We engage students in UGA’s public service mission as a fundamental part of their academic experience at UGA.
Service-learning enhances student learning through the application of academic skills and knowledge to address a community-identified need, issue, or problem. Service-learning is a core part of UGA’s experiential learning requirement.
Service-learning differs from community service, internships, or field study experiences because the service activity is connected to the course learning goals through reflection and critical analysis, and seeks to balance the benefits to the student with benefits to the community partners and the public good.
The Office of Service-Learning is jointly supported by UGA’s Office of Instruction and Public Service & Outreach.
We Build Faculty Capacity
The OSL encourages community-engaged teaching and research through expanded faculty development. We offer workshops, consultations and grants, organize the annual service-learning fellows program, and present awards to faculty for their work in service-learning instruction and research.
We Support Community Partners
The OSL develops community-university partnerships for service-learning projects and placements. Some of our partnerships include Experience UGA, Engage GA, the AmeriCorps VISTA Network, and the AmeriCorps Community Food Fellows.
We Enhance Student Learning
The OSL supports student programs and opportunities for service-learning and experiential learning. These opportunities include becoming an Experience UGA Ambassador, joining Campus Kitchen, and applying to be a PSO Student Scholar. We are also starting a new youth sports and literacy tutoring program.
We Make a Positive Impact
The OSL measures the impact of service-learning through scholarship, assessment and institutional tracking. This includes our service-learning course surveys and publishing the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement (JHEOE).
News
- UGA Service-Learning in Action at East Jackson
With support from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the University of Georgia’s Office of Service-Learning and East Jackson Comprehensive High School are growing their partnership to introduce service-learning to a younger…
Read more - Dishing out acts of service
Over 1,300 Athens community members will have meals for Thanksgiving and the days beyond thanks to the University of Georgia’s 12th annual Turkeypalooza. The Campus Kitchen at UGA, a program coordinated by the University…
Read more - AmeriCorps Food Fellows serve Athens through growing partnerships
This fall, the University of Georgia Office of Service-Learning kicked off its second year of the AmeriCorps Community Food Fellows program with 23 new fellows eager to serve the Athens community. “Last year, our…
Read more - Spearheading Service
When you’ve traveled the world, finding a place to finally call home can be a labor of love. Investing in a community and its people and always striving for improvement is a special kind…
Read more - Celebrating the 20th Cohort of Service-Learning Fellows
This year, the Office of Service-Learning is celebrating its 20th cohort of the Service-Learning Fellows Program with 10 participating University of Georgia faculty members. “Each year, we are excited by UGA faculty members’ passion…
Read more - Experience UGA wins 2024 ITGA Presidential Excellence Award
The University of Georgia’s Office of Service-Learning announces that its collaborative program, Experience UGA, was recently recognized for its impact in the community with the 2024 International Town & Gown Association (ITGA) Presidential Excellence Award….
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