Why service learning?

Students engage in both the classroom and community

Service-learning is an educational experience that goes beyond volunteering. Service-learning connects students to the community by integrating academic curriculum with active participation in service, offering structured opportunities for students to reflect on their experiences, and striving to ensure that the service placements are mutually beneficial to students, the organizations and the community as a whole.

Faculty provide opportunities and gain resources

Faculty and service-learning administrators who participate in the coalition benefit from the ability to share ideas and best practices for curricular and co-curricular activities among colleagues. In addition to events, workshops, meetings, and online resources, WNYSLC offers opportunities for developing collaborative projects and inter-institutional courses, research, and grants. Local campuses such as Buffalo State University, Daemen University, University at Buffalo, Hilbert College, and Niagara University are active member institutions.

Benefits to Students and Faculty include:
• Deepens students’ learning of course material
• Improves students’ ability to apply what they have learned to the real world
• Impacts academic outcomes such as problem analysis, critical thinking and cognitive development
• Strengthens student/faculty relationships
• Facilitates multiculturalism by fostering racial and cultural understanding
• Creates a spirit of civic responsibility by connecting students to their community
• Promotes a positive and responsible public image

Community organizations gain partnerships

There are benefits to community organizations that participate in the Coalition. WNYSLC provides a resourceful network through our website, meetings, events, and list serve to promote student opportunities. Representatives from organizations are given the opportunity to meet with and learn from others about effective student recruitment, supervision, retention strategies, and share expertise.

Benefits to the Community include:
• The development of lasting partnerships resulting in ongoing opportunities
• A link to connect students with their communities and the beginning of a long-term involvement in community service
• Provides community agencies with energetic, enthusiastic college students to meet educational, human services, safety and environmental needs
• Provides a vehicle for a transformational process where students, educators, and communities continue to grow in unison

“Through service-learning experiences students become active citizens. By applying curricular concepts to meet community needs, students reflect on their impact on education, culture, social change, and aspects of daily life. Through the community-engagement lens, students acquire desired 21st century skills while educating and modeling others.”
– Joy Guarino, Director of Global Engagement, Buffalo State University

“Student development is enhanced when we create service-learning opportunities across the curriculum and co-curriculum. Student Affairs and Academic Affairs working together have a unique challenge and opportunity that captures students’ talents and ways to cultivate and model learning for a lifetime.”
– Gregory Roberts, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, Hilbert College

“Trocaire College’s mission statement influenced me to pursue personal enrichment through the wisdom of the Sisters of Mercy that I helped during my community service. I found that doing for others is a necessary part of discovering one’s self worth. There is only so much that one can learn from a book and while clinical provides in the field experience, it is not until one steps into the community that the bigger picture is seen. Completing Trocaire’s community service (at Mercy Center) has provided me with life learning experience. The reinforcement of knowledge that the service experience provided me was in the area of therapeutic communication. I discovered that this is a quality that can be used universally within my community.”
– Marie Panzer, Student, Trocaire College

“I thought this project was a lot of fun! I spent quality time with my family all while taking in the beautiful art! My mom even got in on the fun! I am thankful my professor assigned this project; I learned a lot about illustrator and had a blast while doing so!”
– Shyanne Failey, Student, Visual Design Basics, SUNY Erie

“Over the past five years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to host and coordinate countless Service-Learning students and groups from all over Buffalo and Erie County. In each of my years as a Non-Profit Volunteer Coordinator, Service-Learning has been an integral component in my strategic planning. Service-Learning students brighten the atmosphere at our agencies by bringing a fresh interest in our clients, as well as a personally and academically fueled drive to help-truly help—our agencies in the ways that WE need and ask for. Service-Learning students are unique in that they have chosen to engage in a Service-Learning course based on their interests, in which they are trained on cultural humility and other key aspects of community engagement before beginning their fieldwork. I am truly grateful for the WNYSLC, and for all of the college faculty and staff members who keep Service-Learning alive each and every year.”
– Sierra Johnston, Volunteer Coordinator, JFS Buffalo & Former Volunteer Coordinator, Compass House Emergency Shelter for Runaway & Homeless Youth