ERCC 2017

Course-Level ASL initiative as Strategy to Support Underrepresented Students

Students Develop Skills Through Civic Engagement Across Disciplines
Sebastian Murolo, Queensborough Community College, City University of New York (CUNY)
Sharon Ellerton, Associate Professor of Biology, Queensborough Community College, City University of New York (CUNY)

At CUNY Queensborough Community College, many students are part of the historically underserved populations that have been deprived of economic opportunity.   Success in higher education is one way to help level the playing field, but, unfortunately, many of these students drop out of college before gaining the advantages that college confers.  In this presentation we address how Academic Service-Learning (ASL), a pedagogy embedded in civic engagement, can help retain these students.  As these students engage in ASL projects they help their community partners, but perhaps more significantly, in the process, they help themselves; gaining academic knowledge important for success in their coursework, and general education skills that are important for career development.  The underlying explanation is the added value of experiential learning in addition to theories. The success of this pedagogical approach will be demonstrated through institutional data showing that ASL students have higher retention rates than non-ASL students.

This panel consists of faculty from three different disciplines; biology, business and psychology.  Each faculty member incorporated a different ASL project with different community partners into their course syllabus.  The commonality of the positive impacts of ASL on students will be addressed, including the deepening of student interest in course content, student realization that their coursework is relevant, improved communication skills, critical thinking, and the development of other skills essential for entering the workforce.  Finally, students express increased interest in civic engagement; an important area of growth for these often disenfranchised populations.

How Global Diversity Learning Enhances Service Learning in Urban After School Programs of NYC
Jason Demas, Queensborough Community College, City University of New York (CUNY)

The presentation will discuss the importance of combining Global Diversity Learning and Service Learning experiences. Students in the Recreational Studies program and Queensborough CC will learn why combining both of these high impact practices are essential when working with children in urban public after school programs.