Center for Service-Learning
The Center for Service-Learning is committed to engaging students in challenging academic work and the promotion of the common good as understood in our Catholic, Benedictine tradition by implementing service-learning opportunities for the faculty, students, and community partners of Benedictine College.
Want to volunteer or post a need? We use the GivePulse platform to promote and organize service opportunities.
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Following the Transforming Culture in America Strategic Plan, the Center for Service-Learning provides for the following key areas of Formation, Extension and Profession.
Formation
- More than 50 sections of service-learning courses were offered in the 2023-2024 academic year. These courses engaged more than 675 students (28% of the student body) and over 25 faculty across 13 academic departments in learning experiences at more than 30 area non-profit organizations.
- The Center for Service-Learning also supports co-curricular service-learning endeavors connected with clubs, Discovery Day, etc.
Extension
- The Center for Service-Learning leads the planning team for Field Day, an annual morning of fun physical activity for people of all ability levels. The event is co-sponsored by Benedictine College, Achievement Services of Northeast Kansas, Special Olympics Kansas, and the Special Needs Ministry of the Archdiocese of Kansas City.
- The Center reaches out to local audiences through social media and a regular newsletter.
Profession
- Students gain valuable skills in applying academic learning to address community needs.
- Students’ projects provide valuable experience that applies to career goals later on.
- In service-learning courses, students develop relationships with the supervisors and employees at their service site, thus expanding their professional contacts.
Director
Meredith Doyle is the founding director of the Center for Service-Learning. Before entering the field of higher education in 2016, she worked for the Archdiocese of Denver. She also led recurring opportunities for college students to volunteer with homeless individuals through programs such as Denver Homeless Ministry and Christ in the City. Her desire to serve brought her to Latin America as a missionary several times, including a summer at Cruz Blanca, a camp for at-risk youth in Peru. She is a proud alumna of Benedictine College, where she earned degrees in Spanish, Philosophy, and Theology. She also holds an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from the University of Birmingham, UK.
mdoyle@theredpillbooks.com
(o) 913.360.7227
(c) 913.360.0296
St. Benedict Hall 326