OFFICE OF

EVERY PROJECT

SERVICE-LEARNING

CO-CURRICULAR

REPORT

1415TELLS ASTORY

CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS

WHAT YOU’LL FIND02 CIVIC ACTION LEADERS PROGRAM04 VOLUNTEER FAIR05 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY OF SERVICE CHALLENGE07 BG ALTERNATIVE BREAKS08 SERVE BG & SERVICE SATURDAYS10 ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING11 SELECTED CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYWe are driven by three words: Inform. Inspire. Impact. For us, it’s more than an office motto; its part of our philosophy and it’s the way that we approach our work. We aim to inform the BGSU community about social issues impacting Bowling Green and Northwest Ohio, inspire students to increase their level of social responsibility, and positively impact the communities in which we live and work.

For the co-curricular side of the Office of Service-Learning, the 2014-2015 academic year was filled with tremendous success. More than 70 community-based organizations attended our annual Volunteer Fair in September, and over 700 volunteers served more than 2,600 hours as part of our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Challenge in January.

BG Alternative Breaks (bGAB), now in its second year, continues to flourish. This year, bGAB organized seven alternative break trips in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, and 112 participants served more than 2,500 hours. The participants focused on issues such as water quality, LGBTQ+ issues, affordable housing, and community development.

Serve BG, a student organization that maintains a strong relationship with the Office of Service-Learning, designed and implemented a new initiative called Service Saturday. On one Saturday each month, BGSU students learn more about community issues and engage in direct service. This year, students served roughly 300 hours with six community-based organizations, including the Wood County Parks District and Toledo Metroparks.

We took advantage of several additional opportunities to engage with the campus and the community. At BGSU, we promoted the Office of Service-Learning at SOAR, Campus Fest, the Get Involved Fair, and President’s Day. We also sent representatives from our team to the President’s Interfaith & Community Service Challenge in Washington, DC, and to the Ohio Hunger Dialogue at Walsh University.

As we already look ahead to the 2015-2016 academic year, we maintain our focus with those three key words: Inform. Inspire. Impact.

Jeremy Doughty & Maggie NowickiAssistant Directors of Co-Curricular Programs

Andrew Art, Scott Brummel, Maddi Georgoff,Matthew Henkes, Emma Sales, Megan Sigler, & Jocelyn Williams Civic Action Leaders

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CIVIC ACTION LEADERS PROGRAMOVERVIEWThe Civic Action Leaders (CALs) are students who are passionate about community service, civic engagement, and social justice. CALs work 14 hours per week with the office’s co-curricular programs. Their key responsibilities include designing and implementing major events such as MLK, Jr. Day and the Volunteer Fair; coordinating Service Saturdays and alternative break trips; advising students on volunteer opportunities; and engaging the BGSU community on social justice issues. The following pages showcase these efforts.

The CAL program is a three-year scholarship-internship program. Students apply during their first year and participate in the program during their sophomore, junior, and senior years. CALs receive a $2,450 scholarship and a $600 book loan each semester, for a total of $6,100 annually. The scholarship is generously supported by the BGSU Bookstore.

HIGHLIGHTSEnhancement Meetings: Each week, the CALs and the two co-curricular graduate assistants meet for two hours to discuss programming and to learn more about social issues impacting Northwest Ohio. Each CAL was responsible for facilitating three presentations on a social justice issue about which they are passionate, including human trafficking, veterans, prison systems, interfaith dialogue, LGBTQ+ issues, and environmental issues.

Trainings: The CALs engaged in a 5-day fall training and a 3-day spring training. The purpose of the trainings was to empower the CALs with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable them to advocate for civic engagement and social responsibility at BGSU, throughout Northwest Ohio, and in their future communities.

Workshops: During the Spring 2015 semester, the CALs designed four new workshops that will be offered to the BGSU community during the 2015-2016 academic year. The workshops focus on post-service reflection, creating a personal civic action plan, the essential components of community engagement, and capitalizing on service experiences to benefit one’s career.

Service Support: The co-curricular team designed a quick and easy way for BGSU students to learn more about community engagement opportunities. After submitting a Service Support form, BGSU students meet with a CAL for a one-on-one consultation. The CALs present service opportunities specifically catered to each student’s interests.

Left to right: Megan Sigler, Emma Sales, Andrew Art, Maddi Georgoff, Matthew Henkes, Scott Brummel, Jocelyn Williams

CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS

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We appreciate the support provided by Jeff Nelson and the BGSU Bookstore.

The Civic Action Leader program

defined my college

experience and has helped me grow into a confident,

impactful student leader.

Madison Georgoff (Third Year): The Civic Action Leader program defined my college experience and has helped me grow into a confident, impactful student leader. I have developed lifelong connections and professional development skills while realizing the importance of community both in my values and within social change movements. I’m a better version of myself because of the CAL program, and I’d like to think that our impact has a similar effect on the world around us.

Scott Brummel(Third Year): My time as a Civic Action Leader has been a perpetual process of becoming. I had started my first year in the office already being perfect, already knowing everything, and already being wrong. In truth, much of what I have learned in the office is how much I don’t know and how much there is left to learn. Thankfully, as formative as that lesson has been, my time in the Office of Service-Learning has also taught me how to make sure that I am able to learn at least a little more each and everyday. The instruction of my peers within the office was instrumental as was the experience I gained from my responsibilities and projects.

Emma Sales (Third Year): The Civic Action Leader program has given me the skills to be successful in the professional world while affording me the experience of working in the field I love. It has been a truly rewarding three years that have aided in my personal growth and shaped my professional career.

Jocelyn Williams (Second Year): Passion. Growth. Service. As a Civic Action Leader, these are a few words that describe my experience thus far, but there are many more. Through the CAL program, I have strengthened my passion for service, gained self-awareness of my personal passions, developed professional skills, and have become part of a family. My favorite aspect of CAL is being surrounded by individuals who want to do good in the world and push themselves to learn more about how they can help the community.

Andrew Art (Second Year): In the CAL program we ground ourselves in the idea that 'there's good to be done in the world' and I think that captures our intentions very well. It says something to the integrity of a scholarship program that provides valuable professional development opportunities that are centered around the concept that we can, in fact, use our abilities to reach a common good. The CAL program has not only fostered my personal growth but has allowed me to understand how I fit into a larger context within various communities.

Megan Sigler (First Year): As a first year Civic Action Leader, I am blown away by the growth I have experienced in just a few months. I can truly say that being a part of the CAL program defines my college experience and who I am as a person. I couldn’t be more thankful for a program that enables me to grow in all areas of my life. Not only have I strengthened my professional skills, but I am now more aware of how to use my own passions to benefit the community. It is a great experience to be able to be surrounded by so many motivated and civically-minded individuals who push each other to be great leaders.

Matthew Henkes (First Year): Being a CAL has become one of the best accomplishments in my life. The impact this experience has made on me has shaped my ideas and values. Working alongside six other wonderful social change agents inspires me everyday and I look forward to what the future holds for this program and myself.

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VOLUNTEER FAIROVERVIEWThis year’s fifth annual Volunteer Fair took place on Tuesday, September 09, 2014, from 8:00am until 3:00pm in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union’s Lenhart Grand Ballroom. The Volunteer Fair is an one-day event that provides a space for the development of a reciprocal and mutually beneficial relationship between BGSU and community partners. The community partners promote one-time direct service opportunities, long-term volunteering opportunities, internships, and service-learning projects for academic courses. The community partners also benefit from a morning workshop and networking opportunities with other community-based organizations.

330STUDENTS

74 CO

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UN

ITY

PAR

TN

ER

S

15 VOLUNTEERS

12 OFFICE OF SERVICE-LEARNING

STAFF9 FACULTY MEMBERS

34%

61%

5%

NEUTRALSATISFIEDVERY SATISFIED

HOW SATISFIED WERE YOU WITH THE OVERALL EVENT?

44%49%

7%

NEUTRALAGREESTRONGLY AGREE

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MY AGENCY AND BGSU WAS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL.

68%

30%3%

NEUTRALAGREESTRONGLY AGREE

MY AGENCY IS INTERESTED IN ATTENDING NEXT YEAR’S VCPF.

COMMUNITY PARTNER FEEDBACK*

*Responses included strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, and strongly agree.

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MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAYOVERVIEWOn Monday, January 19, 2015, the Office of Service-Learning collaborated with Serve BG, a student organization, to host the eighth annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Challenge. This annual one-day event provides an opportunity for BGSU students, faculty, and staff to develop mutually beneficial relationships between BGSU and community partners. BGSU students, faculty, and staff provide direct service to the community partner, while also learning about the organization’s mission and values. A challenge model is used for the community partner projects in order to foster problem solving and collaboration between the BGSU group participants and the community partners.

Total Participants and HoursTotal Participants and HoursTotal Participants and Hours

Category Volunteers Hours

Challenge Projects 470 1,880

Service Saturday 17 34

Site Leaders 47 188

Bus/Van Drivers 12 60

Classified Staff Council 12 24

Event Staff 19 152

Student Athletes 124 186

OSL Staff 13 117

VIP 7 7

TOTAL 721 2,648

PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK• 96% enjoyed participating in the event

• 94% acknowledged having an increased sense of social responsibility

• 88% became more aware of the needs of their community

• 77% stated they will return to their service site in the future

COMMUNITY PARTNER FEEDBACK

• 100% agreed that the relationship between their agency and the BGSU volunteers was mutually beneficial

• 100% were pleased with the volunteers’ quality of work

• 100% enjoyed participating in the event

• 90% agreed that they will participate in next year’s events

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COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

I was happy to connect with

students passionate about our mission and let them know

about our services.

[MLK Day] is such a great way to experience community. MLK’s legacy was honored beautifully with the students giving their valuable time and working to help others.

Students worked very hard the whole time. They were respectful and we are very grateful. Really appreciated their dedication to service instead of just a day off.

This was an AMAZING group! They worked hard, went above and beyond what was asked of them, and we would LOVE to have them back!

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BG ALTERNATIVE BREAKS (bGAB)OVERVIEWBG Alternative Breaks (bGAB) is a student-led program within the Office of Service-Learning that prepares groups of students to collaborate with communities experiencing social injustices. Students are educated about and provide direct service related to a specific social issue during BGSU academic breaks. Alternative breaks provide BGSU students with an opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture of their service and work with the community to create positive change and stimulate meaningful dialogues about the issues communities are facing.

Mission: Through direct service, education, and reflection, BG Alternative Breaks strives to address community identified needs while empowering students to become active global citizens.

Vision:  bGAB envisions a world without injustice.

2014-2015 Alternative Break Trips2014-2015 Alternative Break Trips2014-2015 Alternative Break Trips

Semester Theme Location

Fall 2014 The People of Detroit: The Heart of Revitalization Detroit, MI

Fall 2014 Neighbor to Neighbor: Poverty and Community Development Cincinnati, OH

Fall 2014 A Safe Space: Supporting LGBTQ Youth and Underserved Populations Chicago, IL

Spring 2015 Water Quality and Environmental Issues Murphy, NC

Spring 2015 Addressing Prison System Issues Pittsburgh, PA

Spring 2015 Intersecting Identities and Underserved Populations Detroit, MI

Spring 2015 Affordable Housing and Community Development Goshen, IN

FALL 2014 SPRING 2015

27PARTICIPANTS3 TRIP ADVISORS

6 S I T ELEADERS

717HOURS SERVED

37PARTICIPANTS4 TRIP ADVISORS

8 S I T ELEADERS

1793HOURS SERVED

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SERVE BG & SERVICE SATURDAYSOVERVIEWServe BG is a student organization that maintains a strong relationship with the Office of Service-Learning. Serve BG is dedicated to providing students with meaningful service opportunities through the Service Saturday program. On one Saturday each month, Serve BG offers a quick and easy way for a group of roughly 15 to 20 BGSU students to make an impact in their community. By engaging in a morning of direct service, students learn about issues impacting Bowling Green and communities in Northwest Ohio, increase their sense of social responsibility, gain practical experience in their field of study, and build new relationships.

2014-2015 Service Saturdays2014-2015 Service Saturdays2014-2015 Service Saturdays2014-2015 Service Saturdays2014-2015 Service Saturdays

Month Community Partner Project Volunteers Total Hours Served

October 2014 The Common Good (Bowling Green, OH)

Winterized two community gardens

13 52

December 2015 Wood County Parks District(Bowling Green, OH)

Cleaned seeds 28 84

January 2015 Progress BG(Bowling Green, OH)

Collected food donations 14 28

February 2015 Girl Scouts of Western Ohio(Toledo & Perrysburg, OH)

Prepared and loaded cookie orders

18 72

April 2015 Metroparks of the Toledo Area (Toledo, OH)

Removed oak trees from sand dunes

16 48

April 2015 Toledo PETbull Project(Toledo, OH)

Contributed to neighborhood clean-up

4 (Exec. board)

12

TOTALTOTALTOTAL TBD 296

71%

21%9%

DISAGREEAGREESTRONGLY AGREE

I WILL RETURN TO THE COMMUNITY AGENCY IN THE FUTURE

STUDENT FEEDBACK*

*Responses included strongly disagree, disagree, agree, and strongly agree. Data were taken from the January and February evaluations.

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STUDENT REFLECTIONS

I enjoyed working with a diverse

group of people who were

determined and passionate to

serve.

The experience of helping others brings joy to me.

bGAB offers a fantastic opportunity to grow, connect, and discover new things about yourself and the world.

It is truly life changing. ... You learn to appreciate things that you don’t normally think about.

This trip is not only a service trip, it is about creating a sense of community with other BG students [and] the community partner.

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ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMINGPEACE CORPSThis year, one of the Civic Action Leaders was selected by the Peace Corps to serve as an Ambassador. The role of the Peace Corps Ambassador is to work with the regional recruiter, Annabel Khouri, and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) on campus to motivate current undergraduate students to explore a future with the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps Ambassador hosted six speaker series sessions, presented at two organizations, and collaborated with a group of RPCVs for a documentary screening.

PROJECT CONNECTFor the past two years, the Office of Service-Learning has assisted with Project Connect, an event that provides immediate goods and services to members of the Bowling Green community who experience homelessness and those nearing homelessness. This year, the event volunteers assisted in the following ways: 426 host meals were served, 325 bags of food were prepared and distributed, 59 haircuts were provided, 21 dental services were performed, 57 flu shots were given, 31 vision screenings were completed, 150 coats were distributed, and 300 clothing vouchers were distributed. In total, 187 households were served at Project Connect.

SERVICE UPDATEThe Service Update, the co-curricular weekly newsletter, was sent out via MailChimp to 4,135 subscribers every Thursday during the academic year. The Service Update serves as a tool to inform the BGSU community about upcoming community engagement activities in Bowling Green and throughout the Northwest Ohio region. The weekly newsletter generally consisted of five upcoming service events and five ongoing service events within the community. On average, the newsletter was opened by roughly 720 subscribers each week.

VOTER INITIATIVE CAMPAIGNThe Voter Initiative Campaign was a collaborative effort between Undergraduate Student Government, University Activities Organization, Black Student Union, The BG News, and the Office of Service-Learning. The idea was born at the Student Leaders Retreat in August 2014. The campaign organized a Pie-in-the-Face event that doubled as a way to get students registered to vote. In addition, the campaign hosted a speaker panel that included professors, students, and Senator Randy Gardiner. Roughly 50 students, faculty, and community members attended the event.

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SELECTED CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES CAMPUS EXPERIENCES

• Student Orientation, Advising & Registration (SOAR) (multiple dates)

• Preview Days (multiple dates)

• Late Night at the Fieldhouse (August 2014)

• Campus Fest (September 2014)

• LinkedIn Workshop with the Student Leadership Assistants (November 2014)

• Get Involved Fair (January 2015)

• President’s Day (January 2015)

• Leaders Got Talent (January 2015)

• TOMS Start Something That Matters (February 2015)

• IREX Teaching Excellent and Achievement (TEA) Program (March 2015)

COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES• Break Away ABCs

• July 25 - August 01, 2014; Baltimore, MD

• Student Leader Retreat

• August 15 - August 17, 2014; Huron, OH

• President’s Interfaith & Community Service Campus Challenge

• September 22 - September 23, 2014; The George Washington University; Washington, D.C.

• Ohio Hunger Dialogue

• September 27, 2014; Walsh University; North Canton, OH

• Break Away Staff Development Summit

• October 09 - October 10, 2014; University of Missouri; Columbia, MO

• Echoing Green Work on Purpose Training

• October 23, 2014; Oberlin College; Oberlin, OH

• DOVIA Lunch & Learn Workshop

• November 07, 2014; Toledo - Lucas County Public Library; Toledo, OH

• Alleviating Poverty Through Entrepreneurship

• February 26, 2015; The Ohio State University; Columbus, OH

• Center for Non-Profit Resources Logic Model Workshop

• March 04, 2015; Toledo - Lucas County Public Library; Toledo, OH

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