This course is for students interested in being effective change agents for the public good. Students are given the opportunity to create meaningful relationships with a specific community organization/partner of their choice and work towards effecting positive change within their working environment. Students are supported and challenged to develop skills in building relationships and coordinating action grounded in evidence and deep personal understanding. Through volunteering, class discussions, practices, reading, and self-observations, students explore the meaning of their work and the impact on both themselves and their community. Service opportunities are structured to promote a sense of civic and social responsibility, provide exposure to diverse populations, implement effective communication practices, instill critical thinking skills and present an opportunity to apply classroom learning with real world activities.
Specific assignments include:
Individual Work:
-Presentation (addressing underlying social context and meaning of the chosen work, history and mission of the agency, people/environment being served, why this work was chosen, understanding of unmet needs, responsibilities as a volunteer, impact on community partner, those being served and self)
-Portfolio/Blog (documentation of work for the course website)
-Reflection Papers
Group Work:
-Small groups have the opportunity to create and facilitate a presentation connecting their developing expertise around community issues and the University Studies Goals (communication, inquiry and critical thinking, diversity, equity and social justice, and ethics, agency and community) and look at how these goals are being constructed, incorporated and reflected upon.
Interdisciplinary Work (Class Project):
-One fundamental requirement of Capstones is that students work in multi-disciplinary teams to complete a final product that is beneficial for Capstone students to produce and useful for the community to receive. This course meets that need by completing a final class project.
A few examples of organizations we have worked with in the past:
-Tryon Creek State Park (pulling ivy)
-Habitat For Humanity (day of building)
-Chemo Pal Program (cleaning, organizing and establishing guidelines for the toy room)
-Beautification day at a S.E. Elementary School
-Creation of community garden at an elementary school and community center
-JOIN (establishing a computer lab and lending library)
-Fundraisers (clothing, hygiene)
-Measure 11 Awareness Event
-Global Brigade
Specific assignments include:
Individual Work:
-Presentation (addressing underlying social context and meaning of the chosen work, history and mission of the agency, people/environment being served, why this work was chosen, understanding of unmet needs, responsibilities as a volunteer, impact on community partner, those being served and self)
-Portfolio/Blog (documentation of work for the course website)
-Reflection Papers
Group Work:
-Small groups have the opportunity to create and facilitate a presentation connecting their developing expertise around community issues and the University Studies Goals (communication, inquiry and critical thinking, diversity, equity and social justice, and ethics, agency and community) and look at how these goals are being constructed, incorporated and reflected upon.
Interdisciplinary Work (Class Project):
-One fundamental requirement of Capstones is that students work in multi-disciplinary teams to complete a final product that is beneficial for Capstone students to produce and useful for the community to receive. This course meets that need by completing a final class project.
A few examples of organizations we have worked with in the past:
-Tryon Creek State Park (pulling ivy)
-Habitat For Humanity (day of building)
-Chemo Pal Program (cleaning, organizing and establishing guidelines for the toy room)
-Beautification day at a S.E. Elementary School
-Creation of community garden at an elementary school and community center
-JOIN (establishing a computer lab and lending library)
-Fundraisers (clothing, hygiene)
-Measure 11 Awareness Event
-Global Brigade