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Welcome to the site for the Office of Service Learning at Lewis University.

Service Learning is deeply embedded in the Lewis University Mission. The Office of Service Learning (OSL) strives to build connections with and contribute to our local and global

communities through service learning. The OSL staff also hopes to work with faculty to extend student learning through rich community service experiences which fulfill course objectives.

Through these web pages, we hope to offer insight into our programming as well as possible resources for enhancing understanding of service learning.

As the Office continues to grow, our goal is to provide faculty with varied and effective resources to support course revision and development. We will also continue to build community partnerships and increase our listings of community agencies that have worked with us or hope to do so.

Your input, suggestions and comments are immensely helpful to us as we try to make our Office an asset to Faculty, Students, Staff, and Community Partners alike. Please feel free to contact us and let us know how we might better serve you through this website and beyond.

Christie Billups, D.Min.                                                 
Coordinator of Service Learning

Office of Service Learning
Leckrone Academic Resource Center
billupch@lewisu.edu
(815) 836-5829

 

 

 

Back to Lewis: from Student to Staff!

I graduated from Lewis University a few short months ago, walking with my fellow Spring 2011 graduates. I left Lewis with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Theology. However, this was not to be the end of my time at this institution.During my final year I struggled to decide what was next for my life. Meanwhile I enrolled in a Service Learning course during my last semester. This class changed the course of my life in this year following graduation.

I stepped into this class and was just enthralled. I had been a part of various service projects, and have had a lot of hands-on service experience. However, Service Learning opened an entirely new avenue for service in my life. I spent the semester exploring academics, doing hands on service that directly applied to the course content, and then I had the opportunity to sit down and reflect on my experiences. This combination of direct service, academics and reflection made for an incredibly effective pedagogical tool that helped me to connect the dots. Service Learning exemplifies so many parts of the Lewis Mission Statement. This program embodies fidelity, knowledge, wisdom, justice and association in so many tangible ways.

For the following year I am an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, serving as Assistant to the Office of Service Learning. It is my goal to be a useful resource for students, faculty and staff in facilitating meaningful, academically- relevant experiences with our community partners. I will be available and ready to help in any way that I can. This will include but will not be limited to: continued growth of our community partner database, facilitation of class and student placement, and being a resource as this office continues to grow. I hope to meet many of you who will be partnering with our office in this next year. Please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail if there is some way I may be of assistance to you. I am excited to be back this year stepping into this new season, and I am looking forward to continued growth, service, and to facilitating transformative learning at Lewis University.

Beka Flanagan
AmeriCorps VISTA
Assistant to the Office of Service Learning
Office of Service Learning
Lewis University
flanagbe@lewisu.edu
(815) 836-5023