Academic service-learning courses are designed to help students gain a better understanding of course content by putting it into practice. Service-learning courses engage students in real-life settings, working on community issues to connect classroom learning with societal issues. Lecturer in Communications and Director of Live Oak Communications Hal Vincent has engaged in service-learning teaching through his courses and involvement in Live Oak Communications.

“Strategic communications is all about connecting our students with real professionals so they learn how to take the classroom learning and apply it for real companies and organizations,” said Vincent. “Oftentimes we partner with local and community organizations who care about the health and vibrancy of our community.”

Some of the projects completed in these service-learning and community engagement courses include working with numerous locally-owned businesses that are trying to improve the community.

“The work my students do through classes or Live Oak allows them to apply the concepts that we study to make success for our clients, which hopefully result in stronger, healther and vibrant communities,” said Vincent. “While not every class or experience might fall under the classification of service-learning, community engagement is a foundational piece of the education of strategic communications at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ. It’s all about using your experiences and talents to help a local business that wants to serve the community in a meaningful way.” 

Vincent hopes that his students can walk away knowing that the work they are doing in the class is valued and meaningful.

“My hope is that students have the chance to see how their skills in strategic communications can help a local business or organization, which in turn can help the community,” said Vincent. “As a result, students gain valuable skills that can be applied to their profession and clients walk away generally impressed with the student work.”

Service-learning and community engagement teaching have many benefits. For students, service-learning can provide a positive impact on academic outcomes such as problem-solving, critical thinking and problem analysis. It provides the opportunity to increase involvement in the community and improve social responsibility and citizenship skills. Vincent hopes that faculty and staff at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ will continue to engage with local businesses and organizations through their coursework.

More than 50 students dedicated their spring break engaged in a range of social issues across the globe. Sponsored through the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement, the Alternative Breaks Program allowed students, faculty and staff to spend a week away from campus to immerse themselves in new communities while working to address pressing domestic and global social issues. ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ’s Alternative Breaks Program is student-led, and driven to introduce students to new communities while working to address these issues.

Participants ventured nationally to the Guyan Valley in West Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Columbia, South Carolina. Other students traveled internationally to Los Lagos, Costa Rica and Treasure Beach, Jamaica. Each program was student-led and student-run, with approximately 10 to 15 participants.

“The size of each program is big enough where students can engage with people who are different than them, but also not too big where you walk away from the trip as a tight-knit group and everyone feels their work was valued,” said Imani Henderson co-leader of the Urban Poverty and Inequality program.

Coordinators planned their programs throughout the year, taking in a multitude of responsibilities such as selecting their participants, communicating with their community partner organizations, planning their program itinerary, and leading reflection about their social issue.

The programs this year centered around different social issues such as poverty, inequality, youth rehabilitation, community development and sustainability. Students partner with local organizations in that community to get hands-on experience and immerse themselves in the community they are helping.

"During my time in West Virginia, I had the opportunity to work with Appalachia Service Project to help rebuild homes in Central Appalachia and better understand the true impact of poverty," said Taylor Stuck ‘18 G’20. "While this realization of the impact of poverty was tough, the family we were assisting could not have been more grateful for every moment we had with them. It was truly humbling to interact with a family as giving and caring as they are,” 

The experience of going on an Alternative Breaks trip can be eye-opening for many and open new doors for students. For senior Rebecca Foley, Alternative Breaks provided a new outlook on what she might want to pursue post-graduation.

“This experience has reminded me that I enjoy doing valuable work with my time, which has impacted my job search. I am graduating, and I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do post-grad,” said Foley. “I am not the type of person who is motivated by money or material things. I am searching for work that will be impactful in the lives of others and will have a deeper meaning.”

ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ strives to change the lives of students through academics and involvement, but often students also have the chance to meet lifelong friends and sometimes even their future spouse. For Katie and Reed LaPlante, this happened on their first day of college in 1999.

Katie and Reed came to ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ both looking for memorable experiences and to figure out their career paths. Both were passionate about community service and involvement, and decided to apply to be in the Service Learning Community Living and Living Community their first year.

The SLC, the oldest living and learning community on-campus and advised by the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement, is designed for incoming first-year students who are who have a passion for service and social justice. For the pair, the SLC provided the perfect opportunity to become involved in the community they now call home.

When the LaPlantes were students, the Service Learning Community was housed in a residential building that used to exist where the Moseley Center is now currently located. “It is crazy to see how much the Service Learning Community has evolved since we were students at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ,” said Katie LaPlante. “I love watching it grow more and more each year!”

Katie and Reed met the first day they arrived at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ’s campus, and got to know each other well through community service activities. At ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Katie was involved in a sorority, and continued volunteering throughout their time on-campus. Reed was a member of Pi Kappa Phi, and ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ’s Cheerleading Team where he served as captain.

The LaPlantes graduated from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ in 2003. Katie LaPlante shared that “college is such a memorable and important time of your life and being able to share that with your spouse is so special.”

The LaPlantes married shortly after graduating from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ and still live close to campus. Katie currently works for ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Academy, a nonprofit college access and success program for high school students in Alamance County, and Reed works in the banking industry where he was recently recognized as a young leader by the Triad Business Journal for his professional, personal, and community accomplishments.

The LaPlantes both agree that giving back is extremely important and continue to be active in their community today. Reed noted that “It is such an incredible experience to see your kids want to take up the same activities you were involved with at their age and begin to see their own interests in service start to bud.”

It was during her sophomore year at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ that Ashley Berman ‘19 found her sense of community.

Berman’s passion for service started when she was young. In high school, she was heavily involved in service work. When she started at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Berman knew she wanted to volunteer, but had trouble adjusting from high school to college. In the fall of her sophomore year, Berman challenged herself to get more involved, and that was when she found the Kernodle Center.

"The office manager position is a great opportunity to help students learn the ins and outs of the Kernodle Center,” said Berman.

Following her involvement as an Office Manager, Berman later became the director of animal welfare and the conference planning coordinator for Cinderella Project. “I wanted to get further involved and give back to the organization that helped me find my home at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ,” said Berman.

The ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Volunteers! executive directors help lead ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Volunteers! on-campus and in the community by embodying the mission of the organization. In this role, Berman’s supports the leadership development of her fellow student leaders.

Her favorite part of her position is being able to meet one-on-one with other leaders and hear about their accomplishments. Berman shared that she loves seeing people find their place in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Volunteers!.

“Whether you are involved deeply or on a smaller scale, this is such an incredible organization that can really transform the way you think and act and develop a love for serving,” said Berman. 

Berman is a human service studies major, with minors in psychology and criminal justice. Following graduation, she will be attending the University of Denver, where she will begin working toward a master's degree in social work.

Through the America Reads program, ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students are making a difference in the lives of local students that goes beyond just reading words on a page. These ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ tutors work with students in local elementary schools and afterschool programs to instill in them a love for learning that will serve them throughout their lives. 

Education is a powerful force for promoting opportunity and growth. A person’s education is a determinant of outcomes such as income, higher education, and much more. Providing learning opportunities, support, and mentorship for children is extremely important.

ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ's America Reads partnership is housed in the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement and is part of a nationwide initiative designed to employ college students as reading and math tutors to help ensure that all children have a solid foundation in reading and math skills. These goals are achieved by connecting ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students with teachers and educators in local elementary schools and afterschool programs in Alamance County.

The America Reads program at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ offers tutoring and mentoring programs staffed by students receiving financial aid and who are eligible for Federal Work-Study. The program includes students from different majors and backgrounds with the common goal to positively impact students by teaching them life-long learning skills.

“Most of the America Reads tutors are not education majors so we rely on our amazing partnership with the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ School of Education and other faculty and staff to provide training for our tutors three to four times each semester,” said America Reads coordinator Amanda Corso '19. “Tutors primarily focus on literacy activities and engage individual students or small groups of students with writing, reading, and listening activities as well as mathematics lessons and support.”

Currently, about 40 ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students participate as America Reads tutors at five schools and three after-school programs. Tutors work individually and with small groups of students on mastering reading and math skills, and serve as classroom assistants. An America Reads tutor can serve four to 10 hours per week. The program has three student coordinators who oversee the America Reads program.

“I decided to apply for one of the coordinator positions because I loved my time with the students, but I recognized that my skills may be better used to help run the program,” said Corso. “Being one of the coordinators of the America Reads program has been so rewarding because we get to support and do all of the work behind the scenes to get all of our tutors out into the community and watch them do incredible work."

Tutors are expected to impart a general “love for learning” in students to encourage them to pursue higher education opportunities. This is achieved through working one-on-one or in small groups (no more than five) in order to most efficiently cement reading and math concepts for them.

“As a teacher, it can be hard to try and meet the needs of every student’s learning styles. While some students learn basic math and reading skills immediately, it can take others longer to develop these skills. This usually results in students falling behind,” said a kindergarten teacher at Highland Elementary. “The America Reads program has been so rewarding for my students because it gives them a chance to have one-on-one learning and develop friendships with college students.”

Most America Reads tutors say it’s a rewarding experience that allows ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students the opportunity to help others and engage with people in Alamance County.

“I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from students saying that the America Reads program has helped them burst the 'ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Bubble' and realize the role they can play in addressing social issues in our surrounding community,” said America Reads coordinator Hannah Cheyney '20. “The fact that we are facilitating this experience and seeing tutors go into these schools and afterschool programs and actually making a difference makes me feel really good about the work the America Reads program is doing."

The center specializes in high-quality equine centered activities and therapies, through different programs and therapy sessions that help empower children and adults with physical, mental, emotional and social challenges to create more active, healthy and fulfilling lives. “Our programs are designed to help empower our participants to believe in themselves, knowing they can conquer and complete different activities offered during their therapy sessions,” says Cole. “It’s truly an amazing feeling to see how much of an impact the programs have on our participants.”

The NC Therapeutic Riding Center currently has more than 110 volunteers who work diligently toward the common goal of helping others through horseback riding and other horse-related activities. “Whether someone is a donor, volunteer or participant, I want everyone to feel appreciated in the role they play in making the therapeutic riding center so special,” she says. One of those volunteers who helps make the NC Therapeutic Riding Center possible is sophomore Katie Zinke. Upon arrival at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Zinke knew she wanted to find a way to combine her passion for horses to give back to the greater community. Zinke had heard about NC Therapeutic Riding Center through the grapevine and reached out to Cole, expressing interest in volunteering.

Volunteers can serve in a variety of ways at the riding center including more demanding positions such as serving as a “Horse Leader” or “Sidewalker” during weekly riding lessons and therapy sessions. Zinke volunteers as a Horse Leader, paying attention to the horse and making sure it stays calm, whereas the Sidewalkers serve the kids, paying attention to their needs and how they are acting during the sessions. Other ways to get involved can be through assisting with events, helping with administrative work and/or helping with farm maintenance.

“Seeing these kids who might not be able to do things at school that other kids can do so easily, physically or mentally, have control of the horse and able to do activities such as throw a ball into a hoop while on this big animal has been so rewarding for me,” says Zinke. “The therapeutic riding center is really good about making sure you can commit to the same riders so you can build a strong connection with the riders.”

The NC Therapeutic Riding Center provides an opportunity to gain hands-on learning experiences you might not have the chance to learn about in the classroom. “It’s a great place to learn about working with kids with disabilities and meet people you might not have the chance to meet at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ,” says Zinke. “Even if you are having a bad day, you always leave the riding center happier knowing that you have left a positive impact on the riders.”

Sponsored through the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement, the Alternative Breaks Program allows students, faculty and staff to spend a week away from campus to immerse themselves in new communities while working to address pressing social issues.

Participants ventured to Asheville and Boone in western North Carolina. Each program is student-led and student-run, with 10 to 15 participants. Coordinators worked throughout the first month of the school year recruiting student participants and faculty/staff learning partners. They established and maintained a positive relationship with community partners, planned all logistics of the trip and incorporated education about the location and social issue so participants would have a better understanding of their experience.

Led by Lucy Jones ‘19 and Imani Henderson ‘19, the Food Justice program partnered with multiple organizations in the Asheville community to learn more about innovative solutions for addressing food insecurity and hunger. North Carolina is currently one of the top 10 hungriest states in the nation. Through sorting and organizing food donations, learning about food policy and engaging in conversation, the Food Justice trip exposed participants to the greater issue of food insecurity and the components that fall under this issue.

In Boone, Lara Struckman ‘21 and Ashley Billie ‘21 led the Sustainable Living program that partnered with to unplug and learn about Turtle Island’s “Spartan lifestyle.” This trip had more of a physical labor focus, as participants worked to help continue the effort to maintain the outdoor education center. Participants left this trip with a new perspective on sustainable living and feeling more in touch with our environment.

“Alternative breaks will change your life! I have learned so much on the two trips I have gone on, and I just want to keep on going,” said Billie. For Billie and Struckman, it is not about your experience level, rather, Alternative Breaks are all about being open to what you will experience and learn while on the trip.

“People think that it can sometimes be intimidating and think how much impact can you actually make on an Alternative Breaks trip, but don’t let that deter you from applying. It is all about the education. It’s about opening up a new perspective,” said Henderson.