Earlier this year, CASL partnered with the Vision Rehabilitation Center of the Ozarks (VRCO) to produce a promotional documentary premiered during the organization's annual "Dining in the Dark" fundraising event. The VRCO supports southwest Missouri's vision health with low or no-cost optometry services. Citizenship & Service-Learning often refers patients to the VRCO that are found to have potential vision problems through our signature Vision Screening Program. The "Dining in the Dark" fundraiser, in which guests are blindfolded during dinner to simulate the difficulties of blindness and low vision, raises funds for advancing VRCO services and technology. CASL supported the VRCO's efforts through the production of a promotional documentary that was played during the dinner. CASL Director, Dr. Kathy Nordyke and VRCO director, Wendy Jackson executive produced. Charles Whitaker and Tatym Brown produced all video content on a $0 budget. Watch the full video below and be sure to visit VRCO's website for information about how you can help support their efforts. … [Read more...]
While just a freshman, Social Work student Rachel Funken decided to take on the challenge of service-learning this semester (Spring 2016) to gain more experience in her field of study before pursuing a full internship. She chose to work at Greene County Children’s Division (CD) because it fit her interest of advocating for child welfare and helping families directly. She recently shared more information about her service-learning experience. 1) How has your experience been at CD? It has been amazing! I've learned and gained so much information that I would never be able to get in a classroom setting. 2) What kinds of things do you do at CD? When I'm at CD, I work alongside one or two of the workers in the department while they’re either working on a case, meeting with clients and/or their lawyers, or going out into the field to check up on children after a hotline call comes in. 3) What do you enjoy most about working with this organization? What I enjoy most about working with CD is that it's exactly what I want to be doing when I'm out of college. It also gives me … [Read more...]
Missouri State University students who take on a component service-learning course get to understand their academic coursework better while at the same time work at various local non-profit organizations, schools and government agencies that are making a difference in our community. Each spring and fall semesters, about 80 to 100 students enroll in service-learning and they are involved in many different types of work and projects. Here’s what several of the students who did service-learning in 2015 shared about their experiences: I decided to do service-learning because I love working with children and wanted to tie that in with helping someone. By working at Douglas Head Start, I got to gain some experience working with children while helping the teachers at the same time. I loved my experience here. Children in this age group are so loving and hungry for knowledge. They are more than willing to hear what you have to say and respond to it. As my service-learning was for my nutrition class, I focus my time helping the children to understand that in a couple different ways. … [Read more...]
Although she had a full-time job and a 13-credit hour load this semester, Childhood Education and Family Studies student Kristin Lierz still took on the challenge of service-learning. She made an impact at Robberson Community School, where she helped teach Math to 2nd and 3rd graders. While she was only required to complete a minimum of 40 service hours, she spent 60 hours at the school because she enjoyed being in a classroom and loved working with the kids. She recently shared more information about her service-learning experience. 1) Why did you choose to take on service-learning? I decided to do service-learning because I love working with children or students, and this semester I didn’t have a practicum or something for a class to put me in the classroom. Also, the staff who presented about service-learning in my MTH 360 class mentioned it is a great resume builder, as well as getting connections, which I have to say is a plus in doing it. 2) What interested you about being involved with Robberson Community School? I got interested in Roberson Community School … [Read more...]
Since 2012, a team of faculty and students from Missouri State University’s (MSU) Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) have been impacting the lives of hundreds of Nicaraguans with hearing and speech disabilities. Through the study away service learning program, faculty and students travel to Nicaragua and spend a week in the country providing hearing aids and screenings, speech and language assessments, and follow-up services to adults and children. The program came to birth in fall 2011 when Dr. Michael Steer, then an audiology doctoral student, approached Dr. Neil DiSarno, the department chair at the time, with a proposal for a service-oriented study away program that would provide hearing aids to individuals in Nicaragua. With help from Barry and Chris Lydon, Dr. Steer’s in-laws, who are missionaries in Nicaragua, the first trip came to fruition in March 2012 with Dr. DiSarno and Dr. Letitia White, the current department chair, as co-directors. Following the success of the initial trip, there have been four other trips led by Dr. White and CSD … [Read more...]