Students Work on Real-world Projects in Courses
University of Scranton students have worked on several community-based learning projects during the fall 2020 semester.Through multiple community-based learning projects offered in courses during the fall semester, University of Scranton students partnered with area organizations to bring their class work to life virtually with real-world initiatives and activities. In the fall of 2020, students worked remotely with the City of Scranton, the Scranton Area Community Foundation and United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
“Community-based learning projects provide opportunities for learning outside of the classroom and bring what students are exploring in their academic course into an external, local context through addressing community-defined needs. They can apply their skills and, most importantly, learn from community agencies long at work addressing such issues as diversity and inclusion, public health, philanthropy, and community and economic revitalization,” said Julie Schumacher Cohen, assistant vice president for community engagement and government affairs and chair of the Community-Based Learning Board at the University.
In the fall semester, community-based learning projects in two courses partnered with the City of Scranton. Students a doctoral course in nursing, Advanced Health Care Policy, taught by Margarete Leib Zalon, Ph.D., professor of nursing, worked with the City of Scranton to help them explore different public health priorities. John J. Strain III, faculty specialist of communication and media, linked his Art of the Pitch course to a community-based learning project for the City of Scranton’s new “Work From Here” initiative. Students in the course researched and developed marketing strategies that they “pitched” to the City of Scranton for the campaign. Read more about these projects here.
Students in a Spanish language-based course, Service and the Hispanic Community, taught by Roxana Curiel, Ph.D., assistant professor of world languages and cultures, undertook a community-based learning project with United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania to spotlight businesses in Scranton neighborhoods owned and operated by individuals from a range of Latin American countries. The business profiles, provided in both English and Spanish, can be viewed on the Welcoming Scranton Facebook page. Read more about the project here.
Students in a social media communication class taught by Brian J. Snee, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication and media, gained real-world experience on a community-based learning project partnering with the Scranton Area Community Foundation. Read more here.
In 2017, the University launched the Office of Community-Based Learning, headed by Meghan Ashlin Rich, Ph.D., professor of sociology/criminal justice and women’s studies, aimed at further supporting faculty conducting community-based learning courses and strengthening the ways in which the campus engages with the hopes, concerns, challenges and opportunities facing Northeastern Pennsylvania.
