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The newsletter from the Volunteer & Service-Learning Center at Buffalo State College
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Volunteer and Service-Learning Center Exchange
Spring 2009
VSLC Exchange
Asarese-Matters Recreation Center
Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper
Buffalo Olmsted Conservancy
First United Methodist Church
Firsthand Learning
Griffiths Sculpture park
International Institute of Buffalo
Journey‘s End Refugee Services
Junior Achievement of WNY
Office of the Mayor of Buffalo
PUSH Buffalo
Steel Plant Museum
Belle Center
Buffalo Historical Society
Buffalo Museum of Science
Buffalo Zoo
Coalition for Economic Justice
Hope Refugee Services
Loaves and Fishes Dining Hall
Kids Escaping Drugs
A full list of courses and partners is on page 10
Some of Buffalo State‘s service-learning sites and partners, Spring 2009
Students Plant Trees and Bulbs in the Fall,
and Hundreds Will Serve Again On April 25,
2009
Since Fall 2008, much has happened in our country and
community. A new President was sworn into office, Terrell
Owens became a Buffalo Bill, and 100 inches of snow came and
left. More changes are to come in the Spring: the Buffalo land-
scape will look a bit more colorful, a bit cleaner, and will have
more trees. Bulbs and flowers that Buffalo State students planted
in the Fall will be flourishing at sites all over the West Side. Be
watching for the results of their work on Potomac Street, at the
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, at the Asarese-Matters Rec-Center
on Rees St., at Market Square and the Historical Society. The
weather this month has been exactly the same as it was the day
that these students volunteered: 40 degrees and raining. But now,
we‘re looking ahead not to a cold winter, but to perfect weather
and to another exciting community revitalization effort from the
Buffalo State Community...Service Day 2009! (more on page 3)
Above, student volunteers plant bulbs at the Asarese-Matters
Recreation Center on Rees St.
Page 2 VSLC Exchange
Fourth Annual Volunteer Fair Welcomes Students and Community Organizations
On February 11th, 2009 community agencies and students came together for what was a wonderful Volunteer Fair. The
spirit of giving was contagious to everyone who entered the Campbell Student Union. The afternoon allowed for
students to talk with more than 25 community organizations and find out ways that they could serve the surrounding
community. Susannah White, staff member of the Volunteer and
Service-Learning Center, reported that it was the best student turnout to the
Fair ever, exceeding last year‘s attendance by 100 students..
Valerie Stevens, an Early Childhood Education Major, said ―Volunteering is
something that everyone can participate in. You don‘t have to have a
Bachelor‘s degree; all you have to do is be is willing to lend a hand.‖ After
the Volunteer Fair, community organizations reported having met dozens of
prospective student volunteers.
This year, a change drive was coupled with the Event. Through the change
drive, Buffalo State helped the Food bank of WNY raise almost $300 dollars (or 2100 lbs of food) for families in need.
When Nicollette McCalister was asked why she was so excited to give her change, she said ―Giving makes everyone feel
so good. I am happy I can leave here knowing I helped.‖ Special thanks to Alpha Epsilon Pi, The Caribbean Student
Organization, and the Faculty-Student Association for their extra efforts in the change drive and Fair.
Spring 2009 Celebration of Service is May 5, 2009. Submit A Nomination Now!
In the past, the Buffalo State College Volunteer and Service-Learning Center (VSLC) has held a Celebration of Service
each semester to recognize service-learning, volunteer, and community work study partnerships that occurred during that
semester. This year, the VSLC will hold one celebration to honor students, faculty, staff, and community partners
from the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 Semesters. Visit www.buffalostate.edu/offices/cdc/vslc to submit your
nomination. Special guest Mark Lazzara, founder and CEO of Western New York AmeriCorps will be giving opening
remarks!
There have been some excellent service-learning and volunteer projects this semester, and we strongly encourage you to
nominate a student, faculty, community partner NOW, for one or more of the following awards:
STUDENT AWARD CATEGORY
Outstanding student academic achievement in a service-learning course
Outstanding student community service in a service-learning course: 14 hours or less required
Outstanding Student Community Service in a Service-Learning Course: 15 hours or more required
Outstanding Service-Learning Course: 14 hours or less required
Outstanding Service-Learning Course: 15 hours or
more required
Outstanding Student Volunteer
Outstanding Community Work-Study Student
FACULTY AWARD CATEGORY
Outstanding Faculty Commitment to Service-Learning
COMMUNITY AWARD CATEGORY
Outstanding Service-Learning Community Partner
Above, student, faculty, and community partners receive awards for
Service Learning at a previous Celebration of Service Event
Page 3 VSLC Exchange
From Commitment to Competency: A Faculty Perspective
―If today’s college graduates are to be positive
forces in this world, they need not only to possess
knowledge and intellectual capacities but also to see
themselves as members of a community, as
individuals with a responsibility to contribute to
their communities.” (Colby, 2003) [p. 7]
In Elementary Education we are committed to taking our
students from the textbook knowledge to the application of
that knowledge. Student feedback on course evaluations
indicated a desire for a field component in the Teaching of
Social Studies Content area.
That content consists of; Children Diversity and Learning,
Transformed Curriculum, Cooperative Learning,
Inquiry, Critical Thinking, and Democratic Citizenship.
They [students] wanted a way to see these items in action
and be able to contribute to them.
Service-Learning gave us the vehicle to align course
content and student outcomes with the opportunity to
reinforce Civic Involvement as stated in the course
syllabus. One of the primary outcomes is that we want
students to be able to ―analyze multiple perspectives as
they relate to diversity and be able to apply them to the
elementary social studies knowledge, skills, and
values.‖ (EDU 310w course syllabus statement) Tutoring
in a community program working specifically with
refugee students was a perfect match for these goals.
During the student‘s semester of service I made several
trips to the tutoring sites in order to monitor their
contributions to the programs and establish a strong
working relationship with the partners. This has proven to
be a valuable tool in evaluating the effectiveness of the
student‘s performance as well as the needs of the partners.
I believe that it is my role as instructor to be sure that my
students are prepared to meet the identified needs of the
partnerships and not just to send them out with a generic
set of skills. This requires communication, observation
and multiple forms of evaluation.
I used two means of input in evaluating this first year;
student reflection (qualitative) and individual tutor
evaluation ( quantitative) done by the directors of both
programs. I categorized the student‘s response into four
areas: Attitudes about Self, Connection to Class Content,
Reflection on Diversity, and Desire to Continue to Service.
The students were required to reflect on a weekly basis
and submit a summative reflection at the end of the
semester. When looking at the Attitudes about Self, I
repeatedly found that the students discovered attitudes and
perceptions about themselves had become points of
Mary Cummings
Lecturer, Elementary Education
Coming from a personal background where Volunteer
Service was an expectation, Service-Learning with my
students in EDU 310, Teaching Social Studies in the
Elementary School was a natural extension. After
attending the Faculty Fellow training and doing some
additional research the philosophy and content
development fell into place.
My reasons for aligning my course content with Service-
Learning came from the work of A. Colby, Ehrlich,
Beaumont, Stephens in Educating Citizens: Preparing
America’s Undergraduates for Lives of Moral and Civic
responsibility, and Boyer, E.L. (1987). College: The
Undergraduate experience in America. New York:
Harper Collins. These works talk about Competency to
Commitment
“… What a monumental mistake it would be if
students, during the undergraduate years,
remained trapped within the organization grooves
and narrow routine to which the academic world
sometimes seems excessively devoted” Boyer,
1987) [p. 283].
Page 4 VSLC Exchange
Faculty perspective continued:
change within their own lives:
“This has absolutely been a life changing experience.”
“I have come to realize that I was foolish and should
have been sharing (my time) all along.”
As stated earlier, in class evaluations prior to adding the
service learning component, the students frequently
commented that there was no place where they could use
the content of the course until they got to student
teaching. Their new understanding of second language
acquisition or sheltered content English instruction needs
a real life situation to drive home their understanding.
After this experience the comments changed:
“I have found that it is absolutely imperative to
connect everything to what they do know and
comprehend; otherwise every bit of information will
go in one ear and right out the other.”
For many of these students finding themselves in
communities and neighborhoods that didn‘t look like theirs
was unsettling. The exposure to this level of diversity
brought about a great deal of inner reflection and growth:
“I was hesitant towards working with students of a
diverse background and culture. I have truly opened
myself to the experience and feel that I have gained a
lot from it. I really feel that EDU 310 is an excellent
course for potential teachers. It allows the students
to gain insight as to who they are and what their
beliefs may be. It allows us to experience the diverse
cultures … and gets us ready to teach in diverse
schools…”
My personal goal for my students in this course was for
them to desire to continue in areas of service.
They did not disappoint me:
“I am hoping to continue working with these
students during the summer.”
“I am definitely a believer of having more service
learning courses in the teaching program.”
“My goal is to encourage them to exceed their
limitations by providing opportunities to make
learning fun; to offer support and stability and to
boost their self-esteem.”
Imagine my delight when I stopped by the tutoring
center and found two of my students still volunteering
their time a month after school was over. One of them
had to drive quite a distance to get there (regardless of
the price of gas). They wanted to continue with the
relationships that they had established and to be sure
that their students had academic support until the end
of the year. With the help of an incentive grant from
the Research Foundation we now offer a stipend for
those who are truly committed and wish to continue in
their roles.
The quantitative results gave me very specific feedback
that will guide my course development for the next
semester. While the numbers were good in this area of
professionalism we need to continually stress the
importance of conduct and attire. This area always
needs to be addressed when helping students to bridge
the gap from student to professional.
My evaluation of interactive skills reflects some of the
apprehension that students felt when they went into a
totally different environment to work with refugee
students. The survey tells me that I need to have the
students gain some confidence in directing and
redirecting students during activities and how important
it is to give encouragement for even the smallest
successes. (continued on page 6)
Buffalo State Community Service Day 2009 For the past 12 years, the Buffalo State College Community has been participating in
Community Service Day. On this day, students, faculty, staff and alumni work in Buffalo to
rebuild playgrounds, plant community gardens and trees and clean parks and streams. Bills
Quarterback JP Losman even came last year to our Spring event to help throw out some
garbage, huddle around the food tent at lunch time, and hand-off free t-shirts to volunteers.
Yes, those were a stretch, but this isn‘t: the goal this year is to engage more than 400
students. To do this, we‘re making some pretty great collaborations. Community Service
Day will contribute to two other massive revitalization initiatives: the Great American
Cleanup Initiative and Earth Week with Hands On Greater Buffalo and WNY AmeriCorps.
By Margaret P. Stehlik
Director, Martin House Volunteers
Buffalo State Graduate students from Associate Professor,
Jill Gradwell‘s ―Topics for Service – Education‖ class at
Buffalo State College have been instrumental in creating the
first ―Wright Experience‖ summer camp to be presented at
Frank Lloyd Wright‘s Darwin D. Martin House in North
Buffalo. The Martin House, located on the corner of Jewett
Parkway and Summit Avenue, is one of the major cultural
attractions in the Western New York region. As a house
museum, it is also an important educational resource for the
community and hosts school programs and tours throughout
the year. Gradwell, a former volunteer at the Martin House,
saw the opportunity for her students to engage in a
community collaboration that resulted in a hands-on learning
experience for them and the implementation of an exciting
new program for the Martin House targeted to children
entering grades 4 to 6.
The Martin House Complex is nestled within the Parkside
Community district, a short walking distance from the
Buffalo Zoo and Fredrick Law Olmsted‘s Delaware Park. It
was designed and built in the early 20th century by Frank
Lloyd Wright for Larkin Soap Company executive Darwin
D. Martin. Currently under restoration, the Martin House
complex is destined to be the centerpiece
of Buffalo‘s renaissance as a destination
for cultural tourism. The historic site, as
Gradwell knows well from her direct
experience there, is an ideal venue for
young learners to discover the built and
natural environment and explore how they
interact with the world around them.
Wright‘s highly principled approach to
what he called ―organic architecture‖ is
abundantly evident in the Martin House
particularly his attention to the integration
of the building with its landscape. In
many ways, Wright can be considered the
first ―Green‖ Architect; a century ahead of
his time in this sensitivity to building in
concert with the natural surroundings.
Gradwell‘s graduate class developed proposals for a summer
camp to be held at the historic Martin House, where young
learners would explore ideas about architecture and Wright‘s
organic principles, as well as Buffalo history, civic
awareness and community engagement. Students in the first
semester concentrated on developing the curriculum outline
The Darwin Martin House: A Community Partner’s Perspective
Page 5 VSLC Exchange
and program offerings and presented their concepts to the
Martin House staff.
The students‘ proposals provided inspiration to the volun-
teers of the Martin House education committee who fur-
ther developed the camp with weeklong activities that in-
clude writing, drawing, touring, gardening, walking, and
exploring not only the historic site but also the surround-
ing Parkside neighborhood and Olmsted park system. Ac-
tivities are designed to help young students understand
their own reactions to nature and the built environment.
Members of the education committee who will implement
the program are Buffalo teachers who found that the Buf-
falo State grad student program gave them a rich outline
from which to develop specific, daily activities. Second
semester Buffalo State Grad students will be active in im-
plementing the program and participating ―hands-on‖ with
the youngsters who attend the camp.
The ―Wright Experience‖ summer camp was offered for
the first time in July 2008.
Adults, students and life-long learners are welcome to tour
the Martin House which is open daily except Tuesdays.
Call 716- 856-3858 for information or visit
www.darwinmartinhouse.org
“The building as architecture is born out of
the heart of man. Permanent consort to the
ground, comrade to the trees, true reflection
of man in the realm of his own spirit. His
building is therefore consecrated space
wherein he seeks refuge and repose for body
but especially for mind.”
-Frank Lloyd Wright
Right, an EDU
311 student reads
aloud to a
Young girl from
Berma.
Page 6 VSLC Exchange
Faculty perspective continued from page 4
It is inappropriate to think that students, even teacher candidates, know how to go about tutoring students in a one-on-
one setting. Helping students to complete homework sheets is one thing, but knowing how to identifying where a
student is and deciding how to get a student to where they should be is much more difficult. Even with a background in
teacher preparation and several semesters in field service time in our program the evaluation emphasized the continuing
need to hone the tutoring skills. To help in this area we (the department of Elementary Education and Reading) are
working on a variable credit course which will focus on understanding the refugee student‘s educational background and
how to address the areas of unique need as tutors. This along with the content of EDU 310 should help us develop a
cadre of well trained individuals to go into the community.
I am very pleased with the results of this first semester of my service learning course. We have a lot of continuing work,
but for the most part the students did learn more about children, diversity and learning than they could have possibly
received in a traditional classroom setting.
Service-Learning Students in the Community
Above, Jo Yudess’ Creativity Studies class engages
youth in creativity skills activities
Below, students from various courses distribute food at Loaves and Fishes
Left, volunteers
read aloud to
students at
Elmwood
Village Charter
School
Service-learning volunteers fill a void in education. Unfortunately, teachers are often
seen more as authority figures, disciplinarians, and purveyors of knowledge. On the
other hand, volunteers are viewed as ―big brothers and/or sisters,‖ mentors and
friends. This shift in perception allows volunteers to reach out to students in a non-authoritative way, which ultimately
allows for real bonding to occur between the volunteer and the child. Real work can be accomplished when there is trust
and accessibility. Real learning takes place for both the volunteer and the youngsters.
My experience as a student volunteer at Enterprise Charter School in Downtown Buffalo was delightful and highly re-
warding. During my time there, I developed a very good rapport with three junior high school students: Jamel, Edwin,
and Tyrell. Originally, all three boys were assigned detention on Saturday, but they were pulled out and assigned to
work with me to further develop their writing skills. At first, the boys were hesitant to fully engage, but in no time at all,
they were eagerly participating and thoroughly enjoying themselves, and so was I! The boys were so involved they
asked if they could return the following week and work with me again. Miss Yard, the supervising teacher, was as
thrilled as I was. The boys now voluntarily come for enrichment services every Saturday morning and work with me for
three solid hours. This example of young boys giving up their sleep on their day off so they can come to school in order
to do extra school work is a great example of service-learning at its best. For me, there is nothing more satisfying than
connecting – really connecting – with students in such a profound manner. In any case, Service-Learning students are in
a unique position to make an impact on the lives of children in Buffalo and the surrounding suburbs.
Service-learning volunteers view schools, academics, and students from a different
perspective than teachers and other school staff, such as guidance counselors,
school psychologists and social workers, and others who are involved with the daily experiences of children in our local
schools. Volunteers differ for many reasons: they are not paid. They are also not confined by the rigid standards that
teachers and other support providers face. Rather, volunteers have more time and freedom to develop sincere, trusting,
and supportive relationship with students. Generally, the student approaches volunteer service with the idea that they are
going to help children learn, to overcome academic obstacles and improve the child‘s scholastic standing. Reflecting on
my own service-learning experience at Enterprise Charter School, I feel that it is the volunteer who comes away having
accomplished most of the learning - about themselves, the community, and about the realities and myths concerning chil-
dren who live at the poverty level. Service-learning is a reciprocal process that can have a positive impact on children
both immediately and in the future.
While classroom experience is an imperative component of education, it is not the place where the most significant
learning takes place. This learning takes place in the real world, with real children, who deal with real life problems.
Textbooks do not hold the key to human compassion or understanding. A textbook does not think or feel or come to un-
derstand what having a bad day means when you are five years-old and the after school snack is fish-on-a-stick. Yuk! At
best, textbooks provide Education Students with tools to do the job of teaching capably and knowledgeably. At worst,
textbooks can isolate teachers from the reality of their students‘ lives and at times, even engender a sense of superiority.
Generally though, when students are volunteering, textbooks are not the main focus; in fact, on any given day, they may
not be part of the equation at all. Drawing from my experience, the best thing a volunteer can do is leave their bag, brief-
case, or backpack outside the door. They must, instead, unpack the tools of the heart: compassion, empathy and accep-
tance - not the books of their trade. The volunteer must to trust their instincts, their heart, and in their abilities as well as
the young people they serve.
Page 7 VSLC Exchange
What is a charter school? A charter school is a public school with free
enrollment. Charter schools receive waivers from public school districts
in exchange for promising better academic results. Charters are usually
given for 3-5 years, where an eye is kept on academic performance. If
academic performance lags behind comparable public schools, then the
―charter‖ is pulled and the school is closed (Wikipedia.org)
Be a youth mentor at
Enterprise Charter
School!
Visit:
literacybuffalo.org
Or call:
716-876-8991
A Student Perspective: A Semester at Elmwood Village Charter School Diane Deacon
Graduate, Buffalo State College
To lend your hand
e-mail [email protected], call
878-5811 or visit Clev306
New Orientation for
Incoming Students Will
Have Service Component This year, the Orientation Office
will collaborate with the VSLC for
a new tradition at Buffalo State.
New students will partake in a Day
of Service as part of the week-of
welcome orientation. On the Satur-
VSLC Exchange Page 8
day before classes begin students, fac-
ulty, and staff will partner with as
many as sixty community organiza-
tions to complete about 4 hours of ser-
vice. The Orientation Office and
VSLC hope this initiative lays the
foundation for Buffalo State students
to continue service to the community
during their tenure and beyond.
Buffalo State College
Community
Service Day 2009 April 25, 2009
8:30am - 1:00pm
Lunch provided
connect with the wider
community
help area organizations,
parks, and neighborhoods
improve quality of life in
Buffalo Community Service Day is a program of the
Volunteer and Service-Learning Center, is funded
by the Auxiliary Services Grant Allocation Com-
mittee, the Office of the Vice President, and is co-
sponsored by USG.
Student perspective cont‘d There are many young people who
need not just tutoring and
remediation but also mentoring,
guidance, a shoulder to lean on, and a
caring ear to listen. These are the
elements a volunteer can unpack
from their bag of tricks and use to
help students achieve success both
academically and socially. Service-
learning is a two way street; one you
will want to walk down quite
frequently once you have discovered
it!
Congress Passes a Bill to
Increase Budget for
Service-Learning It is an exciting time for
Service-Learning supporters. The
House of Representatives passed a bill
on March 18th, 2009 that will improve
and provide new support for
Service-Learning programs. This
includes increased support for Learn
and Serve America – the only federal
program dedicated to funding Service-
Learning activities in local schools and
communities. The legislation would
increase funding from 43 million to 98
million dollars. The new legislation is
by far the biggest change that programs
under the National Corporation for
Community Service has seen since its
inception in 2004. Asked how this
might effect Buffalo State, VSLC
coordinator Laura Hill Rao, says ―the
SERVE Act will provide additional
opportunities for Service-Learning
funding and program development that
may benefit Buffalo State College
directly or through expanded resources
for our partners such as Western New
York.AmeriCorps.‖ (more about
National Service on page 12)
Page 9 VSLC Exchange
VSLC Bulletin Board and Upcoming Opportunities
Student Announcements
West Side Ministries
.West Side Ministries (WSM) is a non-profit organizations that
works to address the major issue of vacant lots and properties in
Buffalo. WSM deals with these vacant properties by encouraging
what most feel to be a major solution to the problem:
homeownership.
West Side Ministries buys houses in a target area and renovates
them using volunteer labor. This allows them to offer an
affordable, quality housing product to families. Volunteers are needed to help prepare homes for sale to qualified
buyers. Find this and more information at www.westsideministries.org
To volunteer, contact Cornelia Dohse-Peck at 716- 882-6063
Earth Week with HandsOn Greater Buffalo and WNY AmeriCorps
Join in celebrating Earth Week with a week of events and service projects from April 18-25! The following are a listing
of some of HandsOn Greater Buffalo‘s upcoming events.
- Buffalo Audobon Earth Day Festival: April 18, 10am—4pm
- Gallagher Beach Sweep: April 25, 8:30am—12pm.
- Home Rehabilitations: April 22, 8am-5pm
- Reinstein Trail Cleanup: April 23, 9am-12pm
- Olmsted Parks Beautification Project: 8am—12:30pm
To volunteer for these and see other HandsOn Greater Buffalo initiatives, visit the website at
handsongreaterbuffalo.org or contact Sarah Mitchell at 716-558-3322
Community Partner Announcements
1. The Volunteer and Service-Learning Center offers partner agen-
cies the opportunity to set-up information tables in the Campbell Stu-
dent Union for volunteer recruitment. Tables are available Monday-
Friday from 11:00am- 1:30pm, space is very limited. If you would
like to reserve an information table, please contact Susannah White
at [email protected] to inquire about available dates.
2. Do you have a volunteer opportunity to share with Buffalo State
College students? The VSLC posts all volunteer opportunities for
students using the Career Development Center‘s, Online Resource
for Career Advancement (ORCA).
3. To list your opportunity easily and quickly, simply login to
ORCA as an employer through the VSLC website,
www.buffalostate.edu/offices/cdc/vslc. Click on "Add/Review/Edit
postings". If you are new to ORCA, you can request a username and
password by filling out the Employer Request Form available on the
site. Or, if you prefer, you can email or fax the position to the VSLC
and we will post it for you on ORCA.
Thank you for considering Buffalo State College students!
1. Community Service Day is April
25, 2009. To participate, register
online at
buffalostate.edu/offices/cdc/vslc;
call 878-5811, or visit CLEV306.
2. Student Groups: the VSLC has
staff available and would like speak
at your next meeting! Contact us if
your group is interested in learning
more about the Center and about
ways to connect with the
community.
3. Service-Learning award
nominations are due. See page 3 for
more information
4. Good luck on exams and best
wishes for a great finish to
the semester!
Page 10 VSLC Exchange
COURSE TITLE INSTRUCTOR COMMUNITY PARTNER(S) DESCRIPTION
Art Education AED 302W Function & Practices in Art Education
Hayes, Shirley Ph.D School 30, Community Charter School, Buffalo Academy fo Visual and Performing Arts
Students offer art activities to children in an urban setting
Business BUS 320 Principles of Marketing Lai, Christine Ph.D. Violence Against Women on Campus (VAWOC) w/
Counseling Center Students will develop a market-ing plan(s) for campus initiative
BUS 320 Principles of Marketing McFarland, Diane Ph.D
American Cancer Society, Asarese Matters Recrea-tional Center, Junior Achievement, VA-WOC/Counseling Certer, We Care Block Clubs, Journey's End, International Insitute, Steel Plant Museum
Students will develop a market-ing plan(s) for area organiza-tions
BUS 327 Advertising Concepts and Prac-tices
McFarland, Diane Ph.D
to be determined Students work with area non-profits to help with their adver-tising objectives
Communication COM 301Intro to PR/Advertising Silverman, Deborah
Ph.D to be determined Teams of students prepare a
communication plan for a client
COM 308 Public Relations Writing Silverman, Deborah Ph.D
Journey's End Refugee Services, Kids Escaping Drugs, Loaves and Fishes, CEM, Steel Plant Mu-seum, Inc., The Morlock Foundation, American Can-cer Society, partners for Prevention, Cancer Screen-ing services of Erie Co., Upstate New York Trans-plant Services, We Care Neighborhood Block Club Assocciation
Students work individually to write news releases & other PR materials
COM 620 Public Relations Management Silverman, Deborah Ph.D
UNYTS, BEAM, Steel Plant Museum Teams of students prepare an in- depth public relations plan for their assigned agency
COM 431 Advanced Video Production Knowles, Marguerite M.F.A.
Hope Refugee Services, Griffiths Park, American Cancer Society
Teams of students prepare a short documentary for a local organization
Earth Science & Earth Science
Education
SED 200 Field Experience in Secondary Science Class
Lange, Catherine Prof.
First Hand Learning Students work on educational enrichment and environmental analysis and reports for partner agencies
Educational Computing
EDC 604 Authoring for Educators Gareau, Stephen Ph.D
Loaves and Fishes, We Care Neighborhood Block Club Association
Teams of students will build, update and maintain websites for community partners
Elementary Education & Read-
ing
EDU 310W Teaching Social Stucies in the Elem. School
del Prado Hill, Pixita M.Ed
Westminster Community Charter School Students worked designing social studies lesson plans that incorporated literacy
EDU 310W Teaching Social Stucies in the Elem. School
Cummings, Mary M.A. Hope Refugee Service, Peace of the City Homework Club
Students work with refugee students at Hope, and on ESL and tutring at the Homework Club
EDU211 Introduction to Literacy Sacks, Harriet M.Ed School 30, Let's Go to the Library Program w/Journey's End
Students complete 10 hours of literacy tutoring and read aloud for elementary grade students at BPS 30
Course Bulletin, Spring 2009 Service-Learning students participate in a wide arrange of service-oriented activi-
ties: leading activities for kids, developing marketing plans, writing news and press
releases; students design websites, teach dance classes and creative movement, ana-
lyze data and assist with program assessment. Below are listed this Service-Learning
courses, faculty, community partners and activities for the Spring 2009 semester.
Right, Harriet Sacks’ EDU 311 student introduces refugee youth to the library
Page 11 VSLC Exchange
History & Social Studies
HIS 379 Museum and Civic Engagement Cinquino, David M.F.A.
Buffalo Zoo, Amherst Museum, Steel Plant Museum, Hallwalls, Buffalo Olmsted Parks, Navel and Military Park, Science Museum, Historical Society
Each student works with an area cultural organization on a project of the partners choosing
Hospitality and Tourism
HRT 300 Food and Beverage Management Burgeson, Stephen C. M.Ed.
Loaves and Fishes Students assist with food pre-partion at an area dining room
HTR 380 Advanced Training in Hospitality Till, Lori Ed.D CAPP, Canisius YALT, Statler Center, Baker Victory WAY, CBTP
Students tutor and mentor indi-viduals with disabilities
Music
MUS 113 Brass Techniques Fleming, Ricky Ph.D. Campus West Students work with after school BPS students
MUS 114 Percussion Techniques Fuster, Bradley D.M.A.
Campus West Students work with after school BPS students
MUS 116 Woodwind Techniques Reinoso, Crystal D.M.A.
Campus West Students work with after school BPS students
MUS 360 Secondary Instrumental Methods Hunter, Lisa Ph.D. Kenmore East Senior High School Students work with K-E stu-dents
Political Science
PSC 204 Political Statistics Baek, Kyeonghi Ph.D The Belle Center Students will assist partners in analyzing agency data
PSC 318 Democracy & Peace: The Urban Experience
McGovern, Patrick Ph.D
Coalition for Economic Justice Students work with the coalition with on-going projects
Social Work
SWK 319 Dynamics of Poverty Aviles, Christopher Ph.D
Various agencies Students complete 20 hours of service with an agency of their choosing which serves under-privileged populations
SWK 424 Intermediate Methods III Hilarski, Carolyn Ph.D FLY Afterschool Program, First Methodist Church, International Institute, Families Together in NYS, City-wide Citizens Empowerment, Erie County Care-giviers, BN Riverkeeper, None Like You, Journey's End, Junior Achievment, Schiller Park
Students prepare and present 3 presentations on a topic of inter-est related to social work
Sociology
SOC 250 Sociology of Buffalo Kreig, Eric Ph.D BN Riverkeepers, First Hand Learning, International Institute, Native American Community Services, PUSH, Junior Achievement, CEM Senior Center, Office of the Mayor, Division of Citizen Services
Students complete 25 hours of service with an area agency
SOC100 Introduction to Sociology Holleran, Beth M.S. Project Flight Students are assisting with the acquisition, cataloging and disbursement of books
SOC 312 Women in Society Holleran, Beth M.S.
SOC 240 Analyzing Social Problems Stewart, Ron Ph. D. Loaves and Fishes Students will be assisting at this free dining room
SOC 486 Practicum Welborn, Gary Ph.D Asarese Matters Recreational Center, Loaves and Fishes
Students plan and implement community building activities
Student Personnel Administra-
tion
CSP 623 Counseling Theory II Herdlein, Richard Ph.D
First Methodist, Belle Center, CEM Senior Center, Junior Achievement
Students work on counseling groups and individuals about issues related to future employ-ment and possible college
Theater
DAN 201 Teaching Creative Movement for Children
Guarino, Joy M.F.A. to be determined Students will work directly with children teaching creative movement
Fine Arts
FAR 103 Modeling Payne, Kenneth Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park
FAR 240 Introductory Sculpture Payne, Kenneth Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park
FAR 342 Intermediate Sculpture II Payne, Kenneth Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park
FAR 343 Advanced Sculpture Payne, Kenneth Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park
FAR 345 Figure Modeling Payne, Kenneth Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park
FAR 440 Senior Studio in Sculpture Payne, Kenneth M.F.A.
Ashford Hollow Foundation / Griffis Sculpture Park
Page 12 VSLC Exchange
Volunteer and Service-Learning Center
Buffalo State College
Cleveland 306,
1300 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14222
Email: [email protected]
Call: (716) 878-5811
Faculty Services
Support in identifying community projects and partnerships.
Coordinate service-learning student placements, scheduling,
and transportation.
Community Services
Develop service-learning projects with Buffalo State
College faculty to support the needs and services of your
organization.
Post volunteer opportunities for one-time, short-term or
ongoing projects.
Student Services
Connect student groups and individuals with volunteer
opportunities.
Assist students looking to identify and enroll in
service-learning courses.
Organize activities and events to promote student involve-
ment in the Western New York community.
More Americans Than Ever Able to Answer the ‗Call to Service‘
Programs under the umbrella of the National Corporation for Community Service will soon be receiving a huge boost in
support. Through the GIVE act that is now on President Obama‘s desk, new and existing National Service programs
countrywide such as AmeriCorps (existing) and a Clean Energy Corps (new) will be expanded, created, and improved.
This will enable more Americans of all ages will be able to serve the country and local communities. Positions are avail-
able for nearly all backgrounds: for those who have ‘dropped out‘ of school, there are positions available that enable the
member to serve and at the same time earn a GED. Some positions are more suitable to college students and graduates,
and may require college experience, a college degree, or extensive experience in a certain field. The benefits available to
members of AmeriCorps and similar programs are wide-ranging and unique. For instance, most members receive a
weekly sum of money in order to cover basic costs of living. Upon completion of service requirements, all members re-
ceive an Education Award that is easy to use and can be used to pay off qualified student loans and college fees. While
carrying out their service, members are able to put existing and qualifying student loans into forbearance (pay nothing)
and have the interest on most of these loans forgiven. Additionally, non-monetary benefits such as personal and profes-
sional growth, specialized trainings, and experience rank high on the benefits list. National Service programs develop
and foster personal growth while consistently working to meet the needs and address the issues that our country faces.
There will be an AmeriCorps Recruitment Day on campus in April. Contact the CDC at 878-5811 for information
Visit these websites for more about National Service and available positions locally and nationwide:
1. www.wnyamericorps.org : Links to local opportunities
2. www.nationalservice.org : Links to information about National Service
3. www.americorps.org : Links to AmeriCorps positions available nationwide
About the VSLC