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Mesa Community College

MCC's Center for Public Policy and Service

"My service learning has opened doors for me that could have taken years to achieve."-Marie Zenczak

"I learned more in three months of service learning with reflective journaling and mentoring from my faculty supervisor than in three years of volunteering"-Dan Lepianka

"This was a great experience for me. I plan to keep a journal and to volunteer. The journaling helped me to see and learn a lot of thins that I normally would not."-Jay Dewitt

These are just a sampling of the many accolades that have been received by the Center for Public Policy and Service (CPPS) at Mesa Community College, which has been in operation since January, 1992. Both students and their supervisors are raving about the benefits of its service learning program.

MCC is the only college in the district to offer individualized, stand-alone service learning courses for credit. Students are able to engage in one, two, ore three credit courses in one of 22 different disciplines. There are over 150 sites in CPPS' database from which students may choose. Students have two supervisors for these courses: the faculty supervisor, who assists them in making the connection between the activities and the discipline content; and the community site supervisor, who designates relevant work assignments and tracks students' hours and general progress. Since the summer of 1994, 90 students have performed approximately 10,650 hours of service through these modules.

The actual contact hours spent at the service learning site determine the number of credit hours awardedÑ50 contact hours per semester translates into one credit hour. Participants in the service learning program work with their supervisors to determine the number of hours to be spent at the site, and to develop a learning plan. In addition, students are required to keep a journal, meet with their faculty supervisors, participate in "reflective sessions", and complete a final paper. The reflective sessions, led by the CPPS, help students make the connection between their individual experiences and concerns and broader community issues. Emphasis is placed on students' roles and responsibilities as citizens.

In addition to the independent modules, MCC also boasts thirteen in-course service learning options, which is expected to increase to twenty in the fall. In these courses, faculty generally give students the option of performing 20-30 hours of service at an approved site in lieu of an exam, presentation, or research paper. In the past academic year, there have been between 150 and 200 students taking advantage of these options, representing approximately 3000 volunteer hours. As with students in the stand-alone service learning courses, most of these students also plan to continue volunteering after their requirements have been met.

"The opportunity to apply what you're learning as you learn is very important. I believe about 70% of our learning takes place from our experiences while 'doing.'"-R.C. Byerrum

Even faculty who are new to the service learning concept become converts shortly after becoming involved. Once they start to read the student journals and see the level of student involvement, commitment and learning, they appreciate the value of service learning in education.

"I would like to thank the Center for Public Policy and Service...for providing this rich experience. The reflective sessions were thought provoking. I am more confident in my teaching abilities...I intend to be more politically active. Thank you for the boost!"-Gail, MCC student

Gail, like many other MCC students, has gained valuable experience through service learning. Gail is a re-entry student who had many years of teaching and a career in preschool management already behind her. She was considering a return to the teaching profession and chose a school as the site for her service learning experience. Being immersed in the classroom setting and assisting the teachers in a variety of ways helped Gail clarify her future career direction. As a result of her experience, Gail has decided not to return to the teaching field full time, but is very committed to assisting in the schools as a concerned parent and citizen.

"The experience has certainly given me insight that I never found in the classroom alone...the service learning has been invaluable in helping me to focus my skill set with a suitable career"-Lynne, MCC student.

Lynne had graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology in the 1970's, and had, like many of our community college students, been a wife, mother, and homemaker for many years. Two years ago, Lynne enrolled in a master's program in accounting at ASU, but was not finding it gratifying. Lynne then participated in a service learning project through CPPS with Phoenix South Community Mental Health Center. That experience led her to the decision that the fields of counseling or social work were more to her taste. Not only did Lynne receive extensive training at Phoenix South, but she also continues, many months later, to volunteer her time as a member of their family mobilization team, assisting police with domestic violence incidents, sexual assault, and child abuse interventions.

The CPPS serves as a national model and resource for other community colleges, and has received over 60 requests for information so far this year. Sue McAleavy, Director of CPPS, has been invited to present at five national and two local conferences just since January, 1995. She was accepted into the Invisible College in April of this year. This group, which is comprised of 60 faculty members from universities, four-year colleges and community colleges throughout the nation, is working to preserve the academic integrity of service learning and to publish research in this area. In addition, Sue has been asked to contribute materials for a book entitled Service Counts.

MCC's service learning program constitutes a win-win for both students and the community. For students, the benefits include accelerated learning opportunities, life experiences which can assist in networking and clarification of career choices, and an enhanced comprehension of subject areas as they make the connections between textbook readings, lectures, and classroom instruction and their service activities. The community benefits from the assistance and innovative ideas of students, as well as from the resulting increase in the participation of those students in the democratic process. Further, the benefits to the community are long-lastingÑabout 80% of the students state that they intend to continue to volunteer after their core requirements for credits have been met.

URL: http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/labyforum/Sum95/sum95F6.html