This page is a work in progress that began Spring of 2017. We will be continually adding to it to represent the full depth and breadth of Service Learning at the University. Service Learning happens throughout UConn.

Each individual story is meant to celebrate the effort our faculty, students, staff  and community partners put into into innovative service learning that impacts our communities. 

If you would like to have your service learning captured, please provide your information in the link below:

http://sl.engagement.uconn.edu/do-you-use-service-learning/

Brownfield Remediation gets Groundswell of Support from UConn

December 7, 2017 - Eli Freund - School of Engineering

Connecticut’s municipalities are dotted by hundreds of brownfield sites with remnants of toxic chemicals and industrial waste from years of unregulated activity. Federal and state assistance is available for cleanup, but the expertise and resources for the intensive process to secure those funds are not.

UConn’s new Connecticut Brownfields Initiative aims to bring much-needed assistance to the redevelopment of these sites.

“Different municipalities have different levels of readiness and resources,” says Maria Chrysochoou, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the new initiative. “Cities like Stamford and Bridgeport have built up the staff and expertise to successfully go through the process. But smaller towns sometimes don’t have the resources to put together winning proposals, which impedes their economic development opportunities.”

To read more, click here. 

Managing sport for social change: The effects of intentional design and structure

in a sport-based service-learning initiative.

Bruening, J. E., Peachey, J. W., Evanovich, J. M., Fuller, R. D., Murty, C. J. C., Percy, V. E., ... & Chung, M. (2015). 

Sport Management Review, 18(1), 69-85.

The current study focused on addressing a gap in understanding the design, structure, and management of sport-for-development (SFD) initiatives, in this case an initiative rooted in sport-based service learning. Sport, and specifically SFD, has been shown to facilitate positive outcomes such as social capital development through expanding networks and community building. Some studies have focused on impacts on volunteers in sport and SFD programs. These volunteers have developed networks most often through informal relationship building activities. Building on this knowledge, the current mixed methods study investigated the social capital development of alumni of a college service learning through sport course. Survey data (n = 93) and individual interviews (n = 22) with
participants who had completed at least one semester in the course indicated that social capital development was facilitated. In particular, the intentional design, structure, and management aspects of the course and program provided opportunities for social capital development.

To read more, click here. 

Under the direction of Ali Bazzi, Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering and Service Learning Faculty Fellow, students Justin Hubbard, Edwin Matute, Rayhaan Kasiwala, and Bryan Davis accomplished designing a mobile clean energy power system. Solar panels were installed on the roof the the HMF trailer and the energy collected will be stored in batteries inside, ready for use on race days. 

Husky Reads: Introducing Food and Nutrition to Children Through Literacy

With Susan Coleman

9/1/2005-5/5/2017

Husky Reads is a one-credit service learning course based on promoting literacy, health, and nutrition to preschool-aged children in Connecticut's underserved communities. Students From the Storrs Campus worked with children at more than twenty-five early childhood education centers in Hartford, Tolland, Windham, and New London Counties. Students are trained and given curriculum materials and then devote four hours a week delivering lessons in multiples classrooms before finally reflecting on their community experience. Students not only learn about human development and classroom management skills, they are also exposed to cultural and economic diversity and become role models for the individuals they teach--with the goal that the UConn students become more well-rounded citizens. Husky Reads students learn that they can make an impact on the literacy, health, and nutrition of others and ultimately have a positive impact on a child's future health outcomes and community. 

For more information concerning the project or its outcomes, contact Susan Coleman via email at Susan.Coleman@uconn.edu

To see the syllabus for this course, click here.

The Avery Point Global Café

2009-present

The Avery Point Global Café is a predominantly adjunct faculty-driven, student-focused interdisciplinary learning community engaged in critical dialogues on topics related to local environments and global citizenship. Since its founding in 2009, the Global Café has grown into a campus-wide initiative committed to bridging disciplinary perspectives, providing students opportunities to make connections across courses, and enriching our campus culture through panel discussions, film events, poster sessions, and collaborations with regional organizations.

The Global Café Faculty Learning Community (FLC) serves as the “think tank” for the program and develops thematic content for each semester. The FLC also serves as a faculty forum to discuss pedagogy, engage in interdisciplinary discussions, and facilitate professional development through activities both on and off campus. Global Café faculty also integrate each semester’s theme into their courses through assigned readings, films, discussions, service-learning, and poster projects, and by incentivizing their students to participate in formal Global Café events. The following is an overview of the program’s recent themes and events.

During the Fall 2016 semester the Avery Point Global Café explored the work of groundbreaking scientist, conservationist, and visionary Rachel Carson (1907-1964), who served as one of the first full-time female fisheries scientists hired by a US federal agency. This theme offered course connections and discussions relating to the environment, the development of the modern environmental movement, the role of gender in science, education, and politics, and the impacts of biocides on soil and water, wildlife, and human health.

During the Spring 2017 semester, the Global Café focused on “Civic Responsibility, Discourse, and Action” with the intent of providing effective tools and dialogical spaces for faculty and students to further develop skills to mediate social justice and environmental topics and concerns.

UNIV 1820: Stressed out? Wish you could turn back time?

With Laurie Wolfley

1/18/2017-4/26/2017

This service learning course introduced students to a number of experts who offered them demonstrations and instruction of a variety of strategies for dealing with anxiety and stress that are so commonly experienced as university students. Students learned about vital skills for students such as time management, study skills, and critical and creative thinking. Students were also introduced to relaxation techniques including yoga, meditation, tai chi, and health rhythms. Finally, students learned to practice reflecting on their own experiences. Many of the lessons taught were demonstrated, presented, and facilitated by proprietors of local businesses and community members such as UConn faculty and staff, Michelle Flowers of the Center for Healing Therapies, Charlie Coiro of the U.S. Coast Guard Leadersip Development Center, Rachel Swanson of Stonington Behavioral Health, Amy Dechen of Mystic Yoga Shala, and David Chandler of Eagle’s Quest Tai Chi Center.

For the central project of this course, students designed and coordinated a wellness fair for the Avery Point Campus. This gave the students an opportunity to learn business, leadership, and particularly teamwork skills because organizing the wellness fair required them to work with one another, other members of the student body, faculty and staff, and individuals in the greater community. And those members of the grater community were able to showcase their businesses and share their trades; providing them visibility, advertising, and an opportunity to connect with future clients and customers through the class and by participating in the wellness fair. 

For more information concerning the project or any of the businesses involved, contact Laurie Wolfley at 860-405-9008 or by email at laurie.wolfley@uconn.edu.  

To see the abbreviated syllabus for this course, click here. 

MARN 1001

With Syma Ebbin

1/17/2017-4/28/2017

The projects for this Service Learning course are aimed at making connections between the marine and coastal environment and our individual actions. Following from the Avery Point Learning Community’s (Global Cafe) theme of “Civic Responsibility, Discourse, and Action,” in the context of local environments, each student will engage in a service learning project of at least two hours that in some way improves the local coastal or marine environment or informs others about the environment. Students were assigned to find and approach their own community partners to volunteer their time or skills. some of the ideas were presenting coastal and marine science material to an elementary school classroom and Volunteering for a coastal cleanup at a local beach or watershed area

For more information concerning the project or any of the locations involved, contact Syma Ebin via email at Syma.Ebin@uconn.edu

To see the syllabus for this course, click here. 

ARE 3235

With Syma Ebbin

1/17/2017-4/29/2017

Students researched the governance and policies associated with the regulation of various human uses of Long Island Sound, ultimately creating a series of Map Journals (or Story Maps) using ESRI mapping software. The work in this course is part of two different on-going efforts. The UConn Maritime Studies Program is engaged in an effort to develop a Maritime Heritage Corridor with associated content for a website/app. The Map Journals that the students create will become part of this project and uploaded to its website. The state of Connecticut has recently committed to developing a marine spatial plan for Long Island Sound, called the Blue Plan. The Map Journals created will be sent to the Blue Plan Committee for their potential use.

For more information concerning the project or any of the locations involved, contact Syma Ebin via email at Syma.Ebin@uconn.edu

To see the syllabus for this course, click here. 

PHYS 1020

With Moshe Gai

1/17/2017-4/29/2017

The Astronomy Class (PHYS 1020) at Avery Point together with the Avery Point student Sky-Club and in conjunction with the Thames Amateur Astronomical Society (TAAS) hold Astronomical Observation on the South Lawn at Avery Point during the Fall Semester when the Astronomy class is taught by Professor Moshe Gai who is an Astro Physicist by trade. The location of the Southern Lawn at the Avery Point campus is particularly suitable for observing the night sky due to the lack of light pollution over the Long Island Sound. The dry Fall season helps in reducing the fog/smog over the water. Indeed, the southern skies are well recognized by Astronomers as the richest part of the heaven that includes the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, the Sagitarius A*, and a black hole as massive as a million suns. During a typical observation night we gather approximately a dozen telescopes including our own 9.25" Celestron and the very telescope used by the legendary late Don Treworgy, the former director of the Mystic Planetarium, that was donated to Conn. In addition a variety telescopes of members of the TAAS are set up on the south lawn of our campus. The observation nights are open to the public, a typical night would have 50 - 100 people, students and members of the UConn community mingling with private citizens from the southeastern part of Connecticut that huddle over the various telescopes each pointing to a different exciting object in the night sky. An astro-photographer of the TAAS, John Landreneau, takes long exposure that reveal some of the most imaginative objects in the sky, while students use their iPhones to take pictures through the eye piece of the telescopes. After each session the best iPhone picture captured by students is uploaded to our website to celebrate the student's accomplishments during the observation night.

Husky Reads: Introducing Food and Nutrition to Children Through Literacy

With Susan Coleman

9/1/2014-5/1/2017

Husky Reads is a one-credit service learning course based on promoting literacy, health, and nutrition to preschool-aged children in Connecticut's underserved communities. Students From the Avery Point campus worked with children at Groton's Riverfront Children's Center and Early Childhood Development Center as well as  the New London Day Nursery/Smith-Bent Family Center. Students are trained and given curriculum materials and then devote four hours a week delivering lessons in multiples classrooms before finally reflecting on their community experience. Students not only learn about human development and classroom management skills, they are also exposed to cultural and economic diversity and become role models for the individuals they teach--with the goal that the UConn students become more well-rounded citizens. Husky Reads students learn that they can make an impact on the literacy, health, and nutrition of others and ultimately have a positive impact on a child's future health outcomes and community. 

For more information concerning the project or its outcomes, contact Susan Coleman via email at Susan.Coleman@uconn.edu

To see the syllabus for this course, click here.

NRE 1000

With Syma Ebbin

8/29/2016-12/9/2016

Students from this class worked with the Groton Open Space Association to develop environmental education materials related to their properties in Groton which are open to the public for passive recreation. The locations involved included the Avery Farm, Candlewood Ridge, and the Merritt Family Forest. The class divided into teams, each tackling separate aspects of the project including the creation of indoor and outdoor activity packages and informational posters concerning location history as well as native, non-native, and invasive plants as well as native wildlife. Students in this course learned to work together for the benefit of the local communities and were able to engage with them through the public recreation areas  that they may not have visited or known about before the project. Patrons of these locations then benefit from the educational materials teaching important aspects of the local environment.

Click the following links for examples of the products from this course:

• Native Plants of Groton Informational Poster
• Avery Farm Explorer Guide

For more information concerning the project or any of the locations involved, contact Syma Ebin via email at Syma.Ebin@uconn.edu

To see the syllabus for this course, click here.