Mesa Community College

Center for Service-Learning

Agencies & Service Partners

What is Service-Learning?

Service-Learning connects meaningful community service with academic learning, personal growth, and civic responsibility. Enhancing student experiences beyond the classroom provides opportunities to use skills and knowledge in real life situations. A Service Project can take place in the community, nationally, or globally.

Why Would I Want To Do This?

By providing service opportunities in your agencies, civic organization, or citizen advocacy groups; you are helping build strong community connections. Work with us to develop the social character of the next generation. Some of our Partners include:

• Mesa Arts Academy
• A New Leaf
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley
• Mesa Public Schools
• CARE Partnership, Inc.

Two Modules to Choose From

Independent Module:

Students register for an internship-type course earning 1, 2, or 3 credits a semester. Blending academic study and community service, with faculty supervision, the Service-Learning participant is required to perform (a minimum of) 50 volunteer contact hours per credit hour. Students must also develop a learning plan, keep a reflective journal, write an analytical paper, and attend three reflective sessions. Only upon successful completion of these core requirements do students receive academic credit.

Available discipline placements include: Accounting, Administration of Justice, Anthropology, Art, Biology, Business (includes Marketing, Business Law and Management), Business Personal Computing, Computer Information Systems, Communication, Counseling and Personal Development, Education, Engineering, English, Geology, History, Math, Music, Nursing, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Reading, Recreation, Spanish, Sociology, Social Work, and Theater.

Students must complete an online orientation prior to their acceptance into the Program. Some Service Projects can be used as extra credit for a regularly enrolled class. Some disciplines offer the option of co-enrollment with any 282 course. (for example; English 102 & Sociology 101.)

In-course Module:

When integrated into a Student's existing course, the Service Project is used in lieu of a research paper, class presentation or exam. Volunteer hours given to the community via these options average approximately 33,000 hours per semester.

The in-course module requirements are similar to the independent modules and can be adapted at faculty discretion.

Some disciplines utilizing in-course modules are: Anthropology, Biology, Children's Literature, Communications, Economics, Education, English, Geology, Recreation, Sociology, Spanish, and World Politics.

Agency Database

Visit the Agency Database to add yourself to our growing list of Service-Learning organizations. Go to the Agency Database here.

Need Database Help? Contact Dawn Rhodes by phone at: 480-461-7393 or by email at: dmrussell@mesacc.edu.

Agency Training

Offered at the beginning of each academic year - we can show you how to incorporate Service-Learning into your organization. It's easy! Let us show you how. Call today: 480-461-7393 or email to: servicelearning@mcmail.maricopa.edu.