Student Leaders in Service-Learning

The Service-Learning program has two leadership positions which assist community partners, service-learning students and service-learning faculty. Student Leaders work in the community and are supported and challenged to develop personally and professionally.  

Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania is an AmeriCorps program for college students in which they pledge to complete 300 or 450 hours of service in one calendar year. Upon completion of their service, the students are awarded either $1,175 for 300 hours or $1,468 for 450 hours in the form of a Segal Education Award to put towards college expenses. More information can be found at PHENND.org. For the 2011-2012 academic year, Chestnut Hill only has 10 spots available to students; if you are interested in applying to the Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania program, please contact MacKenzie Lovell at lovellm@chc.edu.  

The main job responsibilities for Scholars in Service are: 

• Hold one (1) officer hour each week 
• Assist with preparation and reflection for a designated Service-Learning Class 
• Attend one (1) site visit with students each semester 
• Post one (1) service blog per month 
• Attend two (2) community meetings a month 
• Attend two (2) supervisions per month 
• Assist with Martin Luther King Day of Service preparation 
• Work with Community Liaison on finding a service placement, reflection, and supervision (at least 1 meeting per month to be set up by Scholar) 
• Participate in Scholars Orientation, Scholars Winter Training, and Scholars End of Year Mini-Retreat. 
• Other duties as assigned 
   

Benefits of being a Scholar in Service to Pennsylvania: 

• You’ll be doing good work in your community 
• You’ll be a part of a nationally recognized leadership program 
• While you’re an AmeriCorps member, you’ll can have your federal student loans deferred or put in forbearance (a.k.a. you don’t have to pay them right now). 
• AmeriCorps will give you money for school! 
   

By serving as a Scholar in Service to Pennsylvania, students increase their knowledge:  

•  of skill sets necessary to support collaborative projects in and with diverse individuals and groups,  
•  create problem-solving and active learning, 
• of the non-profit sector and the role of volunteers in the community,  
•  of community assets and challenges both within Philadelphia and other communities,  
•  of their role in the community through their professional work and volunteering, and  
• of their educational and career goals. 
   

"As a scholar I feel as though I have contributed positively to the community, exposed myself to new things, and truly become a better person. "

-Caitlin Kain, ‘13 

COMMUNITY LIAISONS 

Community Liaisons are an important part of the Service-Learning team. These students are Federal Work Study eligible, and have made the decision to earn their Work Study dollars doing community service off campus. The Community Liaisons help Chestnut Hill College meet the government-set requirement for amount of Federal Work Study money used on community initiatives. Students interested in applying to become a Community Liaison should contact Shane McCarthy at mccarthysa@chc.edu 

The main job responsibilities for Community Liaisons are: 

• Attend at least one 30-minute one on one meeting with your Scholar Partner each month. 
• Attend a service activity with your Scholar partner at least once per semester 
• You will participate in all community outings planned by the Scholar community. 

"Being a community liaison has exposed me to a new group of people and service projects that I might have otherwise never been exposed to. I love that I have a support group at all times and people who understand the feeling of helping others.:

-Bryana Carroll, ‘11 

LEADERSHIP, ENGAGEMENT, AND SERVICE (LENS)   

The Leadership, Engagement, and Service (LENS) program brings together incoming Chestnut Hill College students for a four day immersion into Philadelphia. This service-based summer program exposes students to a variety of community and social justice issues occurring in the city, and introduces them to SSJ sponsored works and community partners working to solve these issues. In addition to community service and reflection activities, students participating in the LENS program will be able to take advantage of the many cultural opportunities available to us in Philadelphia. Cultural events range from museum trips to sporting events, and will differ each year.   

The LENS program is designed to connect like-minded first-year students who wish to become involved in the culture of service at Chestnut Hill College, and have a lot of fun at the same time!  This program is ideal for students who have an interest in continuing a strong commitment to community service, as well as for students who wish to turn over a new leaf or get involved in community service for the first time.  If you have any questions, or would like more information about the LENS program please email MacKenzie Lovell at lovellm@chc.edu. 

STUDENT-RUN INITATIVES 

Student-Run Blog 

The Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania maintain a student-run blog about service called Griffins Doing Good. The blog contains ideas for how to get involved in service, different community partners Chestnut Hill College works with, and the reasons why students have committed themselves to service. 

Martin Luther King Day of Service 

The Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania and the Community Liaison communities coordinate and run the Martin Luther King Day of Service. Each year the students select their service sites and coordinate activities for the volunteers. The Martin Luther King Day of Service has been hosted by Face to Face Germantown and the Arc of Philadelphia/PDDC.  

Weekly Service 

Due to an overwhelming response during the fall of 2010, the Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania have started a weekly service initiative to the Arc of Philadelphia/PDDC. You can learn more about the Arc of Philadelphia/PDDC on their website, www.arcpddc.org.  

Beginning in the spring semester of 2011, Service-Learning will be offering weekly service to the Arc of Philadelphia/PDDC. Students are asked to commit to eleven (11) outings to the Arc to take place on Friday afternoons throughout the semester. Students will also be asked to participate in a reflection activity to follow the service.  

If you are interested in being a part of any of the student-run initiatives please contact MacKenzie Lovell at lovellm@chc.edu