VSLC Exchange Spring 2009

Volunteer and Service-Learning Center Exchange

Spring 2009

VSLC Exchange

Asarese-Matters Recreation Center

Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper

Buffalo Olmsted Conservancy

First United Methodist Church

Firsthand Learning

Griffiths Sculpture park

International Institute of Buffalo

Journey‘s End Refugee Services

Junior Achievement of WNY

Office of the Mayor of Buffalo

PUSH Buffalo

Steel Plant Museum

Belle Center

Buffalo Historical Society

Buffalo Museum of Science

Buffalo Zoo

Coalition for Economic Justice

Hope Refugee Services

Loaves and Fishes Dining Hall

Kids Escaping Drugs

A full list of courses and partners is on page 10

Some of Buffalo State‘s service-learning sites and partners, Spring 2009

Students Plant Trees and Bulbs in the Fall,

and Hundreds Will Serve Again On April 25,

2009

Since Fall 2008, much has happened in our country and

community. A new President was sworn into office, Terrell

Owens became a Buffalo Bill, and 100 inches of snow came and

left. More changes are to come in the Spring: the Buffalo land-

scape will look a bit more colorful, a bit cleaner, and will have

more trees. Bulbs and flowers that Buffalo State students planted

in the Fall will be flourishing at sites all over the West Side. Be

watching for the results of their work on Potomac Street, at the

Albright-Knox Art Gallery, at the Asarese-Matters Rec-Center

on Rees St., at Market Square and the Historical Society. The

weather this month has been exactly the same as it was the day

that these students volunteered: 40 degrees and raining. But now,

we‘re looking ahead not to a cold winter, but to perfect weather

and to another exciting community revitalization effort from the

Buffalo State Community...Service Day 2009! (more on page 3)

Above, student volunteers plant bulbs at the Asarese-Matters

Recreation Center on Rees St.

Page 2 VSLC Exchange

Fourth Annual Volunteer Fair Welcomes Students and Community Organizations

On February 11th, 2009 community agencies and students came together for what was a wonderful Volunteer Fair. The

spirit of giving was contagious to everyone who entered the Campbell Student Union. The afternoon allowed for

students to talk with more than 25 community organizations and find out ways that they could serve the surrounding

community. Susannah White, staff member of the Volunteer and

Service-Learning Center, reported that it was the best student turnout to the

Fair ever, exceeding last year‘s attendance by 100 students..

Valerie Stevens, an Early Childhood Education Major, said ―Volunteering is

something that everyone can participate in. You don‘t have to have a

Bachelor‘s degree; all you have to do is be is willing to lend a hand.‖ After

the Volunteer Fair, community organizations reported having met dozens of

prospective student volunteers.

This year, a change drive was coupled with the Event. Through the change

drive, Buffalo State helped the Food bank of WNY raise almost $300 dollars (or 2100 lbs of food) for families in need.

When Nicollette McCalister was asked why she was so excited to give her change, she said ―Giving makes everyone feel

so good. I am happy I can leave here knowing I helped.‖ Special thanks to Alpha Epsilon Pi, The Caribbean Student

Organization, and the Faculty-Student Association for their extra efforts in the change drive and Fair.

Spring 2009 Celebration of Service is May 5, 2009. Submit A Nomination Now!

In the past, the Buffalo State College Volunteer and Service-Learning Center (VSLC) has held a Celebration of Service

each semester to recognize service-learning, volunteer, and community work study partnerships that occurred during that

semester. This year, the VSLC will hold one celebration to honor students, faculty, staff, and community partners

from the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 Semesters. Visit www.buffalostate.edu/offices/cdc/vslc to submit your

nomination. Special guest Mark Lazzara, founder and CEO of Western New York AmeriCorps will be giving opening

remarks!

There have been some excellent service-learning and volunteer projects this semester, and we strongly encourage you to

nominate a student, faculty, community partner NOW, for one or more of the following awards:

STUDENT AWARD CATEGORY

Outstanding student academic achievement in a service-learning course

Outstanding student community service in a service-learning course: 14 hours or less required

Outstanding Student Community Service in a Service-Learning Course: 15 hours or more required

Outstanding Service-Learning Course: 14 hours or less required

Outstanding Service-Learning Course: 15 hours or

more required

Outstanding Student Volunteer

Outstanding Community Work-Study Student

FACULTY AWARD CATEGORY

Outstanding Faculty Commitment to Service-Learning

COMMUNITY AWARD CATEGORY

Outstanding Service-Learning Community Partner

Above, student, faculty, and community partners receive awards for

Service Learning at a previous Celebration of Service Event


From Commitment to Competency: A Faculty Perspective

―If today’s college graduates are to be positive

forces in this world, they need not only to possess

knowledge and intellectual capacities but also to see

themselves as members of a community, as

individuals with a responsibility to contribute to

their communities.” (Colby, 2003) [p. 7]

In Elementary Education we are committed to taking our

students from the textbook knowledge to the application of

that knowledge. Student feedback on course evaluations

indicated a desire for a field component in the Teaching of

Social Studies Content area.

That content consists of; Children Diversity and Learning,

Transformed Curriculum, Cooperative Learning,

Inquiry, Critical Thinking, and Democratic Citizenship.

They [students] wanted a way to see these items in action

and be able to contribute to them.

Service-Learning gave us the vehicle to align course

content and student outcomes with the opportunity to

reinforce Civic Involvement as stated in the course

syllabus. One of the primary outcomes is that we want

students to be able to ―analyze multiple perspectives as

they relate to diversity and be able to apply them to the

elementary social studies knowledge, skills, and

values.‖ (EDU 310w course syllabus statement) Tutoring

in a community program working specifically with

refugee students was a perfect match for these goals.

During the student‘s semester of service I made several

trips to the tutoring sites in order to monitor their

contributions to the programs and establish a strong

working relationship with the partners. This has proven to

be a valuable tool in evaluating the effectiveness of the

student‘s performance as well as the needs of the partners.

I believe that it is my role as instructor to be sure that my

students are prepared to meet the identified needs of the

partnerships and not just to send them out with a generic

set of skills. This requires communication, observation

and multiple forms of evaluation.

I used two means of input in evaluating this first year;

student reflection (qualitative) and individual tutor

evaluation ( quantitative) done by the directors of both

programs. I categorized the student‘s response into four

areas: Attitudes about Self, Connection to Class Content,

Reflection on Diversity, and Desire to Continue to Service.

The students were required to reflect on a weekly basis

and submit a summative reflection at the end of the

semester. When looking at the Attitudes about Self, I

repeatedly found that the students discovered attitudes and

perceptions about themselves had become points of

Mary Cummings

Lecturer, Elementary Education

Coming from a personal background where Volunteer

Service was an expectation, Service-Learning with my

students in EDU 310, Teaching Social Studies in the

Elementary School was a natural extension. After

attending the Faculty Fellow training and doing some

additional research the philosophy and content

development fell into place.

My reasons for aligning my course content with Service-

Learning came from the work of A. Colby, Ehrlich,

Beaumont, Stephens in Educating Citizens: Preparing

America’s Undergraduates for Lives of Moral and Civic

responsibility, and Boyer, E.L. (1987). College: The

Undergraduate experience in America. New York:

Harper Collins. These works talk about Competency to

Commitment

“… What a monumental mistake it would be if

students, during the undergraduate years,

remained trapped within the organization grooves

and narrow routine to which the academic world

sometimes seems excessively devoted” Boyer,

1987) [p. 283].


Faculty perspective continued:

change within their own lives:

“This has absolutely been a life changing experience.”

“I have come to realize that I was foolish and should

have been sharing (my time) all along.”

As stated earlier, in class evaluations prior to adding the

service learning component, the students frequently

commented that there was no place where they could use

the content of the course until they got to student

teaching. Their new understanding of second language

acquisition or sheltered content English instruction needs

a real life situation to drive home their understanding.

After this experience the comments changed:

“I have found that it is absolutely imperative to

connect everything to what they do know and

comprehend; otherwise every bit of information will

go in one ear and right out the other.”

For many of these students finding themselves in

communities and neighborhoods that didn‘t look like theirs

was unsettling. The exposure to this level of diversity

brought about a great deal of inner reflection and growth:

“I was hesitant towards working with students of a

diverse background and culture. I have truly opened

myself to the experience and feel that I have gained a

lot from it. I really feel that EDU 310 is an excellent

course for potential teachers. It allows the students

to gain insight as to who they are and what their

beliefs may be. It allows us to experience the diverse

cultures … and gets us ready to teach in diverse

schools…”

My personal goal for my students in this course was for

them to desire to continue in areas of service.

They did not disappoint me:

“I am hoping to continue working with these

students during the summer.”

“I am definitely a believer of having more service

learning courses in the teaching program.”

“My goal is to encourage them to exceed their

limitations by providing opportunities to make

learning fun; to offer support and stability and to

boost their self-esteem.”

Imagine my delight when I stopped by the tutoring

center and found two of my students still volunteering

their time a month after school was over. One of them

had to drive quite a distance to get there (regardless of

the price of gas). They wanted to continue with the

relationships that they had established and to be sure

that their students had academic support until the end

of the year. With the help of an incentive grant from

the Research Foundation we now offer a stipend for

those who are truly committed and wish to continue in

their roles.

The quantitative results gave me very specific feedback

that will guide my course development for the next

semester. While the numbers were good in this area of

professionalism we need to continually stress the

importance of conduct and attire. This area always

needs to be addressed when helping students to bridge

the gap from student to professional.

My evaluation of interactive skills reflects some of the

apprehension that students felt when they went into a

totally different environment to work with refugee

students. The survey tells me that I need to have the

students gain some confidence in directing and

redirecting students during activities and how important

it is to give encouragement for even the smallest

successes. (continued on page 6)

Buffalo State Community Service Day 2009 For the past 12 years, the Buffalo State College Community has been participating in

Community Service Day. On this day, students, faculty, staff and alumni work in Buffalo to

rebuild playgrounds, plant community gardens and trees and clean parks and streams. Bills

Quarterback JP Losman even came last year to our Spring event to help throw out some

garbage, huddle around the food tent at lunch time, and hand-off free t-shirts to volunteers.

Yes, those were a stretch, but this isn‘t: the goal this year is to engage more than 400

students. To do this, we‘re making some pretty great collaborations. Community Service

Day will contribute to two other massive revitalization initiatives: the Great American

Cleanup Initiative and Earth Week with Hands On Greater Buffalo and WNY AmeriCorps.

By Margaret P. Stehlik

Director, Martin House Volunteers

Buffalo State Graduate students from Associate Professor,

Jill Gradwell‘s ―Topics for Service – Education‖ class at

Buffalo State College have been instrumental in creating the

first ―Wright Experience‖ summer camp to be presented at

Frank Lloyd Wright‘s Darwin D. Martin House in North

Buffalo. The Martin House, located on the corner of Jewett

Parkway and Summit Avenue, is one of the major cultural

attractions in the Western New York region. As a house

museum, it is also an important educational resource for the

community and hosts school programs and tours throughout

the year. Gradwell, a former volunteer at the Martin House,

saw the opportunity for her students to engage in a

community collaboration that resulted in a hands-on learning

experience for them and the implementation of an exciting

new program for the Martin House targeted to children

entering grades 4 to 6.

The Martin House Complex is nestled within the Parkside

Community district, a short walking distance from the

Buffalo Zoo and Fredrick Law Olmsted‘s Delaware Park. It

was designed and built in the early 20th century by Frank

Lloyd Wright for Larkin Soap Company executive Darwin

D. Martin. Currently under restoration, the Martin House

complex is destined to be the centerpiece

of Buffalo‘s renaissance as a destination

for cultural tourism. The historic site, as

Gradwell knows well from her direct

experience there, is an ideal venue for

young learners to discover the built and

natural environment and explore how they

interact with the world around them.

Wright‘s highly principled approach to

what he called ―organic architecture‖ is

abundantly evident in the Martin House

particularly his attention to the integration

of the building with its landscape. In

many ways, Wright can be considered the

first ―Green‖ Architect; a century ahead of

his time in this sensitivity to building in

concert with the natural surroundings.

Gradwell‘s graduate class developed proposals for a summer

camp to be held at the historic Martin House, where young

learners would explore ideas about architecture and Wright‘s

organic principles, as well as Buffalo history, civic

awareness and community engagement. Students in the first

semester concentrated on developing the curriculum outline

The Darwin Martin House: A Community Partner’s Perspective


and program offerings and presented their concepts to the

Martin House staff.

The students‘ proposals provided inspiration to the volun-

teers of the Martin House education committee who fur-

ther developed the camp with weeklong activities that in-

clude writing, drawing, touring, gardening, walking, and

exploring not only the historic site but also the surround-

ing Parkside neighborhood and Olmsted park system. Ac-

tivities are designed to help young students understand

their own reactions to nature and the built environment.

Members of the education committee who will implement

the program are Buffalo teachers who found that the Buf-

falo State grad student program gave them a rich outline

from which to develop specific, daily activities. Second

semester Buffalo State Grad students will be active in im-

plementing the program and participating ―hands-on‖ with

the youngsters who attend the camp.

The ―Wright Experience‖ summer camp was offered for

the first time in July 2008.

Adults, students and life-long learners are welcome to tour

the Martin House which is open daily except Tuesdays.

Call 716- 856-3858 for information or visit

www.darwinmartinhouse.org

“The building as architecture is born out of

the heart of man. Permanent consort to the

ground, comrade to the trees, true reflection

of man in the realm of his own spirit. His

building is therefore consecrated space

wherein he seeks refuge and repose for body

but especially for mind.”

-Frank Lloyd Wright

Right, an EDU

311 student reads

aloud to a

Young girl from

Berma.


Faculty perspective continued from page 4

It is inappropriate to think that students, even teacher candidates, know how to go about tutoring students in a one-on-

one setting. Helping students to complete homework sheets is one thing, but knowing how to identifying where a

student is and deciding how to get a student to where they should be is much more difficult. Even with a background in

teacher preparation and several semesters in field service time in our program the evaluation emphasized the continuing

need to hone the tutoring skills. To help in this area we (the department of Elementary Education and Reading) are

working on a variable credit course which will focus on understanding the refugee student‘s educational background and

how to address the areas of unique need as tutors. This along with the content of EDU 310 should help us develop a

cadre of well trained individuals to go into the community.

I am very pleased with the results of this first semester of my service learning course. We have a lot of continuing work,

but for the most part the students did learn more about children, diversity and learning than they could have possibly

received in a traditional classroom setting.

Service-Learning Students in the Community

Above, Jo Yudess’ Creativity Studies class engages

youth in creativity skills activities

Below, students from various courses distribute food at Loaves and Fishes

Left, volunteers

read aloud to

students at

Elmwood

Village Charter

School

Service-learning volunteers fill a void in education. Unfortunately, teachers are often

seen more as authority figures, disciplinarians, and purveyors of knowledge. On the

other hand, volunteers are viewed as ―big brothers and/or sisters,‖ mentors and

friends. This shift in perception allows volunteers to reach out to students in a non-authoritative way, which ultimately

allows for real bonding to occur between the volunteer and the child. Real work can be accomplished when there is trust

and accessibility. Real learning takes place for both the volunteer and the youngsters.

My experience as a student volunteer at Enterprise Charter School in Downtown Buffalo was delightful and highly re-

warding. During my time there, I developed a very good rapport with three junior high school students: Jamel, Edwin,

and Tyrell. Originally, all three boys were assigned detention on Saturday, but they were pulled out and assigned to

work with me to further develop their writing skills. At first, the boys were hesitant to fully engage, but in no time at all,

they were eagerly participating and thoroughly enjoying themselves, and so was I! The boys were so involved they

asked if they could return the following week and work with me again. Miss Yard, the supervising teacher, was as

thrilled as I was. The boys now voluntarily come for enrichment services every Saturday morning and work with me for

three solid hours. This example of young boys giving up their sleep on their day off so they can come to school in order

to do extra school work is a great example of service-learning at its best. For me, there is nothing more satisfying than

connecting – really connecting – with students in such a profound manner. In any case, Service-Learning students are in

a unique position to make an impact on the lives of children in Buffalo and the surrounding suburbs.

Service-learning volunteers view schools, academics, and students from a different

perspective than teachers and other school staff, such as guidance counselors,

school psychologists and social workers, and others who are involved with the daily experiences of children in our local

schools. Volunteers differ for many reasons: they are not paid. They are also not confined by the rigid standards that

teachers and other support providers face. Rather, volunteers have more time and freedom to develop sincere, trusting,

and supportive relationship with students. Generally, the student approaches volunteer service with the idea that they are

going to help children learn, to overcome academic obstacles and improve the child‘s scholastic standing. Reflecting on

my own service-learning experience at Enterprise Charter School, I feel that it is the volunteer who comes away having

accomplished most of the learning - about themselves, the community, and about the realities and myths concerning chil-

dren who live at the poverty level. Service-learning is a reciprocal process that can have a positive impact on children

both immediately and in the future.

While classroom experience is an imperative component of education, it is not the place where the most significant

learning takes place. This learning takes place in the real world, with real children, who deal with real life problems.

Textbooks do not hold the key to human compassion or understanding. A textbook does not think or feel or come to un-

derstand what having a bad day means when you are five years-old and the after school snack is fish-on-a-stick. Yuk! At

best, textbooks provide Education Students with tools to do the job of teaching capably and knowledgeably. At worst,

textbooks can isolate teachers from the reality of their students‘ lives and at times, even engender a sense of superiority.

Generally though, when students are volunteering, textbooks are not the main focus; in fact, on any given day, they may

not be part of the equation at all. Drawing from my experience, the best thing a volunteer can do is leave their bag, brief-

case, or backpack outside the door. They must, instead, unpack the tools of the heart: compassion, empathy and accep-

tance - not the books of their trade. The volunteer must to trust their instincts, their heart, and in their abilities as well as

the young people they serve.


What is a charter school? A charter school is a public school with free

enrollment. Charter schools receive waivers from public school districts

in exchange for promising better academic results. Charters are usually

given for 3-5 years, where an eye is kept on academic performance. If

academic performance lags behind comparable public schools, then the

―charter‖ is pulled and the school is closed (Wikipedia.org)

Be a youth mentor at

Enterprise Charter

School!

Visit:

literacybuffalo.org

Or call:

716-876-8991

A Student Perspective: A Semester at Elmwood Village Charter School Diane Deacon

Graduate, Buffalo State College

To lend your hand

e-mail [email protected], call

878-5811 or visit Clev306

New Orientation for

Incoming Students Will

Have Service Component This year, the Orientation Office

will collaborate with the VSLC for

a new tradition at Buffalo State.

New students will partake in a Day

of Service as part of the week-of

welcome orientation. On the Satur-

VSLC Exchange Page 8

day before classes begin students, fac-

ulty, and staff will partner with as

many as sixty community organiza-

tions to complete about 4 hours of ser-

vice. The Orientation Office and

VSLC hope this initiative lays the

foundation for Buffalo State students

to continue service to the community

during their tenure and beyond.

Buffalo State College

Community

Service Day 2009 April 25, 2009

8:30am - 1:00pm

Lunch provided

connect with the wider

community

help area organizations,

parks, and neighborhoods

improve quality of life in

Buffalo Community Service Day is a program of the

Volunteer and Service-Learning Center, is funded

by the Auxiliary Services Grant Allocation Com-

mittee, the Office of the Vice President, and is co-

sponsored by USG.

Student perspective cont‘d There are many young people who

need not just tutoring and

remediation but also mentoring,

guidance, a shoulder to lean on, and a

caring ear to listen. These are the

elements a volunteer can unpack

from their bag of tricks and use to

help students achieve success both

academically and socially. Service-

learning is a two way street; one you

will want to walk down quite

frequently once you have discovered

it!

Congress Passes a Bill to

Increase Budget for

Service-Learning It is an exciting time for

Service-Learning supporters. The

House of Representatives passed a bill

on March 18th, 2009 that will improve

and provide new support for

Service-Learning programs. This

includes increased support for Learn

and Serve America – the only federal

program dedicated to funding Service-

Learning activities in local schools and

communities. The legislation would

increase funding from 43 million to 98

million dollars. The new legislation is

by far the biggest change that programs

under the National Corporation for

Community Service has seen since its

inception in 2004. Asked how this

might effect Buffalo State, VSLC

coordinator Laura Hill Rao, says ―the

SERVE Act will provide additional

opportunities for Service-Learning

funding and program development that

may benefit Buffalo State College

directly or through expanded resources

for our partners such as Western New

York.AmeriCorps.‖ (more about

National Service on page 12)


VSLC Bulletin Board and Upcoming Opportunities

Student Announcements

West Side Ministries

.West Side Ministries (WSM) is a non-profit organizations that

works to address the major issue of vacant lots and properties in

Buffalo. WSM deals with these vacant properties by encouraging

what most feel to be a major solution to the problem:

homeownership.

West Side Ministries buys houses in a target area and renovates

them using volunteer labor. This allows them to offer an

affordable, quality housing product to families. Volunteers are needed to help prepare homes for sale to qualified

buyers. Find this and more information at www.westsideministries.org

To volunteer, contact Cornelia Dohse-Peck at 716- 882-6063

Earth Week with HandsOn Greater Buffalo and WNY AmeriCorps

Join in celebrating Earth Week with a week of events and service projects from April 18-25! The following are a listing

of some of HandsOn Greater Buffalo‘s upcoming events.

- Buffalo Audobon Earth Day Festival: April 18, 10am—4pm

- Gallagher Beach Sweep: April 25, 8:30am—12pm.

- Home Rehabilitations: April 22, 8am-5pm

- Reinstein Trail Cleanup: April 23, 9am-12pm

- Olmsted Parks Beautification Project: 8am—12:30pm

To volunteer for these and see other HandsOn Greater Buffalo initiatives, visit the website at

handsongreaterbuffalo.org or contact Sarah Mitchell at 716-558-3322

Community Partner Announcements

1. The Volunteer and Service-Learning Center offers partner agen-

cies the opportunity to set-up information tables in the Campbell Stu-

dent Union for volunteer recruitment. Tables are available Monday-

Friday from 11:00am- 1:30pm, space is very limited. If you would

like to reserve an information table, please contact Susannah White

at [email protected] to inquire about available dates.

2. Do you have a volunteer opportunity to share with Buffalo State

College students? The VSLC posts all volunteer opportunities for

students using the Career Development Center‘s, Online Resource

for Career Advancement (ORCA).

3. To list your opportunity easily and quickly, simply login to

ORCA as an employer through the VSLC website,

www.buffalostate.edu/offices/cdc/vslc. Click on "Add/Review/Edit

postings". If you are new to ORCA, you can request a username and

password by filling out the Employer Request Form available on the

site. Or, if you prefer, you can email or fax the position to the VSLC

and we will post it for you on ORCA.

Thank you for considering Buffalo State College students!

1. Community Service Day is April

25, 2009. To participate, register

online at

buffalostate.edu/offices/cdc/vslc;

call 878-5811, or visit CLEV306.

2. Student Groups: the VSLC has

staff available and would like speak

at your next meeting! Contact us if

your group is interested in learning

more about the Center and about

ways to connect with the

community.

3. Service-Learning award

nominations are due. See page 3 for

more information

4. Good luck on exams and best

wishes for a great finish to

the semester!


COURSE TITLE INSTRUCTOR COMMUNITY PARTNER(S) DESCRIPTION

Art Education AED 302W Function & Practices in Art Education

Hayes, Shirley Ph.D School 30, Community Charter School, Buffalo Academy fo Visual and Performing Arts

Students offer art activities to children in an urban setting

Business BUS 320 Principles of Marketing Lai, Christine Ph.D. Violence Against Women on Campus (VAWOC) w/

Counseling Center Students will develop a market-ing plan(s) for campus initiative

BUS 320 Principles of Marketing McFarland, Diane Ph.D

American Cancer Society, Asarese Matters Recrea-tional Center, Junior Achievement, VA-WOC/Counseling Certer, We Care Block Clubs, Journey's End, International Insitute, Steel Plant Museum

Students will develop a market-ing plan(s) for area organiza-tions

BUS 327 Advertising Concepts and Prac-tices

McFarland, Diane Ph.D

to be determined Students work with area non-profits to help with their adver-tising objectives

Communication COM 301Intro to PR/Advertising Silverman, Deborah

Ph.D to be determined Teams of students prepare a

communication plan for a client

COM 308 Public Relations Writing Silverman, Deborah Ph.D

Journey's End Refugee Services, Kids Escaping Drugs, Loaves and Fishes, CEM, Steel Plant Mu-seum, Inc., The Morlock Foundation, American Can-cer Society, partners for Prevention, Cancer Screen-ing services of Erie Co., Upstate New York Trans-plant Services, We Care Neighborhood Block Club Assocciation

Students work individually to write news releases & other PR materials

COM 620 Public Relations Management Silverman, Deborah Ph.D

UNYTS, BEAM, Steel Plant Museum Teams of students prepare an in- depth public relations plan for their assigned agency

COM 431 Advanced Video Production Knowles, Marguerite M.F.A.

Hope Refugee Services, Griffiths Park, American Cancer Society

Teams of students prepare a short documentary for a local organization

Earth Science & Earth Science

Education

SED 200 Field Experience in Secondary Science Class

Lange, Catherine Prof.

First Hand Learning Students work on educational enrichment and environmental analysis and reports for partner agencies

Educational Computing

EDC 604 Authoring for Educators Gareau, Stephen Ph.D

Loaves and Fishes, We Care Neighborhood Block Club Association

Teams of students will build, update and maintain websites for community partners

Elementary Education & Read-

ing

EDU 310W Teaching Social Stucies in the Elem. School

del Prado Hill, Pixita M.Ed

Westminster Community Charter School Students worked designing social studies lesson plans that incorporated literacy

EDU 310W Teaching Social Stucies in the Elem. School

Cummings, Mary M.A. Hope Refugee Service, Peace of the City Homework Club

Students work with refugee students at Hope, and on ESL and tutring at the Homework Club

EDU211 Introduction to Literacy Sacks, Harriet M.Ed School 30, Let's Go to the Library Program w/Journey's End

Students complete 10 hours of literacy tutoring and read aloud for elementary grade students at BPS 30

Course Bulletin, Spring 2009 Service-Learning students participate in a wide arrange of service-oriented activi-

ties: leading activities for kids, developing marketing plans, writing news and press

releases; students design websites, teach dance classes and creative movement, ana-

lyze data and assist with program assessment. Below are listed this Service-Learning

courses, faculty, community partners and activities for the Spring 2009 semester.

Right, Harriet Sacks’ EDU 311 student introduces refugee youth to the library

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1950999&id=1331981501


History & Social Studies

HIS 379 Museum and Civic Engagement Cinquino, David M.F.A.

Buffalo Zoo, Amherst Museum, Steel Plant Museum, Hallwalls, Buffalo Olmsted Parks, Navel and Military Park, Science Museum, Historical Society

Each student works with an area cultural organization on a project of the partners choosing

Hospitality and Tourism

HRT 300 Food and Beverage Management Burgeson, Stephen C. M.Ed.

Loaves and Fishes Students assist with food pre-partion at an area dining room

HTR 380 Advanced Training in Hospitality Till, Lori Ed.D CAPP, Canisius YALT, Statler Center, Baker Victory WAY, CBTP

Students tutor and mentor indi-viduals with disabilities

Music

MUS 113 Brass Techniques Fleming, Ricky Ph.D. Campus West Students work with after school BPS students

MUS 114 Percussion Techniques Fuster, Bradley D.M.A.

Campus West Students work with after school BPS students

MUS 116 Woodwind Techniques Reinoso, Crystal D.M.A.

Campus West Students work with after school BPS students

MUS 360 Secondary Instrumental Methods Hunter, Lisa Ph.D. Kenmore East Senior High School Students work with K-E stu-dents

Political Science

PSC 204 Political Statistics Baek, Kyeonghi Ph.D The Belle Center Students will assist partners in analyzing agency data

PSC 318 Democracy & Peace: The Urban Experience

McGovern, Patrick Ph.D

Coalition for Economic Justice Students work with the coalition with on-going projects

Social Work

SWK 319 Dynamics of Poverty Aviles, Christopher Ph.D

Various agencies Students complete 20 hours of service with an agency of their choosing which serves under-privileged populations

SWK 424 Intermediate Methods III Hilarski, Carolyn Ph.D FLY Afterschool Program, First Methodist Church, International Institute, Families Together in NYS, City-wide Citizens Empowerment, Erie County Care-giviers, BN Riverkeeper, None Like You, Journey's End, Junior Achievment, Schiller Park

Students prepare and present 3 presentations on a topic of inter-est related to social work

Sociology

SOC 250 Sociology of Buffalo Kreig, Eric Ph.D BN Riverkeepers, First Hand Learning, International Institute, Native American Community Services, PUSH, Junior Achievement, CEM Senior Center, Office of the Mayor, Division of Citizen Services

Students complete 25 hours of service with an area agency

SOC100 Introduction to Sociology Holleran, Beth M.S. Project Flight Students are assisting with the acquisition, cataloging and disbursement of books

SOC 312 Women in Society Holleran, Beth M.S.

SOC 240 Analyzing Social Problems Stewart, Ron Ph. D. Loaves and Fishes Students will be assisting at this free dining room

SOC 486 Practicum Welborn, Gary Ph.D Asarese Matters Recreational Center, Loaves and Fishes

Students plan and implement community building activities

Student Personnel Administra-

tion

CSP 623 Counseling Theory II Herdlein, Richard Ph.D

First Methodist, Belle Center, CEM Senior Center, Junior Achievement

Students work on counseling groups and individuals about issues related to future employ-ment and possible college

Theater

DAN 201 Teaching Creative Movement for Children

Guarino, Joy M.F.A. to be determined Students will work directly with children teaching creative movement

Fine Arts

FAR 103 Modeling Payne, Kenneth Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park

FAR 240 Introductory Sculpture Payne, Kenneth Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park

FAR 342 Intermediate Sculpture II Payne, Kenneth Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park

FAR 343 Advanced Sculpture Payne, Kenneth Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park

FAR 345 Figure Modeling Payne, Kenneth Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park

FAR 440 Senior Studio in Sculpture Payne, Kenneth M.F.A.

Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park


Volunteer and Service-Learning Center

Buffalo State College

Cleveland 306,

1300 Elmwood Avenue

Buffalo, New York 14222

Email: [email protected]

Call: (716) 878-5811

Faculty Services

Support in identifying community projects and partnerships.

Coordinate service-learning student placements, scheduling,

and transportation.

Community Services

Develop service-learning projects with Buffalo State

College faculty to support the needs and services of your

organization.

Post volunteer opportunities for one-time, short-term or

ongoing projects.

Student Services

Connect student groups and individuals with volunteer

opportunities.

Assist students looking to identify and enroll in

service-learning courses.

Organize activities and events to promote student involve-

ment in the Western New York community.

More Americans Than Ever Able to Answer the ‗Call to Service‘

Programs under the umbrella of the National Corporation for Community Service will soon be receiving a huge boost in

support. Through the GIVE act that is now on President Obama‘s desk, new and existing National Service programs

countrywide such as AmeriCorps (existing) and a Clean Energy Corps (new) will be expanded, created, and improved.

This will enable more Americans of all ages will be able to serve the country and local communities. Positions are avail-

able for nearly all backgrounds: for those who have ‘dropped out‘ of school, there are positions available that enable the

member to serve and at the same time earn a GED. Some positions are more suitable to college students and graduates,

and may require college experience, a college degree, or extensive experience in a certain field. The benefits available to

members of AmeriCorps and similar programs are wide-ranging and unique. For instance, most members receive a

weekly sum of money in order to cover basic costs of living. Upon completion of service requirements, all members re-

ceive an Education Award that is easy to use and can be used to pay off qualified student loans and college fees. While

carrying out their service, members are able to put existing and qualifying student loans into forbearance (pay nothing)

and have the interest on most of these loans forgiven. Additionally, non-monetary benefits such as personal and profes-

sional growth, specialized trainings, and experience rank high on the benefits list. National Service programs develop

and foster personal growth while consistently working to meet the needs and address the issues that our country faces.

There will be an AmeriCorps Recruitment Day on campus in April. Contact the CDC at 878-5811 for information

Visit these websites for more about National Service and available positions locally and nationwide:

1. www.wnyamericorps.org : Links to local opportunities

2. www.nationalservice.org : Links to information about National Service

3. www.americorps.org : Links to AmeriCorps positions available nationwide

About the VSLC

Documents

VSLC Exchange Spring 2009