I am in the process of co-transforming, with Judith Paterson, author
of the wonderful new book SWEET MYSTERY -- A BOOK OF
REMEMBERING) our literary journalism course into a service-learning
experience. And, given my student development background
(not journalism), students will be required to identify a
personally-challenging/personally meaningful organization to commit
a minimum of 60 hours of service over the course of the semester.
Their service ideally will combine their writing and editing abilities along
with direct service. Students will analyze the content of the literary
journalism readings (along with examining the current debate on
public journalism), through the context of their service.
In addition, students will register for one education credit under
which I will directly supervise and oversee their service
experiences. I will also participate in the literary journalism
format of the class.
This is a professional challenge for me. In my collaborative
writings with Cesie Delve and Suzanne Mintz, we have approached
service learning primarily from a student development perspective.
This is my first attempt at curricular service learning and I am
humbled. Actually, one of my interns this past year precipitated
this initiative. This young woman interned with Project HIPS in the
District of Columbia. HIPS = Helping Individual Prostitutes
Survive. She investigated the organization for an earlier class
project in which she wrote an in-depth feature story. Her subsequent
internship was a combination of writing and editing (grant proposals,
feature articles, annual reports, brochures) and counseling outreach.
I quote from her internship report referring to her initial contact
with the organization:
". . . and after the three months of intensive field work, I was
unable to walk away with the story alone. I decided to reach for a
hand, instead of a pen."
Though service has played a role in my personal life,
professionally I feel that I can no longer just talk, write,
and advocate for service learning in the academy. I must actually
do it. I liken it to the critical difference between indirect and direct service.
Knowing that you/this list-serve is out there to provide support and
assistance, along with the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with
Judith Paterson, makes this challenge a welcoming one.
THREE QUESTIONS:
1) with respect to literary journalism, any recommendations on good
journalistic writings that speak to "service" experiences of the
writer which I can pass on to Judith?
2) with respect to participating students, might any of you know of
a listserve (similar to this one) dedicated to student
service-learners? Might COOL have developed such a resource?
If such exists, I would like to make this information available to
participating students.
3) advice/guidance?
Many thanks,
Greig (Stewart)
College of Journalism, University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742-7111
phone=301 405-2390 fax=301 314 9166
e-mail=Gstewart@jmail.umd.edu
_____________________________________________________
"Universities are about universalizing the human spirit."
Samuel Betances, ACPA/Baltimore, March 7, 1996.