Learning About & Learning With

          This past Tuesday, I had the distinct honor and surprise of being the first recipient of the Magis Award for Outstanding Achievement in Service Learning. This award is

presented (and will henceforth be presented annually) to an undergraduate

student who is judged by a service learning partner agency to have made

exceptional contributions to its mission and clients, and who is also judged

by a service learning professor to have made distinctive strides in

transformational learning and the ability to synthesize academic knowledge

with real world experience.  Because service learning combines service and

volunteer work with an academic course, this award requires at least two

nominations for every nominee: one from a service supervisor, and one from a

faculty member.

            I walked into the St. Charles room, where the award ceremony was to be held, and headed for the table with the pettifors. En route, I saw my boss from Project Lazarus, Jessica Kinnison, seated at a table, and I stopped in my tracks and nearly burst into excited tears. These tears had the opportunity to fully realize themselves as the director of Service Learning, Kelly Brotzman, began reading excerpts written by my nominators:

                        “She helped one resident build enough confidence to apply and be accepted to                           Café Reconcile's hospitality program.  Another resident planned and                                         performed in a talent show because [tonight's award winner] sang with her.                             The talent show turned out to be one of the best community-building events                           at Project Lazarus to date.  She helped another resident develop a more                                   positive relationship with his son through enhanced communications skills."

Never before had I heard someone describe my actions listed so eloquently as concrete accomplishments. “Moved” is an understatement. I had the revelation that what makes me feel good (as a teacher) is the payoff of enriched students. Undoubtedly, the richest opportunity Service Learning afforded me was the chance to not only learn about the residents at Project Lazarus but also learn with them. There is no way I could have foreseen the monumental impact Service Learning would have on me. Project Lazarus has been such a hugely formative part of my senior year that I decided to form the basis of my Fulbright application essay around my experiences there. I know my relationship with Project Lazarus is not over. In the third week of May, they will host the second Talent Show, and you better believe I will be there.