Center for Service-Learning

"At Western Washington University, we rely on the Center for Service-Learning (CSL) to anchor the service component of our tripartite mission of teaching, scholarship, and community service. This is a big job to fill with a small program, but the CSL fills it well, serving students, faculty, and the community. Indeed, service-learning is the gold standard of engaged excellence in both teaching and our community relations. A recent nation-wide study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities recommended service-learning as one of the educational practices with the highest demonstrated impact upon learning and student achievement."

-Steve Vanderstaay
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education

Main	Students	Faculty	Community Partners	Int'l Service-Learning	Courses	Contact

What Is Service-Learning?

Service-learning is learning through experience. It combines academic instruction with community-based learning through service projects that meet community needs. Service-learning experiences offers students the opportunity to explore the richness and diversity of their community, examine social justice issues, and make a contribution to the well-being of the community at large.

Scattered throughout this website you will find quotes from people who are actively involved in service-learning at Western Washington University.

About The Center For Service-Learning

The Center for Service-Learning works as a liaison for faculty, students, and community partners to add value to classroom teaching and learning at Western Washington University. The Center for Service Learning was established in 1998 to connect faculty and students with opportunities made available by community partners from local and international non-profit organizations, as well as public and private schools. We work directly with faculty members to design service-learning projects that meet the needs of these community partners and match students with those needs. By participating in service-learning projects students earn credit while giving back to the community. Service-learning pedagogy can be applied to any discipline and our faculty and student participants are from a variety of departments at Western Washington University.

The Community Classroom

Through service-learning courses the community becomes a dynamic classroom where learning is integrated with real world experience. The community classroom becomes a laboratory for challenging assumptions and moving students beyond analysis and observation to practice. Service-learning students gain professional skills and networking opportunities by being placed in off-campus worksites. Our community partners receive the benefit of assistance and our students gain awareness of their community, local concerns, and various ways they can make a difference.

Throughout this site you will find some of our success stories. We hope you will take the time to read them and learn more about how you can participate in our programs.