Empowering students to volunteer takes work

Empowering students to take control of their educational journey is a challenge, but it starts with showing up and participating.

As my father would say, “If it was easy, anybody could do it.” One of his other favorite sayings when I was growing up was, “It is all about self-discipline.” Both of these phrases make me think about what it takes to empower students to take control of their educational journey and their success in college and beyond. Students have to recognize that college is not easy and that it takes a tremendous amount of self-discipline to go to class, manage their time effectively, and commit the hours needed to studies and activities that will make them successful.

I have encountered all types of college students over the years and I get great joy out of seeing and helping them find their way, their voice, and their confidence, sometimes beyond great odds. Sometimes it takes failures, going beyond the comfort zone, or new experiences to find one’s passion, build one’s confidence, or achieve success.

In a series of publications, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) identifies several high impact practices to student success: first-year seminars, service learning, learning communities, capstone courses, and undergraduate research (Kuh, 2008; Brownell & Swaner, 2010). I am happy to say that Calumet College of St. Joseph provides opportunities or requirements in all of these areas.

However, I often ponder how we empower students to take advantage of those opportunities that are optional. I have a particular focus on service learning because the research indicates that service learning has deep learning gains as well as personal and practical gains for students. Unfortunately, students often see service learning, such as volunteering in their communities or service projects, as optional and hard to squeeze into their already busy schedules.

In academia, we use terms like experiential learning, community based learning, and service learning, where the goal is for students to use what they are learning in college and apply it to field experiences that help them reflect on their learning.

When this is done within the community, it is a win-win for all. The student is empowered to serve their community, the community benefits from the service, and the college enhances the educational journey for the student while being a resource to the community. While students are giving back to their communities they are learning, reflecting, and preparing themselves for citizenship. Healthy communities depend on volunteers, and it would be ideal if colleges felt responsible for empowering students to find their passion for serving others, in whatever capacity that might be.

I think about service hours that were required in my daughters’ Catholic school, and it required a lot of coordinating by parents, students and organizers. I have a hope that colleges can do a better job of empowering students to take advantage of opportunities to serve others and their communities.

I envision a new living and learning community where students can choose from a variety of volunteer opportunities to complete a manageable number of service learning hours. These hours would be supplemented with credited coursework, lectures, readings, or group discussions that enhance the learning and provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their experiences.

This is happening at many colleges already, but it is optional, which means those students that are predisposed to service or those whose parents see the value have the enrichment that other students don’t realize they are missing. What would it be like if every student residing on a college campus was expected to participate in community based service learning?

It could provide a sense of belonging to your college, as your home away from home, and to the community in which the college is located.

It is one of the reasons that I am planning to create a residential community at Calumet College of St. Joseph.

I believe in the common saying that you get back more than you give. I believe that a college family that works together for others grows together in community. As one student posted on my door during finals week — what you go through, you grow through.

It takes self-discipline to make time to serve others, but if it was easy, anybody could do it.