Service Learning Faculty Fellows 2008 to 2016

Service Learning Faculty Fellows 2017

The Service Learning Faculty Fellows Program for 2017 will be accepting applications from all beginner faculty from now until Monday, November 14th. This unique fellowship opportunity for beginners is designed to intentionally and consistently align with the Office of Public Engagement’s (OPE’s) philosophy of Relevant, Reciprocal, Responsible community engagement. The fellowship will begin with immersion training in mid-January followed by monthly two-hour meetings/workshops during the spring and fall semesters. Faculty who are accepted must commit to teaching a new or existing modified course with service learning as the pedagogy for the fall of 2017. Faculty will receive continued support from the Service Learning program staff, the Service Learning Committee, and other SL Faculty Fellows throughout the fall, in addition to a monetary stipend or contribution to their department. Faculty Fellows are expected to mentor their colleagues in service learning as appropriate in the future.

The Service Learning Faculty Fellows Program is open to all faculty on all campuses who are beginners in the pedagogy. Courses may be undergraduate or graduate, domestic or global.

All monthly meetings are held on the third Friday of every month at the Storrs Campus. Specific time and location are to be determined. Webex will be available to faculty from other campus locations.

In an evaluation conducted of Service Learning Faculty Fellows about their fellow’s year, 100% Agreed or Strongly Agreed that the program was a valuable component to their professional development as a faculty member. 100% of fellows indicated they thought that service learning enhanced students’ learning. Additionally, 100% of fellows agreed or strongly agreed that they would recommend the Fellows Program to colleagues.

The Office of Public Engagement and its Service Learning staff support academic and program-focused service learning at the University. OPE and SL are a resource for students, faculty, staff and community partners interested in the pedagogy of Service Learning which “is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities.” – Carnegie Foundation Definition of Service Learning

If there is a school, college, or department that is interested in sponsoring a faculty member for the fellows program at the $1000 level, please inquire with Julia Yakovich at  julia.yakovich@uconn.edu.  

Please contact Julia Yakovich for assistance prior to submitting your application at julia.yakovich@uconn.edu.

Timeline for Fellow Application  

Deadline for submission: Monday, November 14th

Notification from OPE: Wednesday, November 23rd

Faculty response to OPE: Monday, November 28th

Faculty Fellowship Outline of Pedagogical Activities from January to December 2017

January 2017 Intensive Training

January training will focus on building an SL course through a consideration of SL course components: organization, objectives, assignments, assessments, and the community partner relationship.

Faculty will bring with them: syllabus of the course they want to modify or a description of a new course with a list of readings, goals and objectives.

Homework will be posted on HuskyCT before the training. Faculty will be expected to have read all homework on the web before the first day of training.  It will include the UConn Service Learning Guidebook, critical articles, history of Service Learning at UConn, and sample syllabi in their discipline.

Faculty Fellow Required Training Sample Schedule

Wednesday, January 11 & Thursday, January 12 of 2017*               

*snow day will be Friday, January 13, 2017

Overview of Workshops

Spring Semester 2017

Spring semester workshops will assist faculty in preparing for their fall course, in addition to deepening faculty understanding of Service Learning pedagogy. Each workshop will include training module, followed by time to discuss critical article or chapter.

February: OSL Policies and Procedures, IRB, Risk in addition to ‘Writing and Service Learning’.

March: Technology and Service Learning.

April: Campus Compact-sponsored presentation of keynote speaker on Service Learning. Current and former faculty fellows process the talk together, discuss ideas and how they connect to courses and research over lunch.

May: Day-long service learning experience in either Willimantic or Hartford focused on a theme. This experience will give faculty the opportunity to have a mini hands-on experience with SL while also talking to partners about how to have successful partnerships.  

Fall 2017 Semester 

Fall workshops will provide additional training, as well as providing a forum in which faculty can process course teaching, brainstorm, and receive feedback and support.

September: Using Media to get your message out.

October: Community Partner Management and Critical Reflection.

November: Assessment w/ Community Partners. Critical Reflection continued.

December: Writing up the results. A discussion with faculty who have published articles about their SL teaching or research.

Submitting a Quality Application: 

The Service Learning Faculty Fellows Program is a competitive year-long program that runs from January to December. In order for your application to be seriously considered, the Service Learning Committee asks that responses be complete and thorough and provide enough information to evaluate the applicant appropriately. Please note that narrative responses should be approximately 250 words. 

Applicants will be evaluated based upon a number of factors, but specifically, articulation and demonstration of the following:

• potential impact on student development and learning
• potential of course being mutually beneficial to the community and the University
• potential of being a sustainable course (not a one time course)
• commitment to the pedagogy of Service Learning and future innovative research, teaching, and grant opportunities