9-15-98

STUDENTS TO SEE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE

	COLUMBUS -- An emphasis on volunteerism is one of several 
new initiatives that will be introduced to students this autumn 
as part of The Ohio State University Office of Student Affairs 
effort to incorporate a service-learning component into 
undergraduate education. 

	Students will see several opportunities to participate in 
volunteer activities and leadership development throughout the 
1998-99 academic year.

	Beginning Monday (9/21) with the Community Commitment 
project, some 1,200 students will volunteer several hours at 
numerous sites throughout the city performing various community 
services.

	“We hope that through service work and reflection on their 
services students will begin thinking about volunteer service as 
a way of life and as a positive learning experience,” said Tracy 
Stuck, director of Student Activities.  “Our goal is that 
students will want to continue service in their communities after 
graduation and make it a part of their lives.”

	Stuck said students are exposed to community service during 
the first week of classes in order to whet their appetite to 
perform more community service throughout the year, and to 
introduce new and returning students to the Columbus community.

	“This is an opportunity for the students to get to know 
Columbus and their community on a more personal basis,” she said.  
“We want to show students that a sense of community already 
exists at Ohio State -- they don’t have to search for it.  As the 
year progresses, more programs will spontaneously erupt, creating 
many more opportunities for students to participate.”

	One such opportunity is the Oct. 24 National Make a 
Difference Day.  Some 100 Ohio State students will travel to 
Evanston, Ill. to perform community service before the Ohio State 
football game against Northwestern.  Students will participate in 
trash clean-up and site revitalization, and volunteer at various 
community organizations such as shelters for people with HIV, the 
homeless, families, and battered women and children.

	“Participating in community service has greatly affected my 
life as a student,” said Greg Lestini, student chair of Ohio 
State’s Make a Difference project.  “Nothing can complement an 
academic experience better than exposing students to community 
service.  Students can take that experience and put it to use in 
their careers after graduation.  It helps to give them a more 
rounded college experience.” 

	As part of the service-learning effort, a new Leadership 
Institute will be piloted in January that would integrate service 
learning, speakers, workshops and programming to give students a 
well-rounded experience with community service.   

	“This program focuses on leadership, but not the traditional 
view of leadership in which a person is elected to lead a group 
of people,” said Kathy Cleveland Bull, director of training and 
development, Housing, Food Services, and Event Centers, and co-creator 
of the institute.  “Rather, because every student has leadership 
potential, this program was created for all students to add a 
leadership component to their student experience.”  

	The institute would serve as an information clearinghouse 
and resource center as well as offer internships, leadership 
grants and an official out-of-class leadership transcript that 
will list the students’ activities for use for prospective 
employers and graduate schools.

	Cleveland Bull said the institute will help students to 
realize important lessons learned from helping others and will 
help students form a sense of compassion that will be useful to 
help prepare the students for life after graduation.	

	The institute will have a minority leadership component that 
will address minority student concerns with leadership in the 
context of their experience, said Becky Parker, director of the 
Ohio Unions and co-creator of the institute.  She said the 
program would include self-reflection, service-learning, 
community service and academic experience. 

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Contact: Tracy Stuck, director, Student Activities, 292-8763;
Kathy Cleveland Bull, director of training and development, Housing, 
Food Services, and Event Centers, 292-5927; and Becky Parker, 
director, Ohio Unions, 292-7924.