Re: Service Learning Program Development

The following information came across the listserv a few months ago. 
It describes a program involving an entire house, not a residence floor,
but you may be able to adapt it for your purposes.  I would also be
interested in knowing what other information you receive from the listserv,
if it isn't posted to the entire list.  Thanks, and here is the information:

Southern Methodist University has two residential community service programs.  The ICE (Inter-Community Experience) Program has three main components: a seminar course on urban issues, enrichment programs for neighborhood youth, and a house in the neighborhood accommodating 4 students in the program.   The house was built by SMU students in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity and serves as the centerpiece for this program.

The second program is the SMU Service House, a cooperative living theme house for 28 student volunteers in a former fraternity house on campus. Residents, under the guidance of a hall director, coordinate everything from kitchen duty to service projects.  Mike Kern is one of the founders of the program and can share some of the challenges and rewards of establishing such a program.  He is now the Program Coordinator for Service Learning at the University of Texas, San Antonio, phone: (210) 458-4160; email: mkern@utsa.edu

You can also find more information under the Center for Community Involvement website at http://www.smu.edu/~vols or contact Bruce Levy, Director of the ICE Program at blevy@mail.smu.edu  or Rebecca Bergstresser, Director of Community Involvement at
rbergstr@mail.smu.edu For the student perspective, Katie Knox has been a resident in both programs kknox@post.cis.smu.edu.

Andrea Roufs
Information Specialist
Learn and Serve America
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
1-800-808-7378
http://umn.edu/~serve

Enrique Salgado wrote:

Hello All

I am a housing professional in Pomona CA. and I am starting a new first year involvement program.
The program would allow first year residence hall students a apply to live on a floor in one of our residence halls.
The program would require any student living on the floor to complete the following

• Application to live on the floor
• A class that would give them university credits
• Attendance of a program series
• Participation in service learning activities for the program

Do any of you know of any programs that exist like this for residence halls?
If yes, do you have suggestions for the program? Do you have any other suggested resources.

The program is scheduled to begin Fall 2000.

Thanks for your input.