Dear List Server participants,
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and to
reintroduce you to one of the programs at CAMPUS COMPACT that provides
training, advice on strategy and technical assistance to colleges and
universities that are working to build community service into their
teaching and learning.
My name is John Saltmarsh and I have recently taken the position as the
Director for the Project on INTEGRATING SERVICE WITH ACADEMIC STUDY (ISAS)
at the National Office of Campus Compact. I am on leave from Northeastern
University in Boston, MA where I am an Associate Professor of History and
Cooperative Education. I have come to the ISAS Project as Campus Compact
continues to provide resources and assistance to faculty to become service
learning practitioners and as Campus Compact addresses issues of higher
education reform and institutional change. Briefly, my experience in
community service learning is based upon five years of experimenting with
various venues of connecting reflective teaching methodology to students'
experiences in community. For two years I ran a Community Service Learning
program that combined a cooperative education model with weekly reflection
sessions, readings and projects; I advised a student group engaged in
service (GED training) working to bring reflection activities to their work
with community residents; I taught the senior seminar in the history
department as an American cultural history course on "Individualism,
Community, and Democracy," and in addition to requiring students to read
the essential texts they were also require to engage in three hours of
community service each week; I also organized a university wide "Service
Day" event at the University to include students, faculty, staff and alumni
in service projects for a day--which was so successful that the alumni
association has continued it as an annual event for the past three years;
finally, I was extremely fortunate to spend sabbatical leave as a visiting
fellow at the Feinstein Institute for Public Service at Providence College.
I have published articles on CSL in the Journal of Experiential Education,
The Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning and the NSEE
Quarterly--the most recent piece is in the Summer 1998 NSEE Quarterly on
"Exploring the Meaning of University/Community Partnerships."
As the CSL field continues to develop and expand I hope that I can bring
some of my experience and thinking to bear on my ability to assist service
learning practitioners in our common work creating an engaged campus in
American higher education. I look forward to hearing from you and working
with you.
Best Wishes,
John
John Saltmarsh
Project Director
Integrating Service with Academic Study
CAMPUS COMPACT
Brown University, Box 1975
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: 401-863-1156
Fax: 401-863-3779
Internet: jsaltmarsh@compact.org
National Campus Compact website is http://www.compact.org