In a selfish way, I'm hoping that such experiences establish in the minds of young people the reaffirmation that a life lived in the service of others is rich and rewarding in and of itself. Even those who do decide on careers in the private sector will have been imbued through their exposure to service learning with a sense of caring, compassion and civic responsibility which, carried through to a business or professional career, can only be of benefit to us all. We hear a great deal these days about a decline in commitment to corporate social responsibility. Exposing all students to Service Learning can be a long term strategy to address this issue. Those who go into the corporate world or government will have an understanding of how we can all serve wherever we are.
Faculty also benefit.
That, too, is food for thought, in an environment where calls for evaluation and measurement of nonprofit work, and demonstrations of accountability increase. We must pass on to our next generation the habits of citizen engagement and community service. We must pass on the ideal that citizenship in a democracy entails a responsibility of personal commitment to working for a greater good. And we must give all students a chance to experience the joy of doing for others. It enhances their self-esteem.