The Spring 2023 Service-Learning Exhibition (SLx) took place on April 27, 2023 and invited the campus community to celebrate the collective impact of teaching and learning through Service-Learning (SL). The SLx is a unique opportunity for students to feature their learning experience for a diverse audience. Students’ experiences are showcased to demonstrate the variety of SL throughout Boise State. Students are able to critically reflect on their service throughout the semester and illustrate what they have learned through a research or reflective poster, video, or art.
Students from departments including Environmental Studies, Nursing, Anthropology, and PR showcased their experiences and learning with enthusiasm. Shelbi Soelter (pictured), Bachelors of Integrated Media and Strategic Communications, says “It was really cool to get to do legit things in this class. When I am able to apply the principles I’ve learned in our PR class to something real in the community, that is when I know I learned something. The work that the Trauma Intervention Program of the Treasure Valley does helping folks in crisis is so impactful and it is valuable to be a part of that”.
Thirty-five community partners joined to see the culmination of the projects they worked on with students, and to get ideas about future projects and collaborations. Josie Meyer, Bogus Basin Environmental Education Supervisor, explains: “We depend heavily on volunteers to keep our programs accessible and affordable. Boise State service-learning students brought and shared a huge variety of perspectives from their diverse fields to the Snow School experience”.
The CTL’s SL staff is thrilled to showcase and celebrate the shared learning and engagement that happens in SL courses each semester. Faculty who teach with SL are what make all this possible. This past year over 1,400 students engaged in SL through 102 SL courses. SL staff invite other faculty, community partners, and students to participate in this high impact practice and its collective impact.
If you want to learn more about teaching with service-learning at Boise State, visit the SL website and email the Director of Service-Learning at KaraBrascia@boisestate.edu.