Center for Service Learnin
Mid-Year Updates
A Semester in Review

  • The fall started off with the Center for Community Outreach's annual Super Service Saturday event, through which over 350 student volunteers engaged in an afternoon of service with Lawrence community partners, like the Lawrence Humane Society and the Ballard Center. 
  • In October, we hosted our first Pancakes and Partnerships event, which brought together KU faculty, staff, and community partners to build relationships and inspire increased collaboration. 
  • In November, we were notified that according to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE), KU student voting doubled in 2018 compared to 2014. In 2018, 44.9% of KU students voted, which is an incredible testament to their dedication to civic engagement and participating in political processes. 
  • This semester, we also gained an incredible leader and advocate in our new director, Dr. Jomella Watson-Thompson. Dr. Watson-Thompson has previously served as a faculty fellow for the CSL, as well as a Service Learning Ambassador. 
Thanks for working with us to make all of these awesome accomplishments possible- here's to an awesome spring semester!


Announcements and  Reminders
Faculty Mini-Grants
The CSL is pleased to announce the availability of Service-Learning Instructional Mini-Grant Awards. The purpose of these mini-grants is to encourage and support faculty in engaging students with the broader community through service-learning, by integrating community-based experiences and learning as part of the course curriculum. 

Proposals for these mini-grants are due by 
January 10, 2020 Please visit  csl.ku.edu/faculty/mini-grants  for more information and to submit a proposal!

Newman Civic Fellowship
Do you work with an exceptional KU student who is passionate about community engagement?

The Newman Civic Fellowship honors inspiring college student leaders who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country.  Alix Fisk-Guerrero, a senior Applied Behavioral Science major, was awarded the Newman Civic Fellowship in 2018. She currently serves as the Managing Director for the Center for Community Outreach at KU. 

Newman Civic Fellows are recommended to Campus Compact by college and university presidents to acknowledge motivation and ability in public leadership.



We are accepting nominations for the Newman Civic Fellowship until  January 10, 2020 !  To learn more about the program and to nominate a student, visit 

CSL Award Nominations
The CSL is excited to announce that our Excellence in Service Learning and Community Engagement Award nominations are open until February 3, 2020!

We are recognizing our students, faculty, staff, and community partners through five awards this year. We will be accepting nominations for:
  • Faculty Excellence in Service Learning
  • Student Excellence in Service Learning
  • New-- Staff Excellence in Community Engagement   
  • New-- Graduate Student Excellence in Community Engaged Research & Learning

  • New-- Community Partner Excellence in Campus Collaboration

To learn more about these awards and submit nominations, visit csl.ku.edu/award-nominations.

 

Mark Your Calendars: CSL Service Showcase
You are invited to join us for the CSL's annual Service Showcase and Celebration, to be held on  Thursday, April 30 from 3-5:30pm in the Kansas Union Ballroom.

The Service Showcase is an opportunity for students to share their service projects and experiences with the University community and Lawrence community partners. We are seeking students who have completed service projects or placements that have made an impact on them as students and have benefited the community. This event will provide students an opportunity to network with service-minded professionals, practice their presentation skills, and add additional experience to their education portfolio. All KU students are invited to submit proposals. 
       

If applicable, please encourage your students to engage in the Service Showcase and/or incentivize their participation with extra credit or waiving another presentation requirement for your course. 

For more information about the 
Service Showcase, click  here .   

Ambassador Programs-- Join us for CSL Stop Day Snacks
Our Faculty Ambassadors have been instrumental in helping the CSL promote service learning best-practices and community engagement across the University of Kansas. In an effort to better include our staff and community partners, we are excited to announce a brand-new Ambassador model, including Service Learning, Community Engagement, Civic Engagement, and Community Ambassadors. These groups will help us further our work both on an off-campus. The goal of the Ambassador program is to serve as a liaison to enhance coordination of community engagement efforts, as well as provide feedback to enhance our endeavors through community-university partnerships.

If you are interested in participating as an Ambassador, please email us at csl@ku.edu.

Join us for CSL Stop Day Snacks 
and check out the CSL Ambassadors program with Service Learning Ambassadors at 11:00 am or Civic Engagement Ambassadors at 1:00 pm on this Friday, December 13,  Kansas Union Pine Room!

Spring into Action with 
the CSL!

This spring, there are numerous ways you can support our efforts to promote community engagement in and outside of the classroom. Here some options to start your list of possibilities:
  • consider incorporating opportunities, such as presenting a poster at the annual Service Showcaseinto a course assignment or as an extra credit opportunity
  • email us at csl@ku.edu to share your service learning projects and collaborations, so that we can promote the incredible work happening across the university
  • join one of our CSL Ambassador groups
  • nominate a student, colleague, or yourself for a CSL Award

Staff Spotlight:

Emily serves as the CSL's Associate Director. In her work, she collaborates with faculty, community partners, and student organizations that are engaged in service learning and community engagement. 

Emily recently published an edited volume titled, "Reconceptualizing Faculty Development in Service-Learning/Community Engagement: Exploring Intersections, Frameworks, and Models of Practice." 
Service Learning 
Course Spotlight: Art in Community



Course Name: ART 300/500: Special Topics in Visual Art

Faculty Name: Elizabeth Langdon

Service Component Description: 

After learning about the valuable ways in which art can be utilized to serve the community, this class conceptualized and facilitated an event called, "745 Where the Arts Thrive" at the Senior Resource Center. They partnered with local artists and volunteers to create noise-diffracting mosaics that were then installed in the SRC's community room as both art and sound absorbers!


The CSL uses a number of resources to promote opportunities that come to us, including Hire Jayhawks, volunteer.ku.edu, and our own social media and newsletters. We are happy to promote programs and opportunities on your behalf. 

Have a project in mind? Looking for service opportunities or a community engagement collaboration? Let us know how we can include you in partnerships, or how we can help you create them by completing the survey at csl.ku.edu/help. Our team will review your submission and reach out with suggestions, ideas, and resources tailored to your needs as well as posting the opportunities on the relevant promotion platforms.

This is a brand new tool we are rolling out this year, so please give us feedback on how it's working!
Service Learning 
Course Designation

In order for a students to use a course as part of their Certificate in Service Learning, the course must be registered with our office. 

If you teach a course that integrates service learning or community engagement within its curriculum and have not yet gone through the designation process, click the button below!

Follow Us on Social Media

The CSL uses our various platforms to promote service events, award/funding deadlines, and showcases the impact that service and community engagement has on our students and alumni. 

Feel free to tag us and use the hashtag "KUServes" so we can share all of the incredible things you and your students do for the community!

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