CHAPTER 9: Service-Learning: A Student’s Perspective and Review

After deciding that I would attend the College of William and Mary, I received a welcome packet that included brightly colored flyers and pamphlets about activities and groups I could become involved with on campus. One of the brochures stood out from the rest—it was an application to become a Sharpe Scholar.

By reviewing the enclosed information, I learned that the Sharpe Community Partners Program at the College provides service-learning opportunities to students. This was my first encounter with service-learning. I had never even heard of the term service-learning prior to applying for the Sharpe program. I was, of course, familiar with the concept of community service. Since I was a young girl, I regularly participated in various service activities through my church. We collected canned goods for the local food bank and spent afternoons raking leaves for elderly neighbors. I spent the summer after my freshman year in high school volunteering at a local nursing home. However, the concept of connecting service to academic knowledge was intriguing. By doing this, I would be able to use my mind as well as my time to serve others.