Outside the Classroom
The symbiotic relationship between Slippery Rock Borough and Slippery Rock University extends well past businesses and events.
Students have been involved in community events for years, but the university has been pushing the envelope by incorporating community service in the classroom as assignments and practice.
Some courses allow students earn credits by using practical skills in a community service setting. The arrangement provides “an opportunity to take it to a deeper level,” said Jeffrey Rathlef, SRU director of community engaged learning.
Last year, 1,738 students participated in the 82 courses designated as service-learning, taught by 21 faculty members.
“That's about 20 percent of the student body,” Rathlef said.
He said there was also a range of areas and majors that practiced their skills in the community service setting. He said of the university's 37 total departments, 13 of them are service-learning.
“It's an opportunity for students to have an applied experience,” Rathlef said. “It's community service, but it's tied to the course and the curriculum.”
One example of the program's benefits is the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center, 245 Harmony Road, which offers hours to students who need to fulfill volunteer requirements for classes.
The center helps people with disabilities through equine-assisted therapy.
Rathlef said some of the school's accounting students will be helping with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program again this year, which is run by the College of Business.
“That does tax assistance for those with low-income,” he said.
Rathlef said students in certain fields also have a chance to work in an outdoor setting for some of their community service hours.
He said those studying wildlife and wildlife management can be found in places such as Jennings Environmental Education Center, where students collect data and complete other tasks for the center.
“Students get field experience. They get hands-on in terms of sampling,” Rathlef said. “That data is given to Jennings EC as part of their ongoing data collection.”
Miranda Crotsley, program coordinator at Jennings, said, in the past the students have completed surveys on the area's songbirds and land crayfish, among other species.
“It really helps us understand the park,” said Crostley of the students' past work. “We want to manage the prairie properly, and their work really helps.”
She added a new group of students will be coming to the center in February for an introductory program before beginning work for the rest of their semesters.
Rathlef said he expects this style of learning to continue growing. He said students and faculty are also finding support to foster that growth from the local, state and federal governments, especially in the form of grants.
“There's a lot more services and support for this type of learning,” he said.
He said the best part for the students is knowing they get a quality education and can truly connect with a community in which they spend a part of their lives.
“That is where the learning really comes into play,” Rathlef said. “This really takes it to an intentional way because it's integrated with the coursework.”
