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
- 10 University of Georgia faculty members named 2023-24 Service-Learning Fellows
The Office of Service-Learning has selected 10 University of Georgia faculty members for participation in its year-long Service-Learning Fellows program. This program provides an opportunity for faculty members from a broad range of disciplines … Read more - An Unforgettable Summer in the AmeriCorps
There’s that old saying that, if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. With that in mind, it’s safe to say that University of Georgia students Aliyah Williams … Read more - Cross-Institutional Students Support a Coastal Georgia Legacy
There was a wonderful blend of partnerships during the latest service-learning trip to Sapelo Island. The trip was the culmination of a semester of work in two University of Georgia courses combined with the … Read more - Green Team connects UGA and middle school students with passion for ecology
University of Georgia students in Alli Injaian’s Urban Ecology service-learning course spent the spring semester sharing their knowledge with aspiring ecologists at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School in Athens. “For many of my students, this was … Read more - A UGA community partnership making unforgettable experiences
The first thing a Clarke County Schools student sees when they begin their field trip at the University of Georgia is the smiling face of an Experience UGA Ambassador. Every year, thousands of Clarke County School District (CCSD) … Read more - Athens residents have easy access to food distributions, thanks to UGA
One of the challenges facing Athens residents with food insecurity during the pandemic was the lack of a directory listing locations and requirements for recipients. Thanks to a website created and operated by the … Read more