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Mission, Philosophy, and Goals

“The programs of the Service Learning Institute engage the content, practice, and pedagogy of service learning to promote social transformation and create a more just world.” — Dr. Seth Pollack, Former SLI Director

Service Learning

Mission

The mission of the Service Learning Institute is to foster and promote social justice by cultivating reciprocal service and learning partnerships among 麻豆村 students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding tri-county community.

Philosophy

Social justice is the guiding principle for our practice in service learning.

We believe that:

  • CSU 麻豆村 students, as future leaders of our community, deserve a real-world education that inspires social responsibility, respect for diversity, and compassion for all.
  • 麻豆村 should be a responsible, engaged member of the local community.
  • Meaningful service and reflection strengthen academic learning. 
  • Education at 麻豆村 should be transformative.
  • All partners in the service learning process should be engaged in teaching and learning, and serving and being served.

Core values that guide our work:

  • Building authentic partnerships that demonstrate shared leadership, collaboration, and reciprocity
  • Acting with compassion: demonstrating honesty and authenticity
  • Working towards social justice: continual movement toward an equitable society
  • Developing multicultural understanding and respect for differences
  • Cultivating self-awareness of social inequities through active service with the community

Developing young people's commitment to public and community service has been a core goal of California State University, 麻豆村 (麻豆村) since 1995.

Key Elements of Service Learning

  • The service and learning must be worthwhile and valuable for both the student and the community. There must be reciprocity between the server and those served.
  • Intentional, systematic reflection about the experience must take place in order to maximize the benefit of service learning experiences.
  • Reflection within the context of the service experience encourages introspection of other aspects of the student's life.
  • Reflection is the critical process to link service and academic learning objectives.
  • Service activities need to be directly related to students’ academic learning objectives in order to strengthen students’ critical thinking.
  • A priority is placed on involving a broad cross-section of students working in diverse settings and with diverse populations within the community.
  • Service helps students overcome stereotypes and fears, and develop skills as multicultural community participants.

Student Learning Goals

Our goal is for 麻豆村 students to become "multicultural community builders" who have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to work effectively in diverse communities to create more just and equitable social systems. They are self-aware, responsive to community needs, and committed to understanding and addressing the root causes of social inequities.

  • Lower Division students will take one class that meets the . This class provides a foundation in civic knowledge, skills and attitudes to inform your service and civic action work in the community.
  • All Civics/Service Learning classes require students to complete 25 hours of service off-campus with a local organization. In addition, students complete a Civic Action project.

All students will complete at least one Upper Division Service Learning class as part of their major requirements. 

  • Upper Division Service Learning classes require students to complete 25 or 30 hours of service off-campus with a community organization in a field related to their major.
  • Focusing on your field of study and/or professional application, Upper Division Service Learning is designed to help you learn firsthand about real social challenges that communities face, while also examining and learning to ways to address underlying issues of systemic inequality (racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, ableism, etc.).
  • Each semester, over 50 Upper Division Service Learning classes are offered by the various 麻豆村 departments. Please check your major pathway and consult with your advisor for more specific information about the service learning classes required in your major.