FYE Civic Engagement

Introduction

Beginning in 1995, the college implemented a comprehensive service learning initiative as part of the First Year Experience (FYE) program and the general education curriculum. Since then the FYE service learning program has had a significant impact on student learning, led to the expansion of service learning in the curriculum, increased campus-wide interest and involvement in community service, and provided the local community with valued service.

The major FYE program components include:

Community Living - Students share a common living experience that incorporates the elements of community upon which The College's residential program is built.
Service Learning - The program requires all entering students to complete a 15-hour service learning experience as an integral component of their first year seminar course.

Initial Implementation

The College of New Jersey has devoted significant staffing, financial resources, and dedicated facility use to the Service Learning program. However, the initial year of implementation in 1995 revealed a number of problems and limitations. The College originally hired a Community Service Coordinator to administer what was then called the called the Community Service program. The operation shared office space and clerical support with the Office of Residence Life. However, it soon became clear that the resources allocated were insufficient. Since the college is situated in a suburban area, the need to transport students to and from service sites emerged as a major concern. The challenge of transporting hundreds of students to service sites without vehicles dedicated for that purpose was particularly overwhelming. Also, many students and faculty perceived the program as "forced volunteerism," rather than the experiential education project it was designed to be.

Changes Since 1995-96

As a result of comprehensive evaluation of the program's strengths and weaknesses, the college implemented the following changes beginning in the 1996-97 academic year:

The Community Service Coordinator position was upgraded to a full-time Director of Service Learning. A new director was hired to provide leadership for the program. The office also was provided a full-time secretary, graduate assistant, a part-time office assistant,
The program was re-named the Office of Service Learning to more accurately reflect its educational focus.
Two vans were leased and assigned to the program. A permanent part-time driver and several part-time student drivers were also hired. A third van was recently assigned to the office to meet a growing need for transportation.

These major changes, in conjunction with continued improvements implemented by office staff, have enabled the program to thrive. For example, processes for student selection of service sites and orientation to specific service activities are more efficient and "user friendly." The completion rate for students in the 1995-96 academic year was 78%. Since the 1996-97 academic year the average completion rate has been maintained at 99%. Evaluation instruments and processes have been improved, yielding more comprehensive and useful data.

Impact on Student Learning

Since 1995 thousands of first year students have completed hours of community service with 30 non-profit agencies serving diverse populations throughout Mercer County. Beyond the personal rewards typically associated with helping others, the service learning experience functions as a "humanities laboratory" in the course. Students are challenged to re-examine the commonly held perception of service as charity, and instead, re-conceptualize service in the broader contexts of social justice and civic responsibility.

The responses of our students to service learning are consistent with national research in the field. In general, service involvement has helped our students better understand community problems, increased their commitment to helping others in difficulty, and promoted racial understanding.

Students were asked to report on the impact of service learning on their interest in future service participation. Average responses indicate that a majority (67%) reported a greater inclination to participate in service as a result of the required service learning experience in the FYE.

The following statement was made by a student regardind their service:

I realized that homelessness affects people of every race. Not only African-Americans, but also every possible race is susceptible, along with any gender. Homelessness or poverty is not generalized to any one group, but it can affect anyone. It is just as deadly as the AIDS virus and does not discriminate.

Impact on the Local Community

As a result of the Service Learning program, the college now has a significant and positive presence in the community. The college has developed active partnerships with over 30 local social service agencies and schools, as well establishing referral contracts with more than 100 other community agencies. Agency evaluations of the program and the contributions of our students are overwhelmingly positive. This impact has been cited in several local newspaper articles and agency newsletters. Requests from agencies wanting to participate in the program continue to pour in.

Evaluations from community agencies consistently indicate that students make valuable contributions to the work of the agency and the population they serve. Of the 33 agencies that have participated in the program since its inception, only one was dissatisfied with the partnership, and that was because the agency did not have the staff resources to provide adequate supervision to students on site. Typically, 99% of students enrolled in the course satisfactorily complete the service learning requirement of 15 hours. The performance of students engaged in service activities is consistently rated as satisfactory or superior by agency staff.

Promoting Community Service, Volunteerism, and Civic Leadership

Since 1996 the Office of Service Learning has expanded its role to serve as a resource in the areas of service learning, community service and volunteerism to all members of the campus community. Programs and services include:

A comprehensive web-site, including the FYE Service Learning Handbook, information about hundreds of volunteer service opportunities, and links to service agencies, professional organizations, and faculty resources.
The annual Community Service Fair promotes service participation by hosting over 26 local social service agencies to recruit volunteers. Participating agencies report that they have successfully recruited hundreds of new volunteers.
The Volunteer Opportunity Board was implemented in 1998. It includes up-to-date postings about a wide variety of community service options.
Training for new faculty, residence life staff, and student leaders in the areas of service learning and community service programming.
Integration of service learning into pre-service training for over 130 professional, graduate, and undergraduate staff in Student Life. Staff directly participate in service projects designed to further cultivate the values of personal and community development through service. This training also provides staff with hands-on experience in planning their own service projects.
A service learning project has been incorporated into Welcome Week, the college's program as part of new student orientation program. Since 1998 125 first-year students volunteered at several local service sites. In addition, over 300 first-year students typically participate in the traditional Walk-a-thon for Special Olympics New Jersey. This program has raised over $$50,000 for SONJ since 1997.
The college's student chapter of Circle K International, with the support of the Director of Service Learning, formed the Community Service Coalition (CSC). This resource group promotes community service participation by co-sponsoring programs such as Community Service Month in October. The CSC also works with other student organizations and Residence Life staff groups that sponsor hundreds of community service programs annually.

Expanding Service Learning in the Curriculum

The success of the FYE service learning program also has inspired faculty throughout the curriculum to integrate new service learning initiatives into existing courses. The Director has worked directly with faculty, academic administrators, and community partners to implement the following initiatives:

In the Spring of 1998, the Office of Service Learning and Academic Affairs offered faculty a small stipend to incorporate service learning as part of their course expectations of students. As a result, eight courses from a variety of disciplines, including Accounting, Art, Education, Women's Literature, Philosophy & Religion, Social Work, and Sociology, now involve students in service experiences ranging from 5 to 30 hours per semester.
Service learning has been further integrated into the Core Curriculum by faculty teaching Society, Ethics, and Technology. Several student work groups have completed their "design/innovation project" by developing technological solutions to problems presented by local social service agencies.
The development of senior capstone experiences in academic departments ensures continuity of these goals in selected departments. The Department of Sociology and Anthropology, for example, has designed a senior capstone experience intentionally to revisit the four questions of the first year experience. Using a sociological eye such questions of humanity, community, morality, and diversity are further refined and operationalized. The capstone experience allows students to choose a service field experience of 100 hours.
The Director has worked with several faculty across disciplines to create a community-based research network. The was created to promote and facilitate faculty involvement in community-based research that enhances the capacity of community partners to address community needs. The group is affiliated with the Trenton Center for Campus and Community Partnerships.

External Recognition and Honors

The Service Learning program was featured as part of the FYE program in each of the following presentations at national and regional conferences in higher education:

Capitalizing on Citizenship: Connecting Classroom and Community in the Core Curriculum, ACPA, March, 2000.
General Education: New Developments in Different Institutional Contexts,Invited presentation, General Education in the New Millennium: Opportunities, Principles, Politics, AAC&U, February, 2000.
An Innovative Partnership: Academic and Student Affairs Collaboration through Service Learning, NASPA, March, 1999, and The Forum on Volunteerism, Service, and Learning in Higher Education, co-sponsored by ACPA, ACU-I, NACA, NASPA, July, 1999.
Connecting Classroom and Community: Service Learning at The College of New Jersey, Invited presentation, Youth Service New Jersey, March, 1999 and 2000.
An Innovative Partnership: Academic and Student Affairs Collaboration through Service Learning, National Association of Student Personal Adminsitrators (NASPA), March, 1999, and at The Forum on Volunteerism, Service, and Learning in Higher Education, co-sponsored by the American College Personnel Association (ACPA), the Association of College Unions - International (ACU-I), the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA), and NASPA, June, 1999), Nino Scarpati, Director of Service Learning, and Robert Anderson, Associate Dean / Director of General Education.
A Foundation for Excellence: The First Year Experience at The College of New Jersey, First Year Experience International Conference, 1998, Mary-Elaine Perry, Dean of Student Life.
Race Matters and Faculty Flexibility, Association of Core Texts and Courses, (invited paper on Summer Readings, Athens to New York, and Service Learning), April 18, 1998, Robert J. Anderson, Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences.
General Education Unbound: Student Needs, Creativity, and Consensus, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (invited workshop and panel presentation for faculty members), April 8, 1998, Robert J. Anderson, Director of General Education
A Community of Learners: Merging Student Life and Academic Experience, NASPA, March, 1998, Mary-Elaine Perry, Director of Community Development Services and Yvonne Watson, Dean of Academic Support.
Models of General Education: Student Needs, Creativity, and Consensus, Salisbury State University, Salisbury, MD (invited workshop conducted for faculty members), Jan. 22, 1998, Richard Kamber, Dean of Arts and Sciences and Robert J. Anderson, General Education.
Rethinking General Education: Student Needs, Creativity, and Consensus, University of Delaware, Newark, DE (invited presentation to faculty), Oct. 14, 1997, Robert J. Anderson, Director of General Education and Richard Kamber, Dean of Arts and Sciences.
Athens to New York, Service Learning, and Residential Learning: The First Year Core Experience at The College of New Jersey, AAC and U, May 30, 1997, Robert J. Anderson, Director of General Education and Nino Scarpati, Director of Service Learning.
Service Learning: Bridging Classroom and Community Through the First Year Experience, NASPA, March 14, 1997, Nino Scarpati, Director of Service Learning and Robert J. Anderson, Director of General Education.
General Education Unbound: Moving General Education Beyond General Education Courses, AAC and U, February 21, 1997, Robert J. Anderson, Director of General Education and Richard Kamber, Dean of Arts and Sciences.
It Takes a Whole College to Educate a First Year Student, NASPA Region II, June, 1996, Mary-Elaine Perry and Barbara Greenstein, Community Development Services.
Four Questions in Search of a Core: Achieving Faculty Flexibility, Association for Core Texts and Courses, April 26, 1996, Robert J. Anderson, Director of General Education.
It Takes a Whole College to Educate a First Year Student, NASPA, March, 1996, Mary-Elaine Perry and Barbara Greenstein, Community Development Services.
It Takes a Whole College to Educate a First Year Student, Students in Transition, November, 1995, Mary-Elaine Perry and Barbara Greenstein, Community Development Services.

Other Recognitions:

The college's First-Year Experience and Service Learning programs are featured in the Colleges that encourage Character Development, Fall, 1999.
Nino Scarpati, Director of Service Learning, was elected president and chairman of the Board of Trustees of Youth Service New Jersey, a state-wide non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and facilitating youth involvement in service learning and community service, June, 2000.
Nino Scarpati was featured in a public television interview on NewsMakers, a public affairs program of CN8, the Comcast Network, April, 2000.
Nino Scarpati serves on the Steering Committee of the New Jersey Civic Education Consortium since October, 1999.
Nino Scarpati served as a panelist for Recruiting College Students as Interns and Volunteers, The College of New Jersey, March 23, 1999, sponsored by The Nonprofit Sector Resource Institute of New Jersey.
The First Year Experience, including service learning, has been cited as an exemplary program in Powerful Partnerships: A Shared Responsibility for Learning, a joint report of AAHE, ACPA and NASPA, June 1998.
The First Year Experience, Bridges to Student Success, NASPA, 1997. This is the first annual publication of what are considered to be the exemplary student affairs and service learning programs in the country.
Nino Scarpati, Director of Service Learning was a featured guest on Public Affairs, a community affairs program of WPHL-17, Philadelphia, April 1997.
The service learning program has been featured in several newspaper articles and opinion pieces since 1995, including The Times of Trenton, The Star Ledger, and The Trentonion.