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The Service Learning Certificate Program is a two-year, five-quarter program open to all Northwestern freshmen, sophomores and juniors. The certificate program requires students to complete five credits of coursework, 100 hours of community service, five quarters of facilitated reflective seminars, and a capstone project that requires both challenging scholarship and relevancy for a community organization. The program not only allows students to earn credit for their interest in community service but also provides a structured and effective approach for fostering continued civic engagement.
To earn the Certificate in Service Learning, students must satisfy the following requirements:
Coursework
SESP 202- “Introduction to Community Development"
Taught by Dr. John Kretzmann, Co-Director of Northwestern’s Asset-Based Community Development Institute (ABCD Institute). Taken in the first quarter of the program (winter), this course serves as the gateway course for students enrolled in the SLCP program. The course examines both historic and contemporary community building efforts, paying special attention to approaches that were shaped by Chicago.
Communication 395/SESP 351 “Leadership and Community Decision-making”
Taught by Dr. Paul Arntson, Alumnae of NU Teaching Professor of Speech Communication Studies, and ABCD Institute Faculty Fellow. This course builds on the knowledge of community development students acquire in SESP 202, and is taken fall quarter of the second. The course objectives are to study and practice leadership skills and strategies in community decision-making contexts and to identify and analyze key community leadership challenges and opportunities. Students will work in groups directly with a community organization to negotiate and plan for projects that will be implemented over the following two quarters leading to completion of the Capstone project requirement.
SLCP elective course
Students take one additional course, from offerings in various schools and departments across the university that reflect the principles of the service-learning certificate. This course must have either strong content related to the types of societal issues encountered through civic engagement, or a more specialized focus that provides a greater foundation specific to the topical area or specific research interest associated with a student’s capstone project.
SESP 299-1 Capstone Research
SESP 299-2 Capstone Project
Finally, students are required to take two independent study courses — one each during the winter and spring quarter of their second year leading to their completion of a capstone project a process started while enrolled in the SESP351/COMM ST 395 class.
Community Service
Students perform 50 hours of community service at an approved site in each of the two years. In the first year, involvement in several different organizations is encouraged. The goals of students’ service during year one is to explore service opportunities in a variety of contexts or a particular context in a variety of service settings. Service hours are not required to be fulfilled at the organization with which the student is engaged in a capstone project.
Reflective Seminars
Students participate in biweekly staff-facilitated reflection seminars, which provide a forum for assessing service experiences and relevant academic coursework over the five academic quarters. During the second year students develop skills as reflection leaders. The student-led sessions typically tackle larger issues facing our nation and local communities. A secondary objective of these sessions is for students to get feedback from their peers regarding ideas, problems and issues associated with their capstone project. This sharing of diverse experience benefits all program participants as each individual learns through his or her own capstone experience but also through the experiences of others.
Capstone Project
In the second year, students must complete a service-learning project in collaboration with a sponsoring organization. Students will work in groups on projects they have negotiated as part of the coursework requirement for SESP 351/COMM ST 395 taken the fall quarter of their second year. Students may petition to complete an individual project if they have established a strong relationship with an organization and the project has significant merit.
Projects have relevancy to the sponsoring organization’s mission and goals, such as researching and designing a new program; writing a major policy or fundraising proposal; conducting a needs assessment or program evaluation, etc. The capstone project is due at the end of the second year and is evaluated for two units of credit. Capstone projects are presented to the university community; community service providers and the general public at a reception near the end of spring quarter.
For further information on the Service Learning Certificate Program, please contact Bruce Nelson at 847/491-5383, b-nelson5@northwestern.edu, or visit the program office at 122 Annenberg Hall.
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