2000 Schools, groups promote civic service, learning Kathleen Staudt Guest Columnist Many American commentators, Harvard Prof.Robert Putnam the most famous among them, have bemoaned the decline in community and social capital in the late 20th century Unites States.
Social capital consists of relationships of trust among people who solve problems together.
In many communities, just as in our own region, universities have the potential to exercise good citizenship and to prepare students to engage in civc and community affairs. When universities and schools connect courses to problem-solving activities in the community, students experience deeper learning, thereby strengthening social capital, building civic capacity, and responding to community needs. In the past two years, approximately 800 students and 25 faculty have worked with countless organizations and schools. About a third of the students continue their service even after they complete their extra-credit option in courses. Besides the numerical breadth, student-faculty engagements with community organizations and schools offer learning experiences of considerable depth and complexity.