Selma Botman: USM students learn by serving the community

January 11, 2011

The opportunities are many and varied, with all types of needs being addressed.

During this season of hope and giving, I want to share with you some examples of how service learning provides students at the University of Southern Maine with opportunities to make a difference in the lives of their fellow citizens.

Not only do our students contribute to the public good through these activities, but they also prepare themselves for more richly fulfilling lives and careers after graduation.

A look at the numbers is inspiring.

During the 2009-2010 academic year, hundreds of USM students contributed nearly 28,000 hours of service to the community, 68 percent of which were the result of service learning courses designed to provide opportunities to apply what students are learning in the classroom to real-world issues. Continue Reading »