2008 Woodie Awards
Clearinghouse for Volunteers: Lead as a mentor
Tricia Williams
Issue date: 3/27/08 Section: Editorial/Opinion
03/27/08 - Are you looking for a leadership position on campus? Do you need to fill elective credit?
Do you enjoy service work, helping others, or advocating for change? How would you like to inspire future Rhody Rams through URI 101? If so, the Feinstein Enriching America Program needs you to become a URI 101 service learning (SL) mentor.
This past fall, 18 SL mentors worked with 19 community agencies to lead URI 101 classes in reflection activities, assist with service project logistics, develop more sustainable relationships with community partners and develop their own leadership skills.
Erica Richard, a former SL mentor, captured her experience with the following remark: "When you are teaching about service learning, sometimes it is easy to forget that you are learning also … However, the reward surely comes when all of a sudden you see everything click into place and [the student's] face lights up. One instance when I could tell we were breaking prejudices and changing minds was during one of our first classes; a student had sparked a great discussion about why the poor are poor and even made it difficult for me to come up with a good response."
In the fall of 2007, the fourth year of the SL Mentor program, mentors like Erica helped 133 URI 101 classes, made up of more than 2,900 first year students complete more than 14,000 hours of service at 39 community agencies. This couldn't have been done without the help of dedicated students and certainly can't be repeated without a new class of enthusiastic SL mentors. In order to make next year's service learning experience a success, we need your help.
What does it involve?
1. Enroll in CSV 302 for 3 graded credits (Thursdays 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.);
2. Collaborate with other service mentors on service initiatives and projects;
3. Participate in Challenge Course as a class;
4. Partner with a number of URI 101 classes and lead the service component of the class;
5. Collaborate with URI 101 mentors to provide pre-service preparation, attend the service projects and implement post-service reflection;
6. Be involved in all aspects of service project planning and selection of your partnered projects;
7. Enhance your leadership skills while getting involved on campus and in the community!
Service experiences are greatly enhanced when the people leading them understand the importance of civic engagement, so let this be your chance to share your commitment to the local community with others.
Applications can be picked up and returned outside the Feinstein Center for Service Learning (Room 127, Roosevelt Hall). An interview sign-up sheet is also located on the bulletin board outside Room 127.
Completed applications are due no later than March 31 at 4 p.m. so pick yours up soon. Questions can be directed to Sarah Miller at 874-7422 or sgmiller@mail.uri.edu.
We look forward to your application.
Do you enjoy service work, helping others, or advocating for change? How would you like to inspire future Rhody Rams through URI 101? If so, the Feinstein Enriching America Program needs you to become a URI 101 service learning (SL) mentor.
This past fall, 18 SL mentors worked with 19 community agencies to lead URI 101 classes in reflection activities, assist with service project logistics, develop more sustainable relationships with community partners and develop their own leadership skills.
Erica Richard, a former SL mentor, captured her experience with the following remark: "When you are teaching about service learning, sometimes it is easy to forget that you are learning also … However, the reward surely comes when all of a sudden you see everything click into place and [the student's] face lights up. One instance when I could tell we were breaking prejudices and changing minds was during one of our first classes; a student had sparked a great discussion about why the poor are poor and even made it difficult for me to come up with a good response."
In the fall of 2007, the fourth year of the SL Mentor program, mentors like Erica helped 133 URI 101 classes, made up of more than 2,900 first year students complete more than 14,000 hours of service at 39 community agencies. This couldn't have been done without the help of dedicated students and certainly can't be repeated without a new class of enthusiastic SL mentors. In order to make next year's service learning experience a success, we need your help.
What does it involve?
1. Enroll in CSV 302 for 3 graded credits (Thursdays 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.);
2. Collaborate with other service mentors on service initiatives and projects;
3. Participate in Challenge Course as a class;
4. Partner with a number of URI 101 classes and lead the service component of the class;
5. Collaborate with URI 101 mentors to provide pre-service preparation, attend the service projects and implement post-service reflection;
6. Be involved in all aspects of service project planning and selection of your partnered projects;
7. Enhance your leadership skills while getting involved on campus and in the community!
Service experiences are greatly enhanced when the people leading them understand the importance of civic engagement, so let this be your chance to share your commitment to the local community with others.
Applications can be picked up and returned outside the Feinstein Center for Service Learning (Room 127, Roosevelt Hall). An interview sign-up sheet is also located on the bulletin board outside Room 127.
Completed applications are due no later than March 31 at 4 p.m. so pick yours up soon. Questions can be directed to Sarah Miller at 874-7422 or sgmiller@mail.uri.edu.
We look forward to your application.