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Mission, Vision & Goals

The Service-Learning Program is a unit of the Center for Teaching and Learning. Since 1998 the Service-Learning Program has supported students, faculty, and community partners with course development, community partnerships, classroom assistance, and other services. Three staff, two graduate assistants, and a small team of student staff focus on expanding and strengthening service-learning (SL) opportunities at Boise State University. Each year, more than 3,000 students participate in over 170 SL classes, with an average growth of 15 new SL classes per year.  Approximately 44% of all graduating seniors have taken a SL class.

Mission

The Service-Learning Program connects classes with the community through capacity-building partnerships to enhance student learning, address critical community issues, and encourage students to be active citizens in their local, national and global communities.

Vision

We envision all Boise State students graduating with the skills, knowledge, and disposition to be locally responsive and globally aware. We envision an academic culture in which community-engaged teaching and learning is highly valued, practiced, assessed, and recognized. We envision a university that prioritizes and supports campus/community collaborations to address critical issues of Idaho and beyond.

Values/Pillars

  • Reciprocal Partnerships
  • Asset-focused approaches
  • Inclusion
  • Service
  • Collaboration

Service-Learning definition

Aspirational Learning outcomes (draft)

Guiding Principles (Thanks to Stanford Haas Center for Public Service)

Community Partnership Philosophy

Program Goals

  1. Expand opportunities for service-learning and civic engagement across disciplines and colleges.
  2. Support faculty and community partners in implementing effective practices of Service-Learning, resulting in meaningful, impactful, active learning that promotes ongoing civic engagement.
  3. Cultivate student civic leaders through community-focused coursework, jobs, and mentoring.
  4. Advocate for the institutionalization of service-learning and culture of civic engagement across campus.
  5. Support a campus climate of inclusive excellence (IE), including increasing IE in service-learning classes, initiatives, and systems.
  6. Respond to critical community issues as expressed by the community.

Location in the scheme of things

The Service-Learning Program is a unit of the Center for Teaching and Learning in Academic Affairs, and it supports service-learning in over 45 academic departments and programs.  Service-Learning plays a large role in Boise State’s Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement. The Service-Learning Program is located in Riverfront Hall, room 313.

Please contact the Service-Learning Director to learn about specific initiative or to contribute ideas or suggestions. Contact karabrascia@boisestate.edu or (208) 426-2380.