Service Learning Guidelines

Faculty

Service Learning Handbook | Service Learning Portal | Hokie Hands Trailer

What Counts As Service-Learning?

Service-learning opportunities include:

• courses that incorporate an optional or required community service experience of at least 15 hours for the semester;
• academic clubs that carry out significant community service projects related to their disciplinary areas;
• academic programs that have a community service requirement of at least 10 hours for its participants;
• co-curricular programs that integrate a structured service and learning experience for its participants;
• internships or field work experiences that intentionally integrate civic learning objectives and impact a public entity;
• community-based or action research projects with clear deliverables to a public entity.

Why Work With the Service-Learning program?

We provide you with:

• logistical assistance and resource support so that you can focus on teaching rather than managing;
• assistance in developing experiences that incorporate the best practices in service-learning pedagogy;
• faculty development opportunities to enhance your integration of service with learning;
• models for assessing the impact of service-learning on students' academic and civic development;
• connection with activities of other units on campus doing similar work;
• criteria for community partnerships in order to develop meaningful and engaging experiences that make a difference and are sustained over time;
• recognition and celebration at our annual Expo event;
• documentation on the variety and impact of service-learning on campus.