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...] about Bringing the gift of hearing and speech to Nicaragua
To gain hands-on experience in her field of study and at the same time explore her interest of working with children, Social Work student Lindsey Hathaway chose to take on a service-learning course this semester, securing a placement in the Early Child Care & Education program at the Development Center of the Ozarks (DCO). She recently spoke to a Citizenship and Service-Learning (CASL) staff about what it’s like to help teach and interact with a group of energetic toddlers. Why did you choose to serve at the DCO? I was referred by someone from a previous job and I love working with children. How has your service-learning experience been so far? It has been good. I’ve learned new things about teaching children. What have you learned from doing service-learning? I've learned that teachers really do work hard on discipline with children. For example, the two-year-olds I work with have been taught how to sit and wait quietly before doing activities. What kind of work do you do at the DCO? I help entertain the children while the teacher is getting things prepared. … [Read more...] about Service-learning spotlight: Lindsey Hathaway
Each semester, Missouri State University's service-learning students contribute hundreds of hours of service to a host of local non-profit organizations, schools and government agencies as part of their academic coursework while also addressing various social issues like poverty, homelessness, healthcare and education. Here's what several of the students shared about their experiences: I did service-learning because I wanted to get a better feel of what it was like to do actual scientific research. It was of great benefit to me for three reasons. First, I was able to befriend two wonderful scientists who were willing to answer all of my curious questions and inform me about the overall procedures and purpose of what we were doing. I’m still able contact them if I ever have questions. Second, I gained a plethora of knowledge about advanced lab techniques that are used ubiquitously in modern research. Rather than just reading about these procedures in a textbook, I was able to see them unfold right before my eyes. Lastly, I was able to step back and appreciate all of the … [Read more...] about Service-learning students say…