Service-learning at Central
Mission
The PLACES Program engages students, faculty and community members in sustained partnerships that foster collaborative learning and civic participation in a diverse society.
Vision
A community of collaborative learners who value civic responsibility, critical thinking and diversity.
Values
- Learning: Service-learning is an effective pedagogy that positively impacts academic learning, critical thinking, personal development, cultural awareness, and civic participation.
- Civic Engagement: Higher education is “uniquely positioned” (Campus Compact ) to shape students’ civic responsibility and values development.
- Community: Expertise resides within community, and we seek to give voice to all our community partners and those they serve.
- Integrity: Ethical service-learning depends upon authentic respect for and sustained commitment to community.
- Social Justice. Our work is motivated by a commitment to justice, fairness, and compassion.
The goals of service-learning at Central are:
- To enhance classroom experience by reinforcing existing course concepts and providing opportunities to practice what they are learning.
- To encourage critical thinking, civic responsibility and engaged citizenship
- To provide opportunities for students to interact with diverse populations and communities.
- To offer a means for the college to engage in reciprocal partnerships with organizations and agencies who service the common good in our community and state.
Approaches to service-learning:
- Service-learning requirement or option in a course
- Experiential module (CRCL 283x)
- Service-learning internship