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Service Learning Resource Guide
This Resource Guide was designed to provide an overview on Service Learning and how it can be integrated into course design. Most resources pertain to faculty interested in teaching with Service Learning at Stony Brook with the goals of balancing pedagogy strategy to enhance student learning and creating mutually beneficial relationships between Stony Brook and the surrounding communities. The Center for Service Learning and Community Service offers a variety of services to support faculty in Service Learning courses and maintains a wide collection of resources to support course development and implementation. For more information, please contact the Center for Service Learning and Community Service, at communityservice@stonybrook.edu.
What is Service Learning?
Service Learning is a form of experiential learning that integrates classroom learning with service activities to address the needs of the surrounding communities. It is an effective strategy not only to foster civic engagement, but also to enhance student learning and educational experiences while building a partnership between the university and the local community. Service Learning courses typically include structured time for students to reflect on and discuss their service experiences and how it relates to their academic learning.
Benefits of Service Learning
For Faculty
- Enhances student learning at academic, professional, and personal levels
- Connects intellectual, research, and service interests to attract multidisciplinary and enthusiastic students
- Diversifies your professional experiences
- Expands your expertise beyond the classroom to address community needs
- Creates active leaders in the community and builds connections with leaders of nonprofit organizations
For Students
- Provides hands-on opportunities to reinforce classroom learning
- Presents students with the opportunity to give back and make a difference in the community
- Promotes overall student engagement and classroom participation
- Develops students’ Career Competencies including: communication, problem solving, teamwork, technology, leadership, professionalism, equity and inclusion, career management, and global competence
For Community Partners
- Provides short-term and long-term student assistance to community organizations
- Expands the reach and bandwidth of community organizations
- Promotes increased connection between campus and local communities
- Fosters long-term relationships with faculty, students, and the university community with the potential for future collaboration
Service Learning at SBU
Service-Learning in STEM
Students in the Women in Science and Engineering program partnered with Morrison Mentors
to create and host STEM events for local middle schoolers. Watch the videos below
to learn more about these projects.
COVID-19 Service-Learning
Renaissance School of Medicine students assisted in the COVID-19 relief effort by
manufacturing Protective Personal Equipment, distributing meals and delivering groceries,
performing COVID testing, and providing patients with information about telehealth
services. Learn more in Stony Brook Transformed.
Benevolent Computing
Computer science students learned to apply their programming skills by partnering
with the Oakdale Historical Society to create an interactive, 360-degree virtual tour
of St. John’s Episcopal Church to help expand the church’s reach and attract visitors.
Read more about this project in Newsday.
Service Learning at Large
SUNY Buffalo State College
Students complete a variety of Service Learning projects, including creating surveys,
public service announcements, and public relations campaigns. Learn more about these
projects on their communications discipline website.
Purdue University
Students in the School of Communication partnered with Animal Advocates of Greater
Lafayette to use social media to expand the nonprofit’s reach. Explore other Purdue
University projects in their stories and newsletters.
Northeastern University
Students in the D’Amore-McKim School of Business developed marketing plans for community
organizations to address consumer-related challenges. Visit Northeastern University's Service Learning Virtual EXPO to learn more.
For Faculty - Getting Started
If you are interested in incorporating Service Learning into either a new or existing course, follow these steps to get started:
Fill Out the Service Learning Interest Form Discover Resources