Participants in the service program meet community needs while developing their abilities for critical thinking and group problem solving, their commitments and values, and the skills they need for effective citizenship. Structured educational components that challenge students to think critically and learn from their experiences. Service learning is implemented with care and expertise, resulting in high-quality service in communities and personal and intellectual development among students. In selected classes, Mercyhurst students receive academic credit for such service in the community as a part of the course requirements. Students can choose from 56 agencies in the Erie area in which to complete their service agreement.
Many students connect their major with the type of service learning they choose.
In some instances, students have actually changed their majors because of their service experience. A definite number of service hours is required of each student depending on the discretion of the teacher. Reflection is not the same thing as informal sharing of feelings or reporting of experiences. For real learning to take place, participants must be challenged to look at their values, assumptions and attitudes, and make connections between their service and other parts of their lives. Community service experiences are an inexhaustible resource for innovative teaching and active learning.