is We bid Ed Jones a fond farewell with a change . little Bon Voyage reception on December 17. Although Ed will continue his work with GAGE Division of Outreach As I write this, and outreach programs in New Harmony, we are still awaiting we hope he’ll also have time for some well- and Engagement confirmation of our deserved rest and recreation. moving date to the Office 812/464-1989 newly-renovated Fa x 812/4 6 5 -70 61 University Center East. We have had Interim Dean of Outreach and Engagement several preview tours and Director of Continuing Education Linda Cleek 812/464-1863 Cleek and are anxious to move and settle in. Grant Writer/Coordinator In preparation, we’ve Jane Friona 812/455-7946 been cleaning the files, getting rid of obsolete items (3.5” floppy disks, anyone?), and USI-Crane Partnership Manager digitizing records to streamline both searching Josh Mischler 812/461-5325 and storing them. Please come see us in our Academic Programs Coordinator/Advisor new digs . but call first (812/464-1863) to make sure we’re there! Lee Ann Wambach 812/464-1879 There are some things we are sure of, and Departments I’d like to point out a few of them to you: Center for Applied Research The New Harmony Gallery of Dr. Susan Ellspermann 812/461-5407 Dr. Edward Jones, senior advisor to the Contemporary Art and Historic New Harmony president for Outreach and Engagement, Center for Education Services and Partnerships are co-hosting a “Bicentennial House” celebrates his upcoming retirement during a Ginger Ramsden 812/464-1989 competition open to artists and architects of Bon Voyage reception on December 17. any level. Information about how to apply Center for Human Resource Development is available from Erika Myers-Bromwell at Charmaine McDowell 812/464-1816 812/682-3156 or [email protected]. And some things don’t change . Center for Continuing Education Linda Cleek 812/464-1863 Historic New Harmony’s first interfaith Our mission has been and will continue to dialogue retreat, “A New Harmony for Peace” be outreach. We complement the University’s Historic Southern Indiana will take place March 15-20 at the Macleod traditional role by providing and facilitating Leslie Townsend 812/465-7013 Barn Abbey in New Harmony. International quality educational, research, and technical Historic New Harmony scholar and author John Philip Newell, services for people, groups, and organizations acclaimed for his work in the field of Celtic in Indiana and the Tri-State. These activities Connie Weinzapfel 812/682-4488 spirituality, will lead the retreat. Joining him support and promote individual well-being, USI @ Innovation Pointe will be Rabbi Nahm Ward-Lev and Mydea social and cultural enrichment, economic Gene Recker 812/492-4394 Hussain, a leader in the Islamic Center of opportunity, and regional development. Evansville. More information can be found on Instructional Technology Services page three in this issue of engage. If you have questions about any of these Dana Willett 812/465-7182 changes we’d love to hear from you. Call Service Learning We have opened our Innovation Lab and 812/464-1863 or email [email protected]. Idea Lab at Innovation Pointe. These exciting Dr. Anne Statham 812/465-1203 spaces will be used for facilitated events Southern Indiana Japanese School including problem solving, strategic planning, and more. We’ll host an open house to Keietsu Nishimura 812/471-1210 introduce the possibilities later this spring. U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) More information is available from Julie Major Nathaniel Skelly 812/461-5303 Brauser, 812/461-5425 or [email protected]. engage Editor The search committee for our next leader, Brandi Schwartz 812/464-1854 the Associate Provost for Outreach and Linda Cleek Engagement, continues its work. By the time Interim Dean of Outreach you read this, we should know who the and Engagement finalists are and when they will make visits to campus. A Carnegie Foundation Engaged University 2 3 Winter 2011 • Issue One Volume Two SIJS receives School Award in Writing fifth year in a row The Japan Overseas Educational Services, awarded the Japan Broadcasting Association other selected disciplines on Saturdays and a subsidiary of the Japanese government’s Award and fourth grade student Shunnya after the regular school day. Ministry of Education and Science, has Asami won the Nippan IPS Award. This is the awarded the School Award in Writing to the first year SIJS students have won these specific The SIJS is a USI Division of Outreach and Southern Indiana Japanese School (SIJS) for awards. Engagement program. the fifth consecutive year. SIJS opened in 1997 at the request of and Additional information about SIJS can Over 300 Japanese schools worldwide with the financial support of Tri-state regional be found online at www.usi.edu/extserv/ were eligible for the annual award; only 20 companies to help prepare students for a outreach/japaneseschool.asp. were selected to receive it. smooth transition into Japanese school life when they return home. Currently, the school In addition to the School Award in Writing, has 55 students and 11 teachers who provide second grade student Emiri Okada was instruction in Japanese language, culture, and Interfaith retreat coming to Historic New Harmony Historic New Harmony’s first interfaith retreat in March will bring Harmony, and in many ways, to the region. Gaining an understanding together a theologian, a Jewish rabbi, and an Islamic teacher to discuss of other cultures and faiths engenders a greater global perspective for with participants the topic of interfaith dialogue. The retreat will be people. Participants at this retreat will have an intimate experience with based on Abrahamic traditions.