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PR PR PR PR PROMISING PRA OMISING PRA OMISING PRA OMISING PRA OMISING PRACTICES OF CTICES OF CTICES OF CTICES OF CTICES OF INTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNING A PUBLICATION BY NORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT 2005

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PRPRPRPRPROMISING PRAOMISING PRAOMISING PRAOMISING PRAOMISING PRACTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE &

SERVICE LEARNING

A PUBLICATION BY NORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT 2005

North Carol ina Campus Compact is a rapidly growingcoalition of 25 college and university presidents establishedto encourage and support campus engagement in thecommunity.

NCCC member campuses seek to involve students, faculty,and the entire campus in community service in order to fulfillhigher education’s most noble goals of educating citizens,preparing tomorrow’s leaders, and contributing to the life ofAmerica’s communities.

NORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT’S

MISSION STATEMENT 2005

NORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

Elon UniversityCampus Box 2257Elon, NC 27244336.278.7198 Phone336.278.7400 Faxwww.elon.edu/nccc

John H. BarnhillKevin Gilmore

Maggie SawadaWinter E-N Brown

SPECIAL THANKS EXTENDED TO

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page 5

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

FOREWORDFOREWORDFOREWORDFOREWORDFOREWORD

CHAPTER 1CHAPTER 1CHAPTER 1CHAPTER 1CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2CHAPTER 2CHAPTER 2CHAPTER 2CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3CHAPTER 3CHAPTER 3CHAPTER 3CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4CHAPTER 4CHAPTER 4CHAPTER 4CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5CHAPTER 5CHAPTER 5CHAPTER 5CHAPTER 5

SUMMARSUMMARSUMMARSUMMARSUMMARYYYYY

INTERNATIONAL ALTERNATIVESPRING BREAKS

WINTER SESSION

SUMMER SESSION

A GUIDE TO DEVELOPING INTERNATIONALSERVICE & SERVICE LEARNING TRIPS

SEMESTER EXPERIENCES

RELATED INTERNATIONALEXPERIENCES

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In the early years of the movement to link college and university students more effectivelywith service needs of their local communities, the work of community engagement wasfrequently seen as distinct from traditional study-abroad and other international

activities on the campus. This situation has changed rapidly as students engaged incommunity service find themselves increasingly working with persons from many nationaland cultural backgrounds. As our nation strug gles to understand how to be a betterglobal citizen, the timing of this publication could not be better.

I am pleased to offer a few introductory thoughts, particularly onthe larger notion of international service-learning, based on the workof the International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership (IPSL)during the past quarter century.

Like successful service-learning, structured, reflective, and purposefulservice can also have an educational benefit to students. Bothinternational service and service-learning experiences should take fulladvantage of two primary elements that are needed within a learningexperience connected with community needs if higher educationinstitutions pursue transformational student growth and positivecommunity impact. First, the experiences should demand that thestudent understand the service agency—its mission, philosophy,assumptions, structures, and governance—and the conditions of thelives of those who are served. Second, they should be characterizedas partnerships: the student learns from the service agency and fromthe community and, in return, gives energy, intelligence, commitment,time, and skills to address human and community needs. Intentionalinternational service and service-learning aims more explicitly for thegoal of student learning, particularly within the context of globalcitizenship and participation. The success of a program is measurednot only by what the student learns but also by the usefulness of thestudent’s work to those served.

While developing service-learning programs across the globe, theInternational Partnership has learned much about the impact ofinternational service-learning on the lives and aspirations of students.Similarly in the United States, Campus Compact has found that bothreflective service and service learning experiences can dramaticallybenefit students in their learning and development while meeting themany needs found throughout this country. A brief summary ofwhat we at the International Partnership have learned may be helpful

Nevin C. Brown, Dean of Academic Programs,International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership

FOREWORD

6

Defining Service Learning

Service-learning is the pedagogythat links academic study withthe prac t i ca l exper i ence ofcommuni ty se r v ice. I t hasbecome an in te rna t iona lmovement tha t o f fe r s newapproaches to teaching andlea rn ing and to the c iv i cengagement of institutions ofhigher education. It providesstudents with an education thatmeets the h ighest academics tandards and de l ive r smeaningful service that makes adifference to the well-being ofsoc ie ty, par t i cu l a r l y forcommunities and persons on thesoc io-economic marg ins.Ser v ice - l ea r n ing a ims todevelop in students a lifelongcommitment to ser v ice andleadersh ip. S ince se r v ice -learn ing i s an in ternat iona lmovement , i t promotes notonly local commitment, but alsoan understanding of the inter-relatedness of communities andsocieties across the world.

to the readers a s they cons ider the manyinternational service and service-learning examplesto be found on the pages of this publication. Inparticular, international service-learning:! enriches students’ learning of academic subjects.

Theory is field-tested in practice and is seen andmeasured within a cultural context. Because thelearning is put to immediate use, it tends to bedeeper and to last longer.

! promotes in te rcu l tu ra l and in te rna t iona lunders tand ing. T he se r v ice, whether loca l ,domestic, or international, almost always occurswith people whose lives are very different fromthat of the student. By working with them, thestudent comes to understand and appreciate theirdifferent experiences, ideas and values, and towork cooperatively with them. Service-learningnurtures global awareness and socially responsiblecitizenship.

! fosters in students personal growth, maturity, theexaminat ion of values and bel iefs , and civicrespons ib i l i t y, a l l w i th in the contex t o f acommunity and its needs. Students explore howthey may use their education for the benefit ofthe community and the well-being of others,especially those in need.

! prov ides he lp to se r v i ce ag enc ie s and tocommuni t i e s , address ing needs tha t wou ldotherwise remain unmet. Service-learning does not replace paidwork. Rather, it supplements and extends such work, offering servicethat would otherwise not be available.

! sets academic institutions in a balanced relationship with thecommunity that supports them and in which they are located. Intoday’s world, with pressing needs in every community and nation,academic institutions are called to apply their knowledge andresources to these problems, issues and needs.

FOREWORD

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Biographica l Note :Nevin C. Brown is dean ofacademic programs for theInternational Partnershipfor Service-Learning andLeadership (IPSL). Heoversees s tudentrecruitment and academic

programs for fifteen undergraduate international service-learning programsoffered by the International Partnership in thirteen nations worldwide, aswell as a graduate program in international service involving IPSL anduniversities in three nations. Prior to joining the International Partnership in2003, Brown held various positions over a 20-year period with U.S.-basedhigher education associations; he also has been active professionally in thefield of urban studies both in North America and Europe.

! advances our understanding of societies, cultures, and world issuesby testing scholarship against immediate practical experience andtheory within a cultural context.

! develops in students leadership ski l l s as they learn to workcollaboratively with the community. They learn that the mosteffective leadership is that which encourages the participation—and indeed leadership—of others.

It is my hope that programs and initiatives in international serviceand service-learning, such as those found in the following pages, willbe widely copied by other colleges and universities across the nation,and that more and more such initiatives will begin to link internationalservice experiences with deepened academic understanding essentialto the education of effective global citizens and leaders.

FOREWORD

"

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This resource highlights some of those campuses and showcases themas models for creating or strengthening similar programs.

The promising practices offered in this publication are a collectionof commonalities and observations from 30 program examples,which were shared with us by practitioners from 11 states. Nineteenof these program examples are featured in their respective chaptersand serve as illustrations of experiences coordinated by variousCampus Compact member institutions, highlighting the fact that thetrue experts in this area are professionals in the field leading actualtrips. Please note that this publication focuses more on individualexperiences than on entire programs. While outlining entire programsmay assist administrators in structuring their own international serviceand service-learning programs, our intent is to offer details aboutspecific experiences to spark ideas and showcase how other institutionscoordinate their trips. We acknowledge that many additional examplesof quality experiences exist, and our hope is that this publication willencourage more discussion in this arena.

The mission around service and service-learning has taken hold oncampuses throughout the country. With the support of administrators,students are organizing themselves to reach out to communities andhelp make them a better place to live while learning about themselvesin the process. Service is a powerful tool that gathers diverseindividuals to act for a collective common good, often pullingtogether people who normally may not interact with each other. Inthis way, service can facilitate understanding between individuals andincrease se lf-awareness. Understanding issues and people isfoundational to solving our communities’ problems, be it at the locallevel or worldwide.

Applying service and service-learning to an international context holdsmany of the same advantages of applying it locally, but it impactsstudents at a deeper level simply because the cultural differences

North Carolina Campus Compact is pleased to provide this publication in recognitionand support of current and future international service and service-learningexperiences. Throughout the nation, many campuses have already embarked oncreating service and service-learning experiences around the world, exposing theirstudents to diverse and unique communities and challenging them to learn outsideof the classroom.

INTRODUCTION

10 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

between thoseser v ing and thosebeing served can bemore extreme thanin a loca lcommuni ty. T h i sexposure to,interaction with, andinternalization of anent i r e l y d i f fe rentwor ld can bet r a n s fo r m a t i o n a l .Of ten s tudentsstudying abroad liveat the surface of the society in which they are visiting. Naturally, theyfocus first on their needs as a student and as a foreigner. A servicetrip is different: surrounded by another culture and focusing on theneeds of the local people can expose students to a greater depth ofsocial, cultural and economic issues in their host country.

There is an intentional distinction between service and service-learningin this publication. Personal growth can result from both, and wewanted to encourage submissions in both areas. For the purposes ofthis publication, we refer to volunteer service as “service” andacademic course-related service as “service-learning.”

In an effort to gather examples of experiences in international serviceand service-learning, we communicated primarily through the CampusCompact network. This network consists of more than 900 memberinstitutions that are committed to service and the civic engagementof their students. Seventy-four individuals showed interest incontributing to the publication, providing a rich base of resourcesfrom which to solicit information. In order to give form to thecontent of the publication and secure information which we couldag gregate to show results, we developed a quest ionnaire (seeappendices). Thirty-two completed questionnaires were returned toNor th Caro l ina Campus Compact . Out of 32 comple tedquestionnaires, 30 usable examples of experiences in internationalservice and service-learning were obtained. The 19 experiences,recognized here in length, are included because of their uniqueness

INTRODUCTION

11

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PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

and clarity. All 30 of the submissions are recognized in thispublication, and we are grateful for their participation in creatingthis resource.

This publication has been developed with the goal of creating aresource that assists campuses at any stage of offering alternativeservice breaks or service-learning opportunities, thereby increasingnetwork contacts and the number of opportunities for students tobecome involved. It is our hope that campuses already engagingstudents in service and service-learning experiences will use thispublication as a tool to launch efforts internationally while othercampuses with study abroad programs may find opportunities tointegrate ser vice- learning and ser vice within their programs.Regardless of their campus’ programs, readers of this publicationwill gain a better understanding of the wide variety of internationalservice and service-learning experiences found throughout Americanhigher education. This resource serves as a practical guide for campusadministrators, faculty and student leaders as they create or strengthentheir campus’ international service and service-learning initiatives andas a tool for connecting campuses. By creating a network of resourcesand organizations involved in this publication, we look forward tocontributing to an increase in the number of students experiencingservice and service-learning internationally.

I am thankful to SOCACT for this; the various contexts werefacilitated with enough fluidity to allow me space to develop a

relationship. Ultimately that is the lifeline; not what you teachnecessarily, though of course your content had better be jacked. Butthe creation of relationship. A final affirmation of our humanity andexpressiveness that we are not always alone.

~Community Partner with Indiana University - Southbend”

“““““

INTRODUCTION

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Organizations like Break Away and Habitat for Humanity have beenoffering alternative spring breaks to students for years, generallyfocusing on service opportunities within the United States. Campusprograms have extended spring break service opportunities beyondthe United States’ borders, and international service trips have becomea popular means for students to serve in other impoverished countries.

Seventeen of 30 submissions received said that their campus offersInternational Alternative Spring Break (IASB) trips. One of thelargest advantages to coordinating a trip during spring break is theshort time period. Generally structured in approximately ten-daysegments, these experiences attract more people because the timecommitment is not as great as it would be for some other types ofinternational experiences (typically one semester to one year in length).

The per-day cost of the experience is higher for IASB trips becausethe fixed costs of travel cannot be garnished over a longer period oftime. Compare the cost of the entire spring break experience to alonger experience however, and it is generally the least expensiveoption. We found that students pay between $700 and $2000 toparticipate in IASB trips with airfare, housing and food generallycontributing to the major expenses of international travel.

The travel distance to the destination country is often a major factorin determining the cost of the experience. Because of the short timeperiod for a spring break trip, we found that schools often choosedestinations that offer the easiest travel options. For instance, tokeep trip costs to a minimum, groups will travel to countries that areclose, like Mexico or other Central American countries, or areas whichare more accessible because of business travel, such as many Europeancountries.

We found an equal mix of service and service-learning experiencessubmitted in response to our questionnaire. Because spring break

Spring Break has been a time honored tradition for students to escape from the pressures ofschool and reenergize for the remainder of the spring semester. For many, this involves avacation to an exotic beach, meeting new people, or celebrating youth and the coming ofsummer. Yet thousands of other American students choose to use their spring break to giveback to communities in need.

INTERNATIONALALTERNATIVE

SPRING BREAKS1CHAPTER

14

divides the spring semester, it offers a short period of time professorscan use to enhance a course through an experiential internationalservice-learning trip or the trip can simply be used as a service tripwith no relation to an academic class. Additionally, faculty may chooseto use the IASB experience as a one-credit option to a semester longcourse. Others make it clear during the registration process that theinternational service-learning component is a requirement for thecourse. When the service trips are completely unrelated to a specificcourse, students do not earn course credit for the trip, but still gainthe element of transformational learning because of their experience.Trips that are not related to a specific course are more likely to haveincreased student interest simply because they are targeting a largeraudience. For example, a group organizing an experience to a regionof the world with low student appeal may find the recruiting effortto be more successful if it is a service-only trip.

While shorter experiences may be appealing for recruiting students,faculty, and staff, they do pose certain limitations. Because there isso little time to experience the host country, a trip may becomeoverscheduled with visits to cultural sites, resulting in a touristy feel.This type of aggressive scheduling also creates a very differentexperience than one in which students live in the culture for anextended period. As a consequence from the inability to completelyimmerse students in the local culture for a longer period, many serviceactivities that require building trust between people are ruled out asviable options for students. For this reason, you will often find thatspring break trips may resemble events and can include experiencesrevolving around construction, health issues, etc

The success of an IASB trip relies heavily on relationships. Manyprograms choose to return to the same communities year after year,cultivating relationships with their partner programs in the country.Many programs report that host communities enjoy these return tripsbecause they stimulate a regular income for the area at the same timeeach year and the students are able to perform some type of ongoingservice that regularly improves the communities’ resources. Thecontinuity increases the positive impact a campus program is able tohave while ensuring that the community’s needs will be met. "

”The success of an IASB trip relies heavily on relationships.

Many programs choose to return to the same communitiesyear after year, cultivating relationships with their partnerprograms in the country.

“““““

INTERNATIONAL ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAKS

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1CHAPTER

ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAKS

PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

The Campus Volunteer Center at Central Michigan Universitysends students to volunteer during academic breaks as partof the Alternative Breaks program. Cur rently, students

volunteer during spring and summer breaks. It is envisioned that awinter break trip will be created this year (2004). Individual facultyalso lead experiences in coordination with the Office of InternationalEducation.

Interest in these experiences is growing drastically. Students are eagerto travel and par t ic ipate in act ive learning. The internat ionalalternative breaks began four years ago to Brazil and now includeRomania and Costa Rica. Students also travel to Mexico and Chinawith the Office of International Education and various faculty.

We work with Habitat for Humanity, who chose the country that wasmost in need of our assistance at the time of our trip. Originally, itwas Portugal, and then we settled on Romania. We had such afantastic experience that we requested and returned to Romania for asecond and third year. This is an underserved country in that it is notnormally considered as a destination for international experiences.These trips are completely student-led; there are no advisors or facultywho travel with the students.

A group of 10-12 students is selected in September and October. Theybegin meeting weekly to discuss the experience including fundraising,the culture, food, international travel, the service projects, the socialissue (low-income housing) and other pertinent topics. The trip takesplace in March and students travel and stay for 10-11 days total. Twoof those days are cul tura l exper iences in Budapest , Hungar y.Reflection occurs daily and a large group reflection occurs after thetrip with 110 other students who volunteered domestically during springbreak.

This community is utilizing Habitat to truly rebuild the entire city. Thesmall, rural village has many Habitat homes already built and are nowworking on converting communist flats into affordable apartments. Thecommunity loves the interaction with the students, and they are the“talk of the town” during the visit. Long-term changes include apositive image for Americans and young people alike. It is relationshipbuilding on a small but increasingly important level.

INTERNATIONAL ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK

Central Michigan University

ROMANIASubmitted by Ryan Fewins, Graduate Assistant

"

This community isutilizing Habitat

to truly rebuild theentire city . . .Thecommunity loves theinteraction with thestudents, and theyare the “talk of thetown” dur ing thevisit.

“““““

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PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

MERIDA ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK

MEXICO & OTHERSMichigan State UniversitySubmitted by Karen McKnight, Director, & Robert (Carlos) Fuentes,Assistant Director, Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement

I gained a greater appreciationfor the simple things in life and

also a re-found desire to help others– I cannot put my finger on it- Ijust feel like I’ve grown so much.

-Student, Michigan State University

Michigan State University (MSU) International Alternative Breaks area strong collaborative effort led by the MSU Center for Service-Learning & Civic Engagement, and the MSU Alternative Spring Breakstudent organizat ion, in partnership with the Department ofCommunity, Agriculture, Recreation & Resource Studies, the Officeof Study Abroad, and the campus College Achievement MigrantProgram.

Now in its 11th year, and an outgrowth of the MSU CAMPUS OUTREACH

AND OPPORTUNITY LEAGUE (COOL), MSU Alternative Spring Break(ASB), http://www.msu.edu/~asb, is a weeklong, immersive livingand active learning experience in which students perform service asrequested by host agencies and organizations while also exploringthe culture and history of the areas where they are assisting. MSUASB places teams of university students in service-learning and civicengagement opportunit ies in both nat ional and internat ionalcommunit ies. Seventeen tr ips, comprised of300+ participants, were conducted during March2004 in locations as far south as Mexico andPuerto Rico, as far north as Quebec, as far eastas Massachusetts and as far west as San Francisco.A two-week, for-academic-credit, eco-tourismpilot program involving intensive collaborationwith local volunteers was launched in May 2004in Ireland.

The Merida, Mexico Alternative Spring Break tripwas Michigan State University’s first IASB site. In March 2004, MSUfinished its seventh annual trip to Merida. Currently, MSU has nineinternational opportunities in six different locations. The sites inMexico include: Merida, Puebla, Queretaro, and Amealco. MSU alsohas sites in Quebec City, Quebec, and Ireland. Although nottechnically international, two ASB trips travel annually to Puerto Rico.MSU has been approached by the 4-H partnership program in Jamaicato offer an ASB trip in that country in March 2005, and the feasibilityfor a 2-week summer break project in Peru is also being explored.

Alternative Break programs are offered for non-credit or “for-academic-credit” programs, with the majority being co-curricular.

”“““““

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March 2004 marked the second year that a “for-credit” option wasoffered in Mexico, in partnership with the MSU Parks, Recreationand Tourism Resources major in the Department of Community,Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies, and the MSU Officeof Study Abroad programs. One site in Mexico was offered as a ‘forcredit” option in 2003, and multiple Mexico sites were included in2004. The Ireland summer option is “for credit” only, also throughthe Parks, Recreation and Tourism Resources major. MSU has strongcommitments to both its roots as the pioneer and grant institution,and to international opportunities for students and faculty. TheInternational Alternative Breaks projects provide a viable link betweenthe two.

Eight years ago, MSU Service-Learning established and cultivatedcontacts with an MSU alumnus residing in Merida to develop aninternational site. Mexico was also appealing as the travel costs, accessand length of time spent in travel was not appreciably different fromthat of a US-based, weeklong, trip to a site such as San Francisco.Many MSU students study or have studied Spanish, so the languageand cultural differences were not perceived as daunting to many MSUstudents as they may be in some other international locations. Inaddition, staff in other departments that work closely with the Centerfor Service-Learning and Civic Engagement had interest in the Meridasite, allowing for on-campus collaborations. The Merida experiencebegan as a not-for-credit option and developed into a “for academiccredit” option through such networking and collaborations.

MMERIDA ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAKS

ICHIGANSTATEUNIVERSITY

MEXICO & OTHERS

Implementation of the Michigan State University Alternative Spring Break (ASB)program: An Overview

!!!!! Primary advising and coordination for the international trips fall under the responsibilitiesof the Assistant Director of the Center for Service-Learning & Civic Engagement.

!!!!! Two undergraduate student chairpersons work closely with the advisor. The co-chairs aresupported by a student executive board made up of a publicity chair, fundraising, and studentcoordinator for Latin American trips.

!!!!! Trip/Site structure consists of an undergraduate student site leader or co-leaders and a sitestaff advisor (faculty, staff or graduate student).

!!!!! If the site is for credit, a faculty is part of the leadership team.

PLANNINGEvaluation data serves as one of the tools forplanning subsequent trips. Student participants,student leaders, advisors and service sites provideinput in an evaluation done for each trip uponcompletion. Contact with agencies to ascertain

interest and availability of service opportunitiesis the first step. New sites are explored based onstudent and/or faculty interest and preliminary“buy-in” from location-based community partner.Planning for March trips begins during the priorsummer months.

Continued on page 6

18 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

! Students participating for academic credithave 2-3 class discussion sess ions withfaculty re: service to be performed on trip,assigned readings and expected outcomes.

IMPLEMENTATION

! Groups head out by rental vans or by air totheir sites.

! Depending on the site, students volunteer anaverage of 5-6 hours per day of service whileat their site.

! A group cultural excursion is usually a partof the program. Sites of interest includearchaeological sites, museums, or nationalparks.

! Participants, site leaders and advisors stay inthe same facilities and have common meals.

REFLECTIONS

! Each group holds a daily reflection when allgroup members are present.

! Those participating in for-credit option havecorresponding journaling and combinationreflective/academic paper.

EVALUATION

! Evaluations at the end of the project arefilled out by all group members to includesite leaders.

! Service site supervisors provide feedback andprovide preliminary commitment to host thefollowing year.

RE-ENTRY

! ASB holds an event usually 2 weeks afterspring break where all groups come togetherto celebrate the completion of the servicethey performed and the things that werelearned.

! Those participating for academic credit haveadditional follow-up session(s) with faculty.

! Results of students’ written evaluations areshared with staff advisors.

PREPARATION

! Preliminary memorandum of collaborationbetween MSU and the service site, outliningtype(s) of service to be performed, agencyand university respective responsibilities isdeveloped and signed.

! Discussion with faculty re: “for-credit”option begins in summer.

! Publicity for student enrollment begins inSeptember.

! Recruitment of participants, student siteleaders and site staff advisors begins inSeptember.

! In i t i a l payments a re co l l ec ted uponenrollment.

! Site leader and site staff advisor interviewing,orientation and training begins in October.

! Ongoing communication is on a need basiswith agencies throughout fall and springsemesters.

! Site leaders begin to meet with their groupsand begin to work on group cohesion (firstmeeting takes place prior to winter break).

! Airfare/van rental, charter bus and lodgingarrangements are locked in during October.The ASB advisor is responsible for airfareand lodg ing a r rang ements for theinternational sites.

! Food arrangements (depending on site) areworked on in January or February (the delayis due to any site slots not filled or dropsand adds to a site). We then need to find outif any students have special dietary needs.

! Beginning in November, site leaders attendweekly training meetings facilitated by theASB co-chairs.

! Mid January, site staff advisors go throughadditional training.

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ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAKS

PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

A lternative Spring Break (ASB) is a unique service-learning experience in which students engage in direct service to a community, while also being immersed in the culture and

customs of that community. Team members work in partnership with local agencies and community members to address social justice issues affecting the community. Trips are led by student leaders and accompanied by faculty advisors. Throughout the week, participants partake in a number of cultural, educational, recreational and reflective activities to enhance their service experience.

Goals of the program include:! To help develop and enhance a value for public service and civic

engagement within the participants

! To expose students to diversity, including cultural immersion, politicaland economic differences

! To help students identify their privileges and begin to use these tobreak down the systems that afford unearned privilege in our society

! To provide opportunities for students to reflect on their roles in thenational and/or global community

! To provide an opportunity to interact with diverse individuals andpractice communicating in another language

Several different organizations on campus sponsor internationalservice and service-learning experiences. In addition to the ASBprogram sponsored by the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics &Public Service, several organizations within the Chaplain’s CooperativeMinistry associated with NC State University sponsor internationalservice trips including the Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist andPresbyterian Campus Ministries and the Assemblies of God andInterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

The Alternative Spring Break program was started in 1998 andconsisted of one trip to Honduras. Since then, teams have partneredwith Habitat for Humanity, Global Village in the Dominican Republic,Ecuador, Guatemala and Honduras to build affordable, sustainablehomes for local residents. Last year, we offered four ASB projects

ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK SERVICE-LEARNING TRIP

DOMINICAN REPUBLICNorth Carolina State UniversitySubmitted by Mike Giancola, Director, Center for Student Leadership, Ethics &Public Service

There are severalunique aspects of

this program, includingthe focus on helpingpar t i c ipants ident i fytheir personal privilegesand then using these tobreak down thesys tems tha t a f fo rdunearned privilege inour society.

“““““

20 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

and plans are currently in the works to add an additional partnershipworking with an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. Our goalsare to continue to expand the diversity of projects consistent withstudent demand.

We selected the Dominican Republic in 1999 in partnership withHabitat for Humanity, Global Village based on Habitat’s articulatedneed for volunteers in this area. We have maintained our partnershipwith the Barahona and Paraiso affiliates of Habitat for HumanityDominican Republic based on the on-going need for volunteers andthe affordable cost of travel to the area. Most notable, however,have been the friendships andpar tnersh ips tha t we havedeve loped wi th the loca lres idents and the Hab i ta taffiliates.

There are several unique aspectsof this program, including thefocus on helping participantsidentify their personal privilegesand then using these to breakdown the systems that affordunearned privilege in our society.Based on the work of Dr.Peggy McIntosh and her article,“White Privilege: Unpacking theInvisible Knapsack,” studentsre f l ec t on the i r p r iv i l egesthroughout the semester leadingup to the trip and throughoutthe experience by participating in reflection sessions, journaling, andsetting a personal action plan.

Another distinctive feature of this program is a book project in whichstudents, faculty and staff can submit ref lect ions about theirexperience on an Alternative Spring Break Service-Learning trip tobe considered for publication in a book titled Humanidad. This is awork in progress but is intended to continue to promote self-reflection among participants and encourage others to considerparticipating in a similar service experience. More details about theproject can be found on our website at http://www.ncsu.edu/csleps/asb/.

Several years ago, we developed a model in which student team leaders

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are selected and then, with the advisement of a faculty advisor andmembers of the CSLEPS staff, are responsible for all aspects of theprogram from team selection to in-country logistics to programevaluation. More specifically, team leaders are selected in earlySeptember and then are responsible for interviewing interestedstudents in early October. Once the teams are selected, team membersare expected to attend several team meetings and a retreat leading upto the trip to adequately prepare and to begin learning more aboutthe service site; the language; and the political, social and economicsystems of the country to which they will be traveling. In addition,students are exposed to a variety of readings on service and expertson the country in which they will be serving as well as the socialjustice issue their team will be addressing. Throughout the trip, teammembers engage in both individual and group reflection activities togain more insight into their personal experience and what they arelearning.

Team members work together on group fundraisers. One specificfundraiser we are especially dedicated to is the sale of fair trade coffee.This fundraiser is about more than just making money to supportstudent participation in the ASB program – it helps reinforce thevalue for socially responsible behavior and matches the overall goalsof the program. Upon returning to campus, students meet to continue to reflect on their experience and are challenged to developaction plans that will keep them engaged in the local community.

Currently, we are not offering academic credit for this trip; however,we did partner with faculty from our Multidisciplinary StudiesDepartment to offer a class in conjunction with similar internationalservice experiences. Unfortunately, the class was cancelled due tolow registration. We do offer three academic credits for participationin one of our domestic Alternative Spring Break Service-Learningtrips to Arizona in which students serve as tutors in the school onthe Navajo Reservation.

Over the past five years, participants from NC State have worked onover 30 houses in partnership with the local residents. In addition tothe construction of homes, students engage in a cultural exchangewith the local residents that promote cross-cultural understanding.Team members have made a practice of taking pictures of membersof the community and sending them back to the locals so they canhave a family picture. We have developed a strong partnership withthe Paraisio affiliate and have developed many deep friendships thatkeep us in close contact with many of the members of the community."

NALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK SERVICE-LEARNING TRIP

ORTHCAROLINASTATEUNIVERSITY

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

I had never consideredthe idea that most ofmy privilege is“unearned.” My class,my race, my familyname…but it was theAlternative SpringBreak trip thatheightened myawareness to theprivilege in my life…For the first time Irealized that identifyingmy privilege is notenough – the challengeis breaking down thesystems that give methat privilege.

– Student,NC State University

“““““

22

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PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

At the University of Michigan – Flint, faculty have the oppor-tunity to develop an international service-learning course andsubmit it to International Global Studies for approval. By

receiving this approval, funding is designated for a faculty stipend andto provide scholarship money for students. Different faculty willdevelop courses related to their field of study and contacts. Threetrips are approved each year.

We offer an international service learning spring break trip in whichstudents become part of a volunteer medical mission providingnursing care to the impoverished people of the Dominican Republic.Students are integrated with volunteer medical professionals who areproviding services, and they learn assessment skills without the helpof technology while being immersed into the culture.

Planning for faculty begins in September. At this time, we begincommunicating with the medical mission and start the recruitmentprocess for student participants. In February, before the trip, studentsare responsible for presenting research about the culture and healthsystem of the Dominican Republic to their teammates. During theexperience, the students keep a journal, have daily discussions tointegrate theoretical and clinical experiences, and, after the experience,they write a self-analysis paper.

The short-term benefit to the local communities in which we serve isclear. As part of the medical mission, we provide health care forpeople who otherwise would not have access to quality of life issues.The students also teach about basic hygiene measure such as washinghands, boiling water and teeth brushing.

MEDICAL MISSION FOR NURSING

DOMINICAN REPUBLICUniversity of Michigan – Flint

Submitted by Maureen Tippen, Clinical Assistant Professor

Idid set off on the trip with a set of expectations and personalobjectives, but quickly discovered that the experience calls

for a complete departure from those things I have learned incollege; the country forces you into action, mind, body, and soul.Once there, you no longer have objectives you planned, yourexpectations are dashed. The best thing to do is to rely on basicinstinct, and let your learned nursing care filter through.

-Aron Davis, Student Nurse, University of Michigan-Flint

"

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PRPRPRPRPROMISINGOMISINGOMISINGOMISINGOMISING PRA PRA PRA PRA PRACTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OF INTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNING 23

WINTER SESSION

Some schools refer to this as J-Term or January Term. For the pur-pose of this publication, we will reference the term Winter Session.

Eleven of the 30 submissions we received said their campuses offerinternational service or service-learning trips during Winter Session.We also found that most of these experiences are based on a service-learning course rather than service-only trips. Winter Session tripsoffer students the opportunity to serve in another country and earnacademic credit while focusing on their core courses during the se-mester.

Another advantage of the Winter Session international service-learn-ing experience is that the students can focus entirely on one subject.While participating in service-learning during a semester, students arejuggling a variety of activities, both socially and academically. Addi-tionally, embarking on an international service-learning trip during aWinter Session allows for nearly twice the exposure to the host countrythan spring break trips. Service experiences where the students servein groups and stay in a single community for a longer duration oftheir experience tend to create stronger bonds among the group it-self and the local community than those that dedicate less time to aspecific project.

Winter Session trips are still relatively short trips, and coordinatorsneed to be careful that the host, or party helping arrange the service,is agreeable with only a few weeks of service. A point, which issometimes debated, is that service-learning focuses more on learningoutcomes than service outcomes. The trip coordinator should beaware of both.

For anyone wanting to travel internationally, most Winter Session tripsstill offer the option to experience other parts of the world at areasonable cost. We found that most of these trips cost between$1000 and $3000, but fluctuate tremendously due to varying travel

W inter Session is the term used in the questionnaire to refer to the time of theacademic calendar, usually the month of January, when some colleges anduniversities have a short term. Most institutions which have this session operateon a 4-1-4 calendar, which means they have two, four-month semesters with aone month short term during the winter.

2CHAPTER

24 WINTER SESSION24

costs and the type of housing arranged. The longer the stay themore the cost of housing begins to play in the overall budget for theexperience.

In addition to an appealing trip duration for students, the WinterSession is also of interest to many faculty and staff. Existing regula-tions about sending groups of students overseas require that a uni-versity employee accompany the group, and the shorter duration en-ables those faculty and staff with family obligations to attend aninternational education experience.

Overall, this class was incredible. It provided me with manyexciting ideas that I took away from class and discussed

with others. It introduced me to the idea of justice work and realvolunteer opportunities abroad that make noticeable differences.

- Student, Marquette University”

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25

The Kernodle Center for Service Learning and ElonVolunteers!office coordinates our annual spring break service trip to theDominican Republic. For spring 2005, we plan to send one

group to the DR to work with Habitat for Humanity, and anothergroup to Mexico (and Arizona) to work with BorderLinks. TheIsabella Cannon Center for International Studies coordinates a WinterTerm Service-Learning class in Guatemala with Habitat for Humanity.The Kernodle Center helps provide support for that course.

The spring break Dominican Republic trip was first offered in spring2003, initiated by the Director of Service Learning, and is now anannual program. The Guatemala Winter Term course was firstoffered in January 2001, initiated by the Chaplain in coordinationwith an Elon alumnus working for Habitat in Guatemala. Next year’s

Mexico spring break trip was initiated by twostudents and the Director of Service Learning.The Winter Term trip to Guatemala is a 4-creditclass for the students. The fact that it is a 3-weekintensive experience, combining lectures, Spanishclass, field trips, close interaction with localpeople, and service makes it a very educationaland impactful experience for the students.

Students participate in four pre-trip meetingswith the two instructors to help prepare for theexper ience. Infor mat ion covered in thosemeetings includes: syllabus, itinerary, introductionto Habitat for Humanity, overview of cultureand country profi le , and health and safetyinformation. While in-country, we spend the firstweek meeting with a number of representativesfrom various non-profits and NGO’s addressingsocial, economic, and political issues as well asa government employee to learn about the PeaceAccords. We have f ield tr ips to signif icantlocations in Guatemala City and surroundingareas, such as the Cathedral, the city dump wheremany people live, or participation

CULTURE & SERVICE WINTER TERM COURSE

GUATEMALAElon University

Submitted by Kathy Manning, Director of Volunteer Service & ServiceLearning, Kernodle Center for Service Learning

2CHAPTER

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6 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

2CHAPTER

PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNING

WINTER SESSION

NORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

in a Mayan ceremony at a historic site. In addition, we have 3 hoursa day of one-on-one Spanish instruction during the first week. Forthe next 2 weeks, we work with Habitat for Humanity. We have 2days built in at the end of the trip for sightseeing.

Prior to departure, the students read articles and books related to theissues we will be exploring while we are there. During the course, thestudents keep journals and take turns facilitating daily reflection ses-sions for the group. Afterward, each student is required to submit a12-page reflection paper as well as make a presentation to some cam-pus or community group about the ex-perience. The last reflection session ofthe course typically focuses on preparingfor re-entry and how to incorporate theexperience into their lives at home. Otherthan written evaluations and select studentfeedback meetings with the Study Abroadoffice, follow-up is informal (e.g. reuniondinners). Returning students are also in-volved with recruiting future participants, and they help with the firstmeeting of the next year’s group, providing information on studentperspective and what to expect.

The most tangible result of the students’ service is that they help tobuild at least two homes through Habitat for Humanity. In the shortterm, the students bring diversity to the community and show theGuatemalans that others are aware and concerned about their healthand welfare. The visiting group supports the local economy throughtheir donation to Habitat, dining and staying in locally run establish-ments. Many students form close relationships with the Habitat part-ner families, allowing both the Elon students and the families to learnabout each other’s culture and lifestyle. "

This experience changed the course of my life.I got so much more than I gave..

- Student, Elon University”“““““

27

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27

A t this point, there is no central coordinating office forinternational service learning at Marquette University. TheService Learning Program, which is housed in Academic

Affairs, coordinates all domestic service learning experiences andassists in the development of international service learning for thecampus. The Study Abroad office also assists in the developmentand administration of international service learning.

There are currently three international service-learning programs inthe works at Marquette. Two are in the development stage. The onethat is up and running was created and organized by two facultymembers: one in Civil and Environmental Engineering and the otherin Physical Therapy. It is an interdisciplinary course entitled “Health,Environment, and Infrastructure in Latin America.” Students in thecourse perform service in one or more Latin American country ordomestic service in the local Milwaukee Hispanic community. In the

2004 spr ing semes te r , theinternational experiences included awin te r b reak two-week t r ip toGuatemala to build a bridge with theCE professor and a spring break tripto Honduras to do more health-r e l a t ed se r v i ce w i th the PTprofessor. All of these students arein the class together and bring theird i f f e ren t exper i ences to theclassroom.

Initially, El Salvador was the focusdue to the significant relationship

between the country’s history and the Jesuit order of the CatholicChurch, which also founded Marquette. In subsequent years, theinternational opportunities committee has branched out to Guatemalaand Honduras as opportunities have developed in these countries.

The experience is distinctive in that the professions (i.e., engineering,physical therapy, etc.) and international service are linked in thecurriculum and the in-country work. It is difficult for students in theprofessions to perform a semester-long study abroad or international

Marquette University

HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT, & INFRASTRUCTURE INLATIN AMERICA

EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, & HONDURAS

Submitted by Daniel H. Zitomer, Associate Professor of Civil &Environmental Engineering

As I start this new semester, I believe I havea better perspective on Guatemalan culture

and economics. More than this, I have a deeperunderstanding that the status of an area orpeople is not irrevocable as I first thought. I havebeen freed from the lie that I am powerless toaffect a nation. This is one lesson I plan to takewith me the rest of my life.

- Student, Marquette University”

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WINTER SESSION

“““““

28 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

28

service internship. Although a semester-long experience is moreconducive to language acquisition and cultural exchange, a short-termexperience is an extremely rich opportunity for students who canonly afford the time or money related to a two or three weekexperience. Also, the linking of engineering, healthcare, and the socialsciences is a unique component of this experience. The mission ofMarquette University in forming women and men who are aware ofglobal real i ty, dedicated to serving others, and who use theirprofessional talents to make the world a better place are central tothe experience.

The Marquette University College of Engineering and Departmentof Physical Therapy offer students the opportunity to perform servicein health care clinics, design and build bridges, drinking water systems,and sanitation systems for in-need communities of El Salvador,Guatemala, and Honduras. Teams of six to 12 students travel witha lumni and facu l ty to the host country and work wi th loca lnongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to identify priority projectsand gather information for subsequent design, such as land survey,population, water use, transportation needs, and other data. While inthe host country, the students and others construct infrastructure thatwas designed by other students during the previous year. The two-week international trips are coordinated withdesign classes and a humanities seminar courselinking international development and healthcareinitiatives to history, culture, and politics as wellas peace and justice studies. In the last four years,five bridges, one house, and a solar energy unithave been constructed, and clinical work has beenperformed in El Salvador and Honduras. Inaddition, a sewer, wastewater treatment system andbiomedical engineering equipment have beendesigned. The experience is open to all students atMarquette University, including internationalaffairs, physical therapy, engineering and otherstudents.

The planning for projects is performed by mentorswho are typically faculty members and alumni inthe professions. The mentors work with variousnon-governmental organizations (NGOs) that helpinsure that the community, and not the governmenta lone , r eques t s the spec i f i c in f ra s t ruc turedevelopment or healthcare aid. When a project isidentified, the mentors work closely with theNGOs to plan the project. At the same time,

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29

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PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

By the t ime ourdeparture came, I

was exhausted fromour endeavors, but washappy that we workedso hard. An experiencesuch as ours is reallypr i ce less and I w i l lforever hold the peopleo f the Guatema lanHighlands in my heart.The lessons learned inour shor t t ime inCentral America havea l ready s ta r ted tomake themse lvesknown, and I hope thatthey will continue tomake themse lvesknown not only in mylife, but in al l thosearound me.

- Student,Marquette University

29

student recruitment, application, acceptance/rejection notification, andfundraising are coordinated by faculty. In addition, health issues,including immunizations, health precautions, and insurance issues, arediscussed with the accepted students in the fall semester, and at leasttwo pre-trip reflection meetings are held. At this time, students areinformed of journaling requirements.

In January, before the spring semester begins, one group travels tothe host country and works side-by-side with local people to constructinfrastructure or work in health clinics. The students then return toMilwaukee and take a class (Health, Environment, and Infrastructurein La t in Amer ica ) wh ich l inks in f ra s t ruc ture , in te rna t iona ldevelopment, and healthcare to history, culture, politics, peace andjustice, and leadership. Another group may travel to a second hostcountry during spring break. A third group, who for various reasonsare unable to participate in the international trips, perform service inthe Hispanic community located south of Marquette’s campus.

During the class, students have a chance to address their re-entryissues or other concerns or observations through group discussionsand essay responses to homework questions. Through lectures andhomework assignments, students are asked to reflect on theirinternational or domestic experience and link it to informationpresented in class. Students then write a peer-reviewed final classpaper relating their experience and class lectures/readings to a themeof their choosing. The final class papers are bound and printed as acollection. Each student receives a copy of the collected papers.

The international work is also linked to classes such as SeniorEngineering Design, Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Design,Bridge Design, Culture and Health, and other classes taken in thespring term.

Some students return as alumni to go on second or third internationaltrips. In addition, faculty stay in touch with many of the studentparticipants. Follow-up is currently informal, as alumni and studentparticipants are asked how the trip changed their life and how theexperience can be improved.

The infrastructure assistance and health care provided by MarquetteUniversity students, faculty, and friends are directly requested bycommunities through NGOs. The bridges provide a way for teachersto travel to rural schools and people to travel more quickly to markets,medical clinics, and water sources. The drinking water and sanitationinfras t ructure pro jec ts a l so l ead to improved hea l th . Bet terinfrastructure supports education, health care, and quality of life forthe people with which Marquette University teams."

ARQUETTEUNIVERSITYM

HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT, & INFRASTRUCTURE IN LATIN

AMERICAEL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA,& HONDURAS

“““““

30 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

2CHAPTER

WINTER SESSION

The Student Ministries Office at Taylor University supports avariety of student programs such as local service of tutoring,one-on-one, youth services, nursing home and others. The

office also supports alternative spring break trips and summerministries that serve domestically and internationally and the Inter-term (January) Lighthouse program of international service learning.

Lighthouse began in 1972 as a practicum experience for studentsmajoring in Christian Education. A group was selected to presentChristian Education workshops for Christian workers in Nassau,Bahamas. This program continued each year, and in 1986, Lighthouseexpanded its service by sending groups to Europe and the Caribbean.In the 1990s and since Lighthouse has further expanded to provideservice projects in numerous countries on nearly every continent.Currently, six or seven groups of approximately 16-18 students andtwo faculty sponsors are sent overseas each January.

Over the years, the Lighthouse program has enabled more than 1,300students to spend their Interterm studying and serving around theworld. Lighthouse groups are recruited in the spring for serviceprojects which take place the following January. In the fall semester,a one credit course in cross-cultural service prepares each group forthe field experience. During the time in a host country, studentsengage in se r v ice pro jec t s, compass iona teministries, community development, teachingEnglish, and other services under the direction offaculty sponsors and field leaders. Students earnthree cross-cultural credit hours through thehands-on outreach, study and ref lect ion. Inaddition, some academic departments organizeLighthouse projects that involve students inservice directly related to their major. Some ofthese projects grant credit in other fields such associal work, education and environmental science.

The student group works directly with SouthAfrican hosts in three different locations with agreat variety of experiences and exposure. Thehosts are part of a racially integrated service

Taylor University

SOUTH AFRICA LIGHTHOUSE PROJECT

SOUTH AFRICA

Submitted by Jenny Collins, Director of Lighthouse Program andInstructor of Intercultural Studies

The group diligently attended cabinleaders’ meetings and assisted the

management of the camp as wel l asproviding leadership for the various sports,running on the fun run and general lymot ivat ing the campers . There werecounseling opportunities which some of theteam members were able to handle well.We value our partnership with TaylorUniversity, both through the long- termrelationships with your past president andthe personal friendships with the currentpersonnel.

-International Partner”

“““““

31

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31

organization and students build relationships with hosts of all races.At the first location the students provide leadership for a raciallyintegrated Christian sports and discipleship camp for 700 youth fromall over southern Africa. Each student is in charge of a camp cabinand is involved in sports, daily small groups, and leading workshopson topics such as leadership skills, building quality friendships, andstewardship of the earth. The second location is a poor rural areawhere the student group assists long-term Christian workers withservice in squatter camps, children’s homes, school assemblies, anursing home, and a hospital where people are suffering from AIDS,malnutrition and other illnesses. Here the group has opportunities toparticipate in traditional village life. In Johannesburg, the thirdlocation, the group works in a home for AIDS orphans who areHIV+, teaches life skills in disadvantaged high schools in Soweto ontopics such as teenage suicide and setting goals, and provides activities

and compass iona teservice at a home forformer street children.The group also tourssignificant historical/cultural sites in Sowetoand the Johannesburgarea w i th SouthAfr ican gu ides whowere involved in thelong struggle againstapartheid.

The s tudents gothrough a l eng thyapp l i ca t ion andselection process in thespring semester. FromSept . – Dec . they

part ic ipate in a one-hour course covering the def ini t ion andcomponents of culture as students identify their own culturaldistinctiveness. Students also research characteristics of the hostculture with the goal of creating an effective service strategy andinvestigate the basic components of cross-cultural communication,the problems of ethnocentrism, etc. Student groups also meet weeklywith their faculty sponsors for team building and further preparation.The Lighthouse director and faculty sponsors work together withthe South African hosts to design the experience, perform crisis andemergency planning, and prepare the group. The learning continuesduring January as students read a country-specific text, visit cultural

AYLORUNIVERSITYT

SOUTH AFRICA LIGHTHOUSE PROJECT

SOUTH AFRICA

32 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

32

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NORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

sites, learn from field leaders, build intercultural relationships, implement their service plans and examine and reflect upon their experiences.

Reflection is enhanced through journaling, daily group discussionsand a final exam consisting of several essay questions. Upon returnto Taylor, groups receive follow-up reading materials and are requiredto attend a two-hour re-entry session, which includes time for smallgroup discussion. Groups meet at least one more time for furtherre-entry reflection/discussion and faculty sponsors follow up withindividual students.

Our South African hosts report that the youth and others served areenriched by having a cross-cultural experience with American students.Through the camp workshops andeduca t ion in schoo l s , youth a reempowered with life skills. Childrenand the suffer ing (who have fewoppor tun i t i e s for g rowth orexposure) are encouraged by havinga special experience and new set ofactivities they will not forget. Ourhosts appreciate and are encouraged/empowered by the “shot in the arm”of enthusiasm and ideas brought bythe students. "

To see it all come togetherwas just amazing. Seeing

clean water coming out of aplace where they have neverhad clean water to drink!

-Student on trip to Guatemala

“““““

PRPRPRPRPROMISINGOMISINGOMISINGOMISINGOMISING PRA PRA PRA PRA PRACTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OF INTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNING 33

There are definite advantages to offering an international service orservice-learning experience during the summer months. For thosecolleges and universities that replied to our survey, the majority (22out of 30) offer international service and service learning experi-ences during the summer. This type of trip offers the coordinatoran opportunity to program a longer trip than he/she would duringspring break or winter session. The advantage of focusing on justone subject (similar to winter session) is also a factor during a sum-mer experience. To aid in justifying their travel expenses and deep-ening their exposure to the culture, students also have the option tostay in the host country and design their own international serviceexperience following the official trip. With a stay of as many as 12weeks, students can be completely dedicated to the service issue ofchoice and develop strong bonds within the local community.

Instructors in spring semester courses sometimes offer a one-creditoptional service-learning trip during the summer. These trips are anexperiential service component to what they learned in class duringthe semester. This type of trip can be attractive to an instructor ifthey are traveling with the group since it still allows them to teachfull time at their home institution.

S ummer Se s s i on o f f e r s a un ique oppor tun i t y f o r c o l l e g e s tuden t s t o t rav e l abroad f o r ser vice and ser vice- l ear ning experiences. For many students, summer is s t i l l a t ime to work and save money to help them pay for expenses during the academic year. By choosing toorganize a trip during summer, students are asked to not only pay for the experience, but also giveup time that they may need to generate income for the next school year. Understanding how studentson specific campuses generally utilize the summer months will help campuses target a recruitmentaudience.

"

3CHAPTER SUMMER SESSION

34 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

The Kansas State University Community Service Program(CSP) is a service-learning program dedicated to promotingcommunity service opportunities among university students

and assisting communities to address vitally important issues. Since1987, the CSP has been providing opportunities for students to sharetheir ideas and learn new skills in partnership with communities inKansas and abroad. Through the CSP service-learning experience,K-State students apply their academic and life skills to enrich theireducation. While becoming members of a community, the studentsmake a significant contribution to improve the lives of others.

The CSP is home to several service-learning and community serviceactivities: Kansas Community Teams and Internships, InternationalSummer Teams, America Reads/America Counts, CSP Tutors,Community Connections, Alternative Spring Breaks, and service-learning support for faculty. The CSP is located in the Office of theProvost and works with faculty and students all across the K-Statecampus.

Over the past 15 years, the CSP has sent students to serve internationalcommunities creating community-specific plans and projects focusedon health, education, environmental concerns and other developmentissues. Students complete a three credit hour preparation courseduring the spring semester, and develop their project plan beforedeparting for 8-10 weeks in the summer. Structured reflection duringthe fall semester follows the service experience.

Additionally, the Alternative Break program is an opportunity for K-State students to participate in an intense service experience thatprovides hands-on learning and develops a student’s sense of identity,community and responsibility. Participants travel to a communitywhere they work with local residents to address a pressing socialissue.

In the summer of 2004 , CSPInternational Teams journeyed toMexico, Guatemala, and Turkey. CSPInternational Teams have served in 20countries during our 15 years.

Kansas State University

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICE TEAMS

MULTIPLE COUNTRIES

Submitted by Carol Gould, Community Service Program Director

This was by far the most exciting, life-changing,love-filled summer of my life.

- Student, Kansas State University”“““““

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35

CHAPTER

PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

Our host communities are identified through relationships with faculty,community members, K-State alumni, and past CSP students. Sitesmust have a secure relationship with a community member or facultymember, demonstrate capacity to plan for and support a team, andidentify a site coordinator with whom communication is assured.Sites with Rotary Clubs are ideal because our students have theopportunity to apply for funding from The Rotary Foundation.

Each participant is responsible for the cost of his or her airfare,food and housing. The CSP assists students in fundraising andencourages applications to the many scholarships available on ourcampus that provide support for international service and study. Thestudents are required to pay their first $300 toward living expensesand a $100 administrative fee to the CSP.

The CSP International Teams provide students witha short-term, hands-on international experience thatis both challenging and rewarding. Unlike StudyAbroad, International Teams live in the midst ofthe communi ty and work w i th communi tymembers every day. The host communities are low-income – students live in challenging conditions thathelp to build their understanding of other cultures,social and economic conditions. Unlike manyvolunteer experiences or mission trips, the studentsa re a sked to app ly the i r academic sk i l l s tocommunity problems. Unlike academic structures,the students must adapt to constantly changingplans, people and activities. The students involvedin this program enhance their problem-solvingskills, gain leadership experience, and develop anappreciation for the other cultures and perspectives.This experience cannot be found in the classroomor through a study abroad experience.

Host communities are identified during the fallsemester. In response to community or sponsororgan iza t ion inv i t a t ions , the CSP organ izes

interdisciplinary teams of K-State students. Student team membersare selected in a competitive process during the fall semester. Selectedstudents are usually juniors with an outstanding academic and servicerecord and proficiency in foreign language. Team size varies fromtwo to six based on the needs and capacity of the host community.The students come from across the entire campus. These studentsbring a wide variety of skills and experiences to their projects. Among

KINTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICE TEAMS

ANSASSTATEUNIVERSITY

MULTIPLE COUNTRIES

36 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

the students who have participated are Truman, Marshall, and Rhodesscholars, leaders in student government and campus organization andtop scholars from many academic disciplines. The students arecareful ly chosen, not only for their talents but also for theircommitment to service and their ability to live in and adapt to anotherculture.

S tudents workthroughout thespring semesterin a three credithour seminars p e c i f i c a l l ydesigned to prepare them for the international experience and to helpthem become acquainted with the culture of their host community.The course includes study of international development, discussionsof issues specific to each host community, background research onthe requested project, exploration of culture and interculturalcommunication and virtual “site visits” to the community. Studentslive and work in the host community for 8-10 weeks during thesummer. Following the service experience, students participate in astructured reflection experience. The goal is to assist students andtheir projects by recognizing the important underlying social andcommunity issues and to understand the role of citizens in effectivelyaddressing these issues.

We look for community partners who are interested in a long-termrelationship. For example, our students have organized a children’sday camp in Izamal Mexico for 10 years. Students in succeedingyears follow-up on the work of their predecessors, ensuring continuityand enhancing impact. In some of our more recent sites, communitymembers are working with US citizens for the first time. The short-term impact of cultural understanding and awareness exists on bothsides. Our projects focus on real community needs identified by thecommunity. "

The goal is to assist students and their projects by recognizing theimportant underlying social and community issues and to

understand the role of citizens in effectively addressing these issues.

“““““”

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Currently, there are thirteen “developing” countries that arethe destinations of the International Summer Service LearningProgram (ISSLP). While the criteria of the ISSLP destination

countries had to include those countries that have arguably “developingeconomies,” the actual country destinations were determined out ofthe partnerships that were formalized with the organization.

The ISSLP is distinctive because all service-learning placements areeight weeks in length (during the summer months) with organizationsin developing countries. The program requires a 1.0 credit preparationseminar (offered in Dept. of Theology) to take place the springsemester prior to the summer SL. The eight week service-learningcomponent is a 3.0 credit course in Theology (and cross-listed withPeace Studies) and includes re-entry sessions. Additionally, a 3.0 creditcourses in Anthropolog y and Theolog y are be ing offered toparticipants in the ISSLP as a formal re-entry/follow-up opportunityfor the program.

Host organization commitments and service position descriptionsare drafted during the late summer to early fall. Recruitment ofparticipants occurs during fall semester, with applications due onNovember 1. Accepted participants are notified before January 15.During the spring semester, they take the 1.0 credit orientation course,which also includes various weekend trainings and independent area/country study. Final arrangements (final service descriptions, dates,housing, evacuation/emergency procedures) are worked out duringthe spring semester. Students are engaged in international service-learning placements between mid-May and mid-August. Various stepssuch as surveys, evaluations, and re-entry interviews are in place toassist in the re-entry process.

Host organizations (their staff and constituents) often speak of the“renewed” energy they receive from the students – a re-vitalizationto their mission and “hope” for the future. Long-term impact onthe local community is difficult to name and measure. Our sitepartners would say that the long-term relationship with the Universityis positive, resulting mainly in intangibles — shifts in perceptions orstereotypes, creation of relationships/friendships, and in some,tangible outcomes (i.e. donations of goods or financial support).

INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM

MULTIPLE COUNTRIESUniversity of Notre Dame

Submitted by Rachel Tomas Morgan, Director of InternationalService Learning & Justice Education, Center for Social Concerns

Host organizations (their staff andconstituents) oftenspeak o f the“ renewed” energythey rece ive f romthe students – a re-vitalization to theirmission and “hope”for the future.”

"

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38 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

A ll credit bearing international service programs must beapproved and offered through our Study Abroad office.International service-learning programs are now offered as a

collaborative program between the Study Abroad and Service-Learning offices.

Credit-based, international service-learning, wasoffered for the first time last summer as a partnershipbetween the APPLES Service-Learning Program,UNC Study Abroad and the International Partnershipfor Service-Learning. Opportunities for students toparticipate in service experiences abroad have existedfor years through Study Abroad as well as individualdepartments.

Due to the rapidly increasing Latino/a populationin North Carolina, we intentionally decided to go to Mexico sostudents would have an opportunity to learn more about where themajority of North Carolina’s immigrants were coming from. Thisexperience takes ten students to Guadalajara for an 8-week languageand cultural immersion experience. Participants spend the summerdeveloping their Spanish skills, studying the issues surroundinginstitutions of Mexican society, serving in an established non-governmental organization, and living with a Mexican family.

To enhance academic learning, two workshops are held in the springto prepare students for cross-cultural service as they begin to drawon connections between Mexico and North Carolina’s Hispaniccommunity. In the fall, a 1.0 credit hour Reflections course seeks totie together foreign and domestic issues by applying the students’Mexico experience to North Carolina’s Hispanic community.

One of the goals of the course is to introduce students to opportunitiesfor continued service with our local Hispanic populations. This isachieved by students participating in a local, Hispanic-serving projectas part of their course requirement. They will volunteer a minimumof 30 hours during the fall semester in a group project with the nearbyCarrboro Elementary School. There, they will work one-on-one withHispanic children ages 8-12 as an ESL Tutor. In addition, they will

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING PROGRAM

MEXICOUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillSubmitted by Jenny Huq, Director, APPLES Service-Learning Program

One of the goals of the course is tointroduce students to opportunities

for continued service with our localHispanic populations. This is achievedby students part ic ipating in a local,Hispanic-serving project as part of theircourse requirement.

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conduct a special Enrichment Project with the children – helping thekids make a book about their immigration experience.

An international committee was established to get this program offthe ground. The committee was comprised of four undergraduatestudents, four undergraduate students, one staff member and a facultyadvisor. The committee worked on all aspects of the program fromrecruitment and advertising to developing the workshop curriculum.As a partnership among three organizations (Study Abroad, IPSLand APPLES), we spent a lot of time on the front end clarifying theroles of each unit involved.

THE ROLE OF STUDY ABROAD

! Present the program to the AdministrativeReview Board for approval to offer this as acredit-bearing program

! Receive all student applications! Provide health and safety orientation for all

participants! Issue credit to students upon their return

THE ROLE OF IPSL

! Serve as third-party provider of all programservices while students are in Mexico

! Arrange homestays, community placementsand coursework

! On-site staff in Mexico to handle any issuesstudents face

THE ROLE OF APPLES

! Faci l i tate the relat ionship between StudyAbroad and IPSL

! Publicize and recruit for the program

! Interview and select program participants

! Prepare and de l iver two spr ing pre- t r ipworkshops

! Coordinate spring and fal l g roup serviceopportunities with the local Latino community

! Des ign , in co l l abora t ion w i th f acu l t yinstructor, content and presenters for fallreflections course

Organizational Roles: An Overview

"

UINTERNATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING PROGRAM

NIVERSITYOF NORTH CAROLINAAT CHAPEL HILL

PRPRPRPRPROMISINGOMISINGOMISINGOMISINGOMISING PRA PRA PRA PRA PRACTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OFCTICES OF INTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNING 41

By living in the destination country for an extended period of time,students have the opportunity to learn more about the culture thanany of the shorter models we explored in this publication. Anextended service experience in a foreign country can be a power-ful tool to immerse oneself in another culture.

Because students studying for an entire semester most likely attendmultiple courses, there is a demand on their time from variousrealms. It can be difficult to put a lot of energy into the service-learning experience. At the same time, because students are out oftheir social circle, the service site could provide them with a placeof comfort. This concept of identifying and embracing things ofcomfort is an important aspect of surviving and enjoying an inter-national experience. The students are in a position to form stron-ger bonds between their own group and the local people, but canalso be in a position to cause emotional distress. When the timecomes for the student to return to the United States, leaving thesite needs to be handled with great care so as not to leave anyonefeeling abandoned. This is a concern in many semester-long ser-vice programs, whether international or in a local community.Abandonment is as issue associated with many social problems,and it is a challenge even with the best intentions in serving othersto keep from creating new problems.

Semesters abroad offer a unique environment for students to deepen their international living byincor porating a service or service-learning experience. Almost half of our 30 respondents said thattheir campuses of fer semester long international service opportunities in conjunction with an existingstudy abroad program. Because the airfare, food and housing are already costs associated with thestudy abroad experience, the cost of adding a service or service-learning component are minimal.

"

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42 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

Central College offers opportunities for students to integrate aservice-learning component into a semester or summer studyabroad experience. The office of community-based learning

collaborates with the office of international education to developacademic structure for meaningful community service activities in hostcities.

Since 1965, Central has maintained international programs that arestaffed by full-time, on site directors who are familiar with the Americaneducational system and that of their host country. In addition, Centralis a respected leader in service learning, and has offered credit-bearingservice opportunities to students for many years.

Central faculty and administration use their contacts in various countriesto provide an international experience. Central College seeks to providethe optimal balance of challenge and support by offering an opportunityfor students to incorporate a service experience into a semester orsummer international experience. For the semester program, traditionalclassroom experiences are augmented by meaningful service-learningexperiences. The program is managed by an on-site program directornative to the respective country, and also familiar with the Americaneducational system as well. The summer program’s focus is TESOLservice-learning, and is led by a Central College faculty member

Each site works with numerous non-profit organizations, at whichstudents may propose service-learning modules. Pre-experiencepreparation includes reflection activities, readings, and orientation.Reflection continues throughout the semester, and Central’s programdirector fosters collaboration between the student, the agency, and thehost Central College site. Participants complete a final, comprehensivejournal article and other written assignments. Students reside on a hostcampus, sharing the experience with local students. The program costincludes the college board plan.

During the semester, students earn up to 4 semester hours for servicelearning and are simultaneously completing at least 12 semester hoursof credit associated with classroom learning. During summer, students’service-learning experience is the primary focus, and they earn 3 semesterhours for service while simultaneously completing 3 semester hours ofcross cultural credit.

COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING

Submitted by Cheri Doane, Director, Community-Based LearningCentral College

International sites include:! China! Wales - United Kingdom! Merida – Mexico! London - United Kingdom

My experience inCh ina caused

me to become astronger individualand to look at l ifef rom a d i f fe ren tperspective.

–Betty Banh, Student

"

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The Center for International Education is the primary contactand principle office in charge of study abroad experiences.Over the yea r s , po l i c i e s and procedures have been

institutionalized by this Center to address a wide variety of concernssuch as safety, health, insurance, orientation and training.

The Center for Service-Learning serves as a secondary contact andplays a lesser coordinating role, except when it comes to ensuring thatservice-learning projects meet the same criteria as service projects locally,the Center for Service-Learning has primary responsibility. This includesa careful review of the projects and a careful documentation of theproject’s process from planning to termination and reflection. Whenservice-learning trips are solely focused on service and occur duringbreak periods and summer, the Center for Service-Learning generallytakes a leading role but project staff must still consult with the Centerfor International Education to ensure that students are prepared forthe experience, have adequate support and supervision during theexperience, and have a primary contact in the event of a crisis situation.

Alternative Breaks: The campus has a long tradition of AlternativeBreaks domestically, both at the spring break and winter break periods.Only recently have Alternative Breaks begun to travel to other countriesfor community service, including Mexico for spring break 2004.

Summer Sessions: The campus has recently launched a summer sessionwith a service-learning component that is embedded in a course takenby students studying in South Africa. The campus has also planned toexpand this type of experience, perhaps with a focus on developingnations or nations that were formerly part of the Soviet Union.

STUDY ABROAD IN COSTA RICA

COSTA RICAUniversity of Wisconsin – Eau Claire

Submitted by Donald Mowry, Director, Center for Service-Learning

Our partners in Costa Rica come to UW-Eau Claire duringthe fall semester and interview the students who will be

participating on the program. Prior to coming, they contactpeople they know from around Costa Rica to identify potentialprojects that UW-Eau Claire students could conduct duringtheir stay. Our partners gain knowledge of skill levels of thestudents and past experiences they may have had that wouldbe useful for the different community service projects.

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44 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

As a collaborating campus with the Open Society Institute and theirUndergraduate Exchange Program, students who have studied at UW-Eau Claire will be returning to their home countries to begin projectsthere, many of which involve beginning programs to promote andadvance service-learning and civic engagement in their countries. TheCenter for International Education has also just proposed a programthat would sponsor up to three six-week, six credit programs tointernational locations. Three of these credits would be academic,and three would be community service-learning.

Individualized: The potential for individual international service-on the individual initiative of the students and/or faculty. In 1995the service-learning requirement became part of what every s tudent must do to comple te the requ i rements for abaccalaureate degree. There have been some extremely creative andinnovative projects, but much has rested on the individual initiativeof the students and/or faculty. Since 1999 and the advent of web-based submission of service-learning agreement forms, the numbersand variety of experiences and locations has increased. Students whoare abroad for study, travel or other reasons can submit an applicationonline and have the project pre-approved very quickly, and increasingnumbers of students have chosen this route. Moreover, someprograms, such as the Wisconsin-in-Scotland study abroad experiencein Dalkeith, Scotland, have institutionalized the process by hiring astaff person to help individual students find and enter into service-learning and internship agreements wi th loca l agencies.

Semester Course :Semester courses havebeen around longer buthave expanded in the pastthree yea r s. A newsemes te r long s tudyabroad site in Germanyins i s t ed upon theintegration of ser vice-learning as part of ourstudents’ overall cross-cultural experience. Thisspring program is in itsf ifth year and ser vice-learning or internships

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are required of all students. The campus is in the middle of a secondyear of a study abroad semester to Costa Rica, where a two-weekservice-learning project has become one of the highlights of theexperience for all participating students. A new program slated tobegin in 2004-2005 will offer community service-learning in Chile.

We wanted a semester-long study abroad program in Central America.An important aspect in choosing our current partners was they

included a two-week ServiceLearning project to anotherlocation in Costa Rica. Thisexperience changes from year-to-year. Students go to a ruralcommunity in Costa Rica, andwork on a Ser vice Learningproject identified by the hostcommunity. The students livewith host families during this

project who help them get involved with the local community. Ourpartners in Costa Rica come and interview the students the semesterprior to arrival about their skills and experiences, and work withthose chosen to create the community project.

Our partners in Costa Rica come to UW-Eau Claire during the fallsemester and interview the students who will be participating on theprogram. Prior to coming, they contact people they know fromaround Costa Rica to identify potential projects that UW-Eau Clairestudents could conduct during their stay. Our partners gain knowledgeof skill levels of the students and past experiences they may havehad that would be useful for the different community service projects.Our partners also meet with our Service Learning office on campusto ensure what they are planning complies with Service Learningprojects for Eau Claire.

When the students arrive in Costa Rica they learn what their projectwill be and start preparing for it with their professors. Prior toarrival in the community where the Service Learning project will takeplace, the group meets with the program directors to discuss whatthey hope to accomplish and to have a goal-setting session. Whenthey arrive, the students live with host families and work on the projectidentified by the community. The last two projects have involvedworking at renovating schools (creating community gardens, fixingplayground equipment, putting in fencing, painting murals andbuildings, and making benches). The students have worked withcommunity members and students to finish the projects. At the end

USTUDY ABROAD IN COSTA RICA

NIVERSITYOF WISCONSINAT EAU CLAIRE

COSTA RICA

Prior to arrival in the community where the ServiceLearning project will take place, the group meets with

the program directors to discuss what they hope toaccomplish and to have a goal-setting session. Whenthey arrive, the students live with host families and workon the project identified by the community.”

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46 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

of the week, the students meet with the program directors to reflecton the project and to share what they are learning. The students alsohave a meeting at the end of the experience to reflect on what theylearned, did, and how the project has affected them. The studentsalso write in a journal throughout the experience.

The local community has been impacted in a few ways. In the pasttwo situations, the schools have been repaired to be safer locationsfor their students. They have created community gardens to give theschool access to a food source on-hand that can be utilized by thecafeteria, therefore decreasing the need for food purchases. Play-ground equipment has been repaired so it is a safe play area for thestudents, and the general appearance of the school has been improved.Both of the communities that our students have been in have neverhosted exchange students, so it is often their first exposure to stu-dents from another country.

In the long-term, the schools will be safer places for the students.Since the local students also help with the repairs, they take greatpride in what has been done and work to keep it at that level. Also,students have been keeping in touch with their host families, and theyhave long-term ties with people from different parts of the world.Finally, the local communities have requested the students return todo even more projects there, so they see the opportunity for changein the future as well. "

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I n add i t i on t o th e wea l th o f expe r i en c e shar ed w i th us th rough th e p r e v i ous exampl e ssubmitted by Campus Compact members, other creative approaches that were submitted as we developedthis publication that we would like to share.

Instead of focusing on length of experience, the following programsare organized to show some of the diversity of issues that can beaddressed through service-learning and the variety of institutionsinvolved in service learning, from community colleges to large four-year state institutions, addressing various social, and even scientific,issues.

The most basic lesson that I gathered from this experience— that, rich or poor, English-speaking or Spanish-speaking,

American or Dominican, we all at some fundamental levelshare desires, concerns, and joys — can only be learned bytaking the plunge, immersing one’s self in a strange communityin an unknown country. There is no substitute.

– North Carolina State University student ”

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Johnson County Community College’s (JCCC’s) InternationalService-Learning trips are a collaborative effort among severalcollege divisions and programs. While the Community-Based

Learning Office promotes a range of service-learning activities, theInternational Education Office is responsible for coordination ofthis service-learning program, its development and management, and,more specifically, for travel arrangements and institutional funding.Facul ty leaders are responsib le for indiv idual t r ip p lanning,recruitment, selection, training, on-site supervision, and evaluation.Financial support is provided by multiple campus sources includingStudent Life, Student Senate, and International Education.

Two JCCCfaculty membersa t tended theI n t e r n a t i o n a lPartnership forService-LearningConference inMexico in 1996.There they metDr. Car menRodr iguez andlea rned of here f for t s toes tab l i sh theCentro IntegralComunitar io inan ambi t iouseffort to expandheal th care and improve l iv ing condi t ions in Las Pintas , animpoverished area outside Guadalajara. Over the next two years,the JCCC International Service-Learning Program was developedthrough site visits, extensive discussion, and planning. The first tripin May 1998 focused on physical improvements and program servicesto the community center, which provides medical care and after-school and adult education. Since then, the program has expandedto two trips each year with teams of 15-25 students, counselors,instructors, and health care professionals and currently focuses on

LAS PINTAS INTERNATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING

MEXICOJohnson County Community CollegeSubmitted by Marcia Shideler, Coordinator of Community–Based Learning

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three academic areas—nursing, dental hygiene, and early childhooddevelopment. A 2-hour credit course was introduced in the Spring2004 semester.

Las Pintas was considered initially because of personal contact withthe doctor, engineer, and social worker committed to the community’sdevelopment. The selection of the site was confirmed because ofthe ease of travel and relatively inexpensive costs. The project hascontinued at this location because of the reliability of the in-countrypartner and the strong sense of trust that has developed between thecollege and the Las Pintas community.

JCCC’s Las Pintas project is a superior example of reciprocity andcoordination of goals between a college and a community. Thislong-term partnership is distinctive in its direct, year-round planningand communication and its continuity from year to year. Becausethey are housed at the community center and are therefore immersedin the community for the duration of their visit, this is an exceptionalopportunity for students to learn in an international setting aboutcultural diversity and to gain hands-on experience in specific careerareas. Similarly, instructors find their teaching inspired and enrichedby the experience.

Apart from the impact on students and faculty participants, unusualcollaborations have developed among diverse parts of JCCC’s largecampus and unexpected outcomes have prompted new initiatives.One example is the recognition of the need for bi-lingual skills in anincreasingly diverse local population and the subsequent developmentof the “Spanish for Health Care” credit course.

JCCC and Las Pintas have partnered to provide learning and com-munity development opportunities where the needs, goals, and ex-pertise of both the residents of Las Pintas and the students and fac-ulty of JCCC coincide. As needs emerge, are identified, and articu-lated by the leaders and residents of the community of Las Pintas,JCCC continues to help find solutions by linking related academicprograms which can contribute expertise and energy of its facultyand students to the enthusiasm and generosity of the residents ofLas Pintas.

JLAS PINTAS INTERNATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING

OHNSONCOUNTYCOMMUNITYCOLLEGE

MEXICO

We and our Mexican partners formed a true ‘learning community.’ Wecollaborated, switched roles as the tasks demanded, took lessons from

whoever had the most information and skill, and participated in the work asequals. Sometimes we were the teachers; often we were students.

-Faculty member, Johnson County Community College”

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50 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

The following is a list of the activities completed during the twotrips in 2003 and describes immediate, short-term impact:

! Health Brigade: 420 basic health screenings (in-home visits) and227 c l in ic examinat ions ( inc luding lab tests and medicat ionprescribed/dispensed).

! Denta l Hyg iene : 422 ind iv idua l sexamined and treated.

! Early Childhood Education: training/activities for pre-school, school-age,and parents –161 individuals.

! Basic massage therapy training for 20women “hea l th promoters” in thecommunity.

! Hea l th educa t ion ses s ions – ondiabetes , nutr i t ion , hyg iene , hear tdisease, cancer self-examinations, dentalhyg iene , pa ren t ing , hea l thyre l a t ionsh ips , and the e f fec t s o fdomestic violence.

! Child safety assessment and recommendations

! Modest scholarships were awarded to older children, allowing themto stay in school longer and postpone employment without addingfinancial burden to their families.

The tangible, short-term goals and outcomes in education, health care,job training, and family and community relationships are leading tolong-term impact. Community members have been empowered byincreasing communication, connectedness, and confidence which iscontributing to sustained community and individual development andwell-being. The residents are taking greater pride in their communityand JCCC is proud to be a partner in its transformation.

Safe food and water, secure lodging, and reliable transportation areof utmost importance when planning the Las Pintas trips. Because arelationship of trust has developed in this established partnership,such issues do not cause undue concern or anxiety. However, becausemuch of the experience of serving in an impoverished communitywould be lost if participants were differentiated too sharply fromthe residents, there are few of the amenities of home. The communityprovides eagerly and generously, despite their limited resources. Foodis plentiful and cultural, but simple. Accommodations are adequateand clean, but crowded."

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Our international and domestic service trips are coordinatedby the Assistant Director of Student Development throughthe Office of Volunteer Services with the support of a

student organization, Volunteer Service Corps. Currently, Wake ForestUniversity has one international service-learning course, coordinatedthrough the faculty member and his student assistant.

WAB trips, or Wake Alternative Break,have been organized during spring breakfor the past 5 years. They have beencoordinated in a number of ways, mostrecent ly wi th s tudents apply ing forl eadersh ip and t r ip deve lopmentposi t ions. The tr ips are suppor tedthrough the Volunteer Service Corps

with my advisement and administrative coordination. All trips thusfar have been domestic and within driving distance (5 to 15 hours ofdriving).

Both winter and summer session trips grew out of the first City ofJoy trip, which began 9 years ago. Most trips last 2-2/12 weeks withwinter trips leaving shortly after the Christmas holiday and returningbefore classes begin. Those annual trip destinations include Calcutta,India (City of Joy Scholars), Honduras (HOPE Scholars), and Vietnam.The newest trip is a summer session trip to Moscow, Russia (HelpingHands). It is 2 weeks long, departing right after spring exams andreturning before the summer academic session.

Semester courses are designed by faculty with resources availablethrough the Office of Volunteer Services. Individual experiences aresuppor ted through the Pro Humani ta te Center and RichterScholarships. The City of Joy experience/trip was designed by astudent nearly 10 years ago through her life-long correspondence withMother Teresa. Subsequent trips were born of this design.

Tradition: Students have come to honor this trip and recognize it asan opportunity unique to Wake Forest. Over its 10 year history,tradit ions have developed for individual group members andirreplaceable relationships have formed with our Calcutta community

CREATING A TRADITION: CITY OF JOY SCHOLARS

INDIAWake Forest University

The City of Joy experience/trip was designedby a student nearly 10 years ago through her

life-long correspondence with Mother Teresa.Subsequent trips were born of this design.”

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Submitted by Charidy Hight, Assistant Director ofStudent Development/Coordinator of Volunteer Services

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52 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

"

partners. Students know that Wake Forest service to the Missionariesof Charity did not begin with their group and will not end with theirg roup. They feel a par t of something t imeless and of g reatimportance. They read past years’ group journals and keep theirown. They stay in the same YMCA and often meet many of thesame volunteers as the previous groups.

Planning for this December/January trip begins in the previousJanuary through communication with our travel agent and flightreservations. This trip, like our others, is student led with supportfrom the Office of Volunteer Services and from one faculty/staffleader. Leader applications are available to past years’ participants inJanuary; leaders are selected by the previous trip leaders and me.The student leader and I then work to select a faculty or staff leader.Participant applications are made available in late February/earlyMarch. Selections are made by faculty/staff/student teams by April.In early May, an orientation session is held for all winter trips afterwhich the travel teams meet together for the first time.

Over the summer, students begin their individual fundraising and stayin contact with one another to make group fundraising plans and toget to know one another. I finalize flight reservations and work tocontact our partners at the YMCA and Missionaries of Charity toconfirm our trip accommodations.

Throughout the fall semester, students meet weekly for one hour tobuild team dynamics, learn cultural lessons, engage in local service,discuss reflection and re-entry expectations, and plan their sideexcursions. The student leader and I also meet once per week tocheck progress. Letters are sent to parents introducing the groupand giving trip details.

Upon re-entry (about 2-3 weeks after return), an informal receptionis held for all of the trip participants (not just City of Joy) to sharepictures and stories and to celebrate their work and leadership. Aboutone week later we hold a formal reflection session for all the tripparticipants in which we discuss the “now what?” kind of questions.Students are encouraged to contact others on campus who have goneon the tr ips to share and discuss. Addit ional ly, students givepresentations upon request with audiences from their supportcommunities including faith communities, Volunteer Service Corps,classes, Parents Council, Alumni Council, etc.

Over its 10 year history,traditions have developedfor ind iv idua l g roupmembers & irreplaceablerelationships have formedwi th our Ca l cu t tacommunity partners.

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GENETICS TESTINGDNA-HIT TANZANIA

California State University, Sacramento

The Office of Global Education is the only agency on campusthat can handle the liability issues associated with internationals tudent t r ave l on campus. The Office of Community

Collaborations oversees domestic service-learning programs.

This experience provides studentswith a unique blend of (1) cross-cultural exposure, (2) service tothe global community, and (3)exper ience in hands-on f ie ld-based genetics research.

BRIEF BACKGROUND

Human DNA ident i f i ca t iontesting is the identification of ahuman being solely on the basisof the combination of geneticmarkers in the i r DNA. Thecur rent t echno log y used toperform the testing is called “STRanalysis” Although STR analysis

was only developed in the 1990s, it is so powerful and reliable that ithas already cleared over 100 innocent convicted felons, positivelyidentified hundreds of missing children and adults, and is routinelyused in any forensic or legal investigation that involves biologicalevidence or issues of biological inheritance.

STR databases have been established for most of the developednations around the world and clearly show that human populationsdiffer in the frequencies of their STR markers. Therefore, any nationthat wishes to develop a human DNA identification program mustfirst establish an STR allele frequency database for its own population.In addition, they must gain the expertise and equipment to establishwell-staffed STR testing laboratories. Many developing nations,therefore, look to the outside for aid in accomplishing these tasks.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

In 2001, Dr. Ruth Ballard at CSU, Sacramento, started an international

Submitted by Dr. Ruth Ballard, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences

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"

research and service-learning program in Tanzania to provide sup-port for the development of an STR analysis laboratory there. Theproject involves two parts: (1) A massive DNA sampling effort inthe population to establish an STR allele frequency database, and (2)Capacity building at Muhimbili University College of Health Sciencesin Dar es Salaam. To date, nine students have completed service learn-ing experiences with the program, which is called DNA-HIT, Tanza-nia (Developing Nations Achieving Human Identification Testing,Tanzania), and the population database is close to completion. Stu-dents have traveled throughout the country on “DNA sampling safa-ris,” collecting saliva samples from members of 200 different tribesspread throughout the country. As part of the experience, studentsput together a research sampling plan, reflect on their experiencesand learning process while in the country. Upon return, Dr. Ballardand the students have group meetings for further reflection on theexperience and process samples that were collected in Tanzania inthe Ballard laboratory at CSUS.

”Going to Tanzania was a turning point in my life.I’ll never be able to forget it.“““““

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Service learning is an integral part of the mission of Grand ValleyState University. Efforts are coordinated through a variety ofentities including Volunteer GVSU (a student-led service

organization which includes ASB), the Office of Student Life, andthe Johnson Center on Philanthropy and Non-Profit Leadership.Faculty receive support for these efforts through all three of thesedepartments and organizations, as well as through the PadnosInternational Center (study abroad) and through the Faculty Teachingand Learning Center. Collaboration among these departments is ahallmark of our program.

The program focuses ongraduate students entering thef i e ld of S tudent Affa i r sAdmin i s t ra t ion , prepar ingfuture professionals to workwith Latino populations onAmerican campuses as well asto help them better understandthe un ique needs of

international students. Mexico was chosen due to an existingpartnership with la Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, and becauseof the opportunity and need to explore this increasingly large anddiverse population.

The program is distinctive in that it aims to prepare future highereducation administrators in the pedagogy and practice of servicelearning. Service learning is used as both a methodology for theimmersion experience and a philosophical approach to education.Students learn the pedagogy as they practice it. Our program alsostresses reflection, which is used throughout the program in creativeand effective ways.

ED 601 is a three credit, two-week experience in Puebla Mexico thatcombines formal academic learning with field-based learning whichincludes a service-learning component. The program begins withplanning and recruitment and in the fall and includes a one-weekorientation prior to departure. Pre-departure orientation focuses on

GRADUATE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

MEXICAN CULTURE & EDUCATIONGrand Valley State University

Submitted by Jay Cooper, Assistant Professor

A group of masters candidate student affairs practitioners can attempt and actually take a variety of different

things from the same experience. It goes back to theidea of theory putting people into boxes…in order to trulyhelp someone you have to understand from where theyare coming and what they are hoping to gain.

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56 PROMISING PRACTICES OFINTERNATIONAL SERVICE & SERVICE LEARNINGNORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT

service learning pedagogy, Latino culture and language, and groupdynamics. Students also visit with the director of the West MichiganHispanic Center to gain a better understanding of local issues affect-ing Latinos in the United States. The two-week experience in Pueblacombines formal academic learning (Mexican educational system,Mexican culture, family systems, poverty, etc.) with field-based learn-ing including three or four full days of service learning in the com-munity. Service has occurred at several sites including IPODERAC(an orphanage serving 300 boys aged 6-18) and Internado JulianHinojosa Institute. Service projects address specific needs of thecommunity and include an orientation and training component fromstaff at both agencies. Reflection occurs throughout the experience,including during the pre-departure orientation, on-site, and follow-ing the experiences. Students reflect through both small group dis-cussions and guided writing. A final reflective paper encourages stu-dents to explore what they have learned about themselves, aboutLatino culture and poverty, and how the experience may have changedtheir view of the world and the role of education. Re-entry andfollow-up takes place as the program ends, as well as several weeksfollowing the experience. Students continue to reflect on the experi-ence as a group following the experience and share their experiencewith others on campus.

Projects have both tangible and intangible results. Tangible resultsinclude completing projects specified by sponsoring agency (beautifi-cation projects such as painting and/or, clean-up, as well as educa-tional projects such as reading to and interacting with children andelderly). Intangible results include creating new perspectives on U.S.culture and combating stereotypes and increasing awareness of global concern for issues such as poverty. "

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A final reflective paper encourages students toexplore what they have learned about

themselves, about Latino culture and poverty, andhow the experience may have changed their viewof the world and the role of education.

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There is no central international service-learning office onMiddlebury College’s campus. Individual faculty lead trips inassociation with their specif ic classes. There are some

alternative spring break trips, although there is a strong study abroadprogram at Middlebury and some of those study abroad experiencesare service oriented. Most of the opportunities arise depending uponindividuals on campus – either individual faculty members designinga specific course or student organizations participating in an alternativebreak trip.

I led an international service-learning trip to Romania called “EarlyExperience and Brain Development .” The goal of the servicecomponent was to introduce students to the practical applicabilityof research in the field of developmental neurobiology. I wantedstudents to experience the effects of institutionalization on childdevelopment. In addition, I had research collaborators currently doingwork with abandoned children in Bucharest, Romania.

This course was a service-learning course in the hard sciences ofb io log y/neurosc ience. I t sa t i s f i ed e l ec t ive c red i t for bothneuroscience and biology majors. Therefore, the course was an

intensive study of thefield of developmentalneurosc ience . Inaddit ion, the studentsreceived the pract ica ldimension of the coursewhere , th rough the i rse r v ice work , theyunders tood theimportance of what itwas we were studying inthe laboratory.

“Early Experience andBrain Development” is aw in te r t e r m courseoffered at MiddleburyCollege. Winter term is

EARLY EXPERIENCE AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

ROMANIAMiddlebury College

Submitted by David B. Parfitt, Assistant Professor of Biology

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a 4-week “semester” during the month of January where studentsonly take one course. It is meant to be an intensive study of oneparticular topic and also meant to foster innovative teaching. Aninformational session about the course is offered in the Spring, and asecond informational session is offered in the Fall before Winter Term.Students are required to apply for the course, and they are selectedon a need blind basis. Preference is given towards upper-levelneuroscience and biology majors, and students are required to submitan essay explaining their motivation to participate in the course.

The course was organized according to the four principles inorganizing and constructing a service-learning course found inHef fe r nan’s “Fundamenta l s o f Ser v ice -Learn ing Cour seConstruction”. The course was organized as follows:

! Engagement – Romanian hospital consulted prior tothe course to agree upon service projects. Studentpaper topics are chosen in consultation with communitypartner in Romania.

! Reflection – Students wrote in daily journals to reflecton their service work and how it linked to what theywere seeing in the hospital as well as their readings.

! Reciprocity – Hospital received direct service for thechildren as well as a book of student research papers.Students learned about developmental neuroscience,effects of inst i tut ional izat ion, Romanian culture,aspects of health care systems, child welfare issues,etc.

! Public Dissemination – The course was presented toMiddlebury College in a public forum. Books of student researchpapers were sent back to the Romanian hospital and available toanyone who was interested.

Immediate impact is an increase in care provided to the children ofthe hospital ward. This was not a “one shot” experience, but ourstudents were part of continuing teams of volunteers that go to thathospital . The book of student papers has been used later byvolunteers during their work with the children. New long-termcollaborations have developed between myself and Romanianscientists and physicians designed around improving the care for thechildren. My students have gone back to that Romanian communityagain. "

What we read, we could immediately apply to what

we were doing, and if wewanted information orclarification on what we wereexperiencing we could look tothe book. The journal gave mea chance to reflect on myexperience and run throughideas that would otherwiseoverwhelm me.

- Student, Middlebury College”

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The office of Community Outreach and Partnerships in ServiceLearning (COPSL) oversees the implementation of ourservice learning courses. However, until recently, COPSL

did not play an active role in the planning and creation of internationalservice opportunities.

Experience in a “Third World” country exposes students to economicand ecological results of neo-colonialism and globalization; exposureto a culture very different from their own challenges assumptionsand stretches students comfort levels; extensive interaction with children and faculty from a public elementary school resulted in respect, affection, and common interests; and students learned they really can make a difference in the world.

Study of nonviolence as both a spiritual practice and as a movementfor social justice prepared students with tools to analyze social,political, and economic realities as well as their own experience.Building community with the class was a significant component ofthe course. Our contacts in Costa Rica arranged for lodging,transportation, and service activities. The community service offeredan opportunity for significant interaction with children and faculty ata public school, which was quite a contrast to the Quaker privateschool. This was a good object lesson. Our service also includedmanual labor to preserve a natural habitat of the endangered Bellbird.This served as a good connection between nonviolence and ecology.Our reflection was both written and conversational and was integralto every class and daily discussions during the trip. Upon return tothe U.S. and class, final projects were presented and further debriefing took place. We continue to stay in contact and share

information about peaceactions, programs andevents of interest. As aresu l t of th is course ,several of the studentsare act ively explor ingways to study/serve inCos ta R ica for anextended period.

CREATING A CULTURE OF NON-VIOLENCE

COSTA RICAIndiana University – Bloomington

Submitted by Rebecca Jimenez, COPSL Alternative Spring Break Instructor

Study of nonviolence as both a spiritual practice and asa movement for social justice prepared students with

tools to analyze social, political, and economic realities aswell as their own experience. ”

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In regards to our short term impact in the community, we took twentysuitcases full of school supplies for Los Llanos public elementaryschool. Additionally, we formed relationships with the children andteachers and showed that we cared about their wellbeing. We strivedto honor their culture and autonomy while expecting to learn fromthem as much as we might teach.

In the long term, we may have had a real impact on the preservationof the Bellbird, an endangered species. Costa Ricans learned thatnot all Americans fit the negative stereotype of domination andviolence now so prevalent. Elementary school students were exposedto cultural differences, and faculty interacted with U.S. college studentswho were not tourists. Arrangements for our group were one ofthe first such projects for CLAVE (our local host organization whichworks to preser ve Costa Rican culture) and may help in theestablishment of this organization. "

All of the initial reading we did helped to give us a mindsetto go into the trip, but nothing could have prepared us

for what happened – we went into the jungle, up a mountainwith fifteen strangers, and came back down with a newappreciation for ourselves, for nature, and for each other.Not only that, but I learned that nonviolence begins notwith peace rallies and letter-writing campaigns, but with aninternal change, with a basic acceptance and deep beliefthat we can make a difference and if everyone workstogether the world might change.

- Student, Indiana University - Bloomington

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We received funding for research in Asia and began planningour trip around Myanmar and Thailand where refugees havebeen fleeing political persecution for some time. Service

in the camps presented the opportunity to work in a remote junglearea, adding to the students’ interest in the cause and in the symbolof Aung San Suu Kyi. I also had a contact in Chiang Mai, Thailandwho could get us into the camps.

Few westerners ever go to the refugee camp. One would be hardpressed to find such poverty coupled with political oppression tothe degree that is seen in these camps. All of the participantsencountered life-changing experiences. More importantly, studentscould make connections once they returned to the US with advocacy

g roups such as the Free Bur maCoalition that are fighting for the samecause po l i t i ca l l y on the domest ichomefront. These political and socialissues are relevant to many studentswho are th inking of humanitar iancareer s w i th the Peace Corps orDoctors Without Borders, etc.

The first step is the application process.Se l ec ted s tudents conf i r m the i rcommitment to the program and beginworking on the grant writing processand seeking scholarships. We haveseveral pre-trip meetings to discusslogistics, survival in the camps, andpack ing needs. A speaker f romWashington spoke to the group aboutthe political issues relevant to the servicetrip. The students also connect withlocal agencies in the Tampa Bay areathat are addressing refugee issues andbeg in the re f l ec t ion process byparticipating in chosen readings. Thelegwork for the trip is completed as faras working with my contacts in Thailand

SERVICE-LEARNING WITH REFUGEES

THAILAND & MYANMAREckerd College

Submitted by Brian MacHarg, Director of Service Ministry

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and Myanmar. The last time a group went to Myanmar, a scheduledlayover in Chicago allowed students to spend one day of service atan agency that works with refugees. The students were able toobserve how refugees from all over the world enter the US at amajor point of US entry. Upon arrival, we visit cultural sites inBangkok and Chiang Mai then eventually make our way to the refugeecamp. We spend at least 8 days on site, teaching in the primitiveschools, making interviews, assisting medics, and working with otherNGOs. The camps are challenging both emotionally and physically.The schools are overcrowded, so we bathe in a nearby stream, playcards by candlelight at night and sleep under mosquito nets to thesounds of nature in the jungle. We spend about 3 days in Yangon,Myanmar and seeing other cultural sites before returning to the US.

Once we return, the students are charged with making a presentationto the broader college community about their trip. Since our projectis a summer experience, the presentations take place in the fall. As afinal wrap-up, the students are charged with organizing a service-learning project/day for their fellow students at local agencies in theTampa Bay area that address refugee issues. "

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Few westerners ever go to the refugee camp. One wouldbe hard pressed to find such poverty coupled with politicaloppression to the degree that is seen in these camps. . .The camps are challenging both emotionally and physically.The schools are overcrowded, so we bathe in a nearbystream, play cards by candlelight at night and sleep undermosquito nets to the sounds of nature in the jungle.

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1. FIND THE EXPERT ON CAMPUSOne resounding statement that was very clear in the questionnaireswe received is the absence of one department, or person, on campuswho traditionally organized international service or service-learningtrips. In most instances, there were as many different primaryorganizers as there were submissions. Trends showed most of theexperiences as being organized through partnerships between offices,including any conglomeration of the International Studies office, theCenter for Service Learning, Student Life, Civic Education or theChaplain’s office.

In addit ion to the establ ished specia l t ies offered by var iousdepartments and offices on each campus, individual faculty andstudents play a key role in the creation and implementation ofinternational service experiences. Many faculty and students haveprevious international experience that they use to help create solidservice or service-learning trips for other students. In addition, someorganizers involved international students studying at their respectiveinstitution as a resource to learn more about their destination country.

2. DECIDE WHEN TO GOFor this publication, we suggest campuses offer service trips duringSpring Break, Winter Session, Semester, or summer. Each of theseperiods presents specific benefits and challenges to the participantsand organizers, which were addressed in the introduction to eachsection of the publication.

In addition to consulting the academic calendar before scheduling atrip to another country, it is important to inquire about physicalconditions during specific seasons in the destination countr y.Coordinators should consider the service they expect to performand confirm that their arrival is an agreeable time of year for thehost agency. Every part of the world has weather conditions uniqueto their location. Whether it is monsoon season, dry season, cold orhot weather, these conditions should be considered before confirmingthe trip dates. Political calendars and national holidays should alsobe consulted. Many destination countries do not have the samepolitical stability that we are accustomed to, so consulting theseconditions is important.

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3. DETERMINE WHERE TO GOThe information shared with us in the questionnaire show that mosttrip destinations are proposed based on existing relationships. Faculty,staff, students, alumni and even the institution as a whole haverelationships throughout the world. Some trips were organizedbecause an alumnus was living in the country at the time the trip wasestablished. Others were organized because a faculty member regularlytravels to that part of the world for research in a specific area ofinterest.

While existing relationships often serve as the impetus for planning atrip, much more strategy comes into play during the coordination.Countries which are unstable politically or offer considerable healthrisks are not often visited by student trips. Many trips are organizedto English speaking countries to avoid a language barrier. At thesame time, we saw 17 out of the 26 destination countries presentedare Spanish-speaking countries. The reasons for sending groups tocountries where they speak Spanish range from offering languageacquisition opportunities to learning about Hispanic culture. Somesurveys highlighted the fact that their service in countries like Mexicowere designed to help the participants better understand the immigrantpopulation in their home community as well as serve the localpopulation during their service trip.

4. EVALUATE COSTSCost should be a primary part of the decision on location and designof the program. The major expenses for an international trip areairfare, housing, food and local transportation in the host country.Each of these factors can drastically change the cost of the experience.Duration of experience is an important factor in the decision makingprocess as well. Coordinators should know their audience beforethey design an experience. Can students afford the experience andwhat type of experience are they seeking? Two examples of verydifferent, yet potentially meaningful experiences are: 1) an experienceserving in an orphanage in a small Mexican village where participantsslept on the floor of a local community center, and 2) an experienceserving in an orphanage in London while staying in a local hotel.

Overall, this class was incredible... It introduced me to the idea of justicework and real volunteer opportunities abroad that make noticeable

differences. I would recommend this course most highly to my peers, and Iappreciate the work in creating this experience.

~Marquette University Student”

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5. OFFER SCHOLARSHIPSTwenty-five of the 30 submissions to our survey acknowledged thatthey offer some type of scholarship to participants. We note that thescholarships range from $200 to $1000 per participant. Scholarshipsare mostly offered based on need and occasionally on merit. Someprograms do not award scholarships, but they encourage students toapply for funds available through different programs on campus.

6. PLAN FUNDRAISINGIn addition to scholarships, some programs fundraise to make theexperience more affordable to students. While some programssubsidize the trip cost with grant money sought by the trip organizer,others involve the participants in fundraising activities. Activities rangefrom car washes and spaghetti dinners to fundraising letters sent bystudents to their personal contacts. A major benefit to fundraisingbeyond paying for the trip is that it serves as an avenue to involvemore people in the experience than just the participants themselves.Through coordinated fundraising efforts, more people learn aboutwhat the students are doing and the result builds energy that makesthe experience more rewarding for all those involved.

7. ASSESS SERVICE VERSUS SERVICE-LEARNINGIn the context of this publication, we use the term service-learningto refer to service experiences with an academic, for-credit, learningcomponent. Our use of the term service is referring to volunteerservice, which is meaningful and provides for a learning experience.When planning an international service trip, a key factor will bewhether academic credit will be earned as part of the experience.Planning for an academic experience will influence the design of theexperience and the audience to which you are market ing theexperience.

8. CONSIDER THE TYPE OF SERVICESome trips are designed around specific service issues, while othersare simply designed around having a service experience in a specificcountry. When considering what type of service to offer students,keep in mind the purpose of the trip and be respectful of inputfrom the host agency(ies). If a goal of the trip is to have a teamexperience, it may be preferable to have a service project that can bedone as a group. If the goals of the experience are more

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individualized, it may be better to allow students to choose serviceareas which are of particular interest to them. Logistical planning isgenerally more of an influence in coordinating service in a differentcountry than in your own community. Few organizations have theluxury of having multiple contacts with service agencies in othercountries to be able to provide options to students. This may be anoverriding reason why twice as many programs pre-arrange theservice option as opposed to allowing the students to choose from avariety of options.

9. COORDINATE HOST COUNTRY LOGISTICSThe information we gathered from the survey brought the conclusionthat there is a wide variety in how programs coordinate their hostcountry logistics. The three main areas addressed in the questionnaireare housing, food, and transportation. Again, the goals of theexperience have a strong influence over these factors, just as theyinfluence the budget. The types of housing options offered bydifferent programs varied greatly. This is primarily because differenttypes of experiences lend themselves to different housing options.Shorter trips are more likely to use hotels while semester programsare more likely to use dormitory or host family accommodations.The same trend applies to food. Shorter experiences are more likelyto offer loca l res taurant opt ions for eat ing. In the area oftransportation, the trend seems to be that privately hired vehicles areused for moving groups from one place to another, especially forlonger distance travel. Many of the programs additionally rely onpublic transportation for student’s mobility while in the host country.

10. LOOK AT PARTNERSHIPSIn addition to the on-campus partnerships demonstrated in the replies,external partnerships play a large role in offering positive internationalservice experiences. The extent of each partnership varies, but theirexistence was consistently a large part in many experiences. Someprograms partner with international organizations like Habitat forHumanity International, Living Water International, Self HelpInternational or the International Partnership for Service Learning,while others partner locally with host organizations which helpcoordinate only the service component of their stay. Some partnerscan be a tremendous resource in the country to help arrange all thein-country logistics.

Something has changed for me since this course, theway I view life, even the way I think.

~ Amanda Miller, Nursing Student,University of Michigan - Flint

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SUMMARYA GUIDE TO DEVELOPING

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11. EDUCATE ABOUT HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUESHealth and safety issues are of primary concern to all who submittedinformation. Most of the issues involved additional insurance, healthand safety training and preparation are handled in conjunction withthe International Studies office on campus. Their expertise can bevery helpful to the trip coordinators. Additionally, if the trip is beingplanning with an international organization, they will often have healthand safety guidelines, which can be extremely helpful and more directlyrelated to the activities in which the group will be active. "