Last Tuesday, members of a Communication 2150 class taught by Tamara Phillips had an opportunity to talk openly about their experiences with service learning. The discussion took place in in Salt Lake Community College’s TV station on the Taylorsville Redwood Campus.The discussion was aimed at learning about the service learning projects that the students have been engaged in since the beginning of the semester.
Service learning combines community service with academic instruction focusing on critical, relative thinking and personal and civic responsibility, according to the American Association of Community Colleges. The service learning projects are chosen by the students.
The first student to be interviewed was Staycia Mcarthur, who is a music therapy student. Was asked to briefly explain her service learning project.
“My service learning project was at Copper Ridge Health Center. I worked in the Alzheimer’s unit,” said Staycia McArthur, a student studying music therapy. “I feel I didn’t do as much for them as they did for me. They helped me and inspired me to be better and do more service to others, and throughout that experience I got to know another culture, and I was blessed by their stories and the different things they gave me throughout the experience.”
Jennifer Dixon volunteered at the Utah State Veterans Nursing Home.
“At the beginning of the semester I was thinking, ‘Oh man, I already have so much to do this semester I’ve got to figure this out.’ And now when I go they all smile at me because they’ve seen me a lot,” she said.
Ann Allamen worked in the English Speaking Lab and worked with three different students. She was asked whether or not the things learned in the class helped her understand her service learning experience.
“I kind of took pieces of several different theories and adjusted them to my specific way of learning. I would say, ‘yes,’ but not one certain theory,” Alleman said.
“I would definitely take another service learning course,” Alleman said. “It was a fantastic course to take. I recommend it to students one who are well driven and have the time for it.”
