Strategies that Help

“Working with the children at Motherly Intercession is so much fun and rewarding. They all have their own personalities, and they all have potential to grow and develop into positive adults.” (Motherly Intercession is an agency that services children of incarcerated parents)

— Student

What Strategies Help Manage the Service Project?

  • Give students benchmarks for responsibilities assigned to them such as contacting the community partner, beginning and completing the service, and completing evaluations. A timeline for these accountability factors will prevent procrastination.
  • Contact the community partner(s) as often as needed to seek feedback. If possible, visit the service site(s) to gain first-hand exposure to the experience. The Faculty Director for Experiential Learning is available to assist in these contacts.
  • Query students for feedback about their service site and responsibilities. Don’t wait until an issue surfaces that could derail the service-learning project.
  • Keep recognition opportunities in mind for the students, the faculty, the college, and the community partner. Photos, press releases and commentaries on the experiences are all ways to get recognition for the contributions of those involved. The Faculty Director for Experiential Learning can assist with these tasks.