CAMPUS PROFILE

(GALLOWAY, New Jersey)

In 2019 and again in 2020, Stockton University received funding for the Community Engaged Learning Initiative. In 2019, the then Office of Service-Learning (now the Stockton Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning) focused on developing an application process for CEL courses and ensuring that they met standards that had been established at the college in recent years by a committee of faculty. In 2020, we continued that work with the faculty cohort and also further developed the Community Outreach and Scholarship Initiative (COSI). COSI is focused on facilitating undergraduate students in independent research opportunities. In addition, a faculty member was considering pathways of development for civic engagement tracks. This work is led by Erin O’Hanlon, Coordinator of Service-Learning, Stockton Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning, and Adjunct Faculty Member, Communication Studies Program.

Curriculum Impact

There were both curriculum impacts that were anticipated, and happily, unanticipated. Dr. Christina Jackson convened a committee to identify whether our current civic engagement leadership track at the university, the LIBA in Community Leadership and Civic Engagement (CLCE) should be modified. At Stockton University, there is an option for students to design their own degrees (the Liberal Arts or LIBA degree) and it had previously been established that there was a track within that degree focused on community leadership and civic engagement -- CLCE. As a result of bringing together various people invested in the track and considering the enrollment, the availability of classes, and the visibility of the program, it was decided that the committee would convert their focus to creating a minor based on the core curriculum of the LIBA track. That is where the work is currently and where it is anticipated to continue for the next year. Several other similar minors were considered as models and there was extensive discussion about the potential name of the minor. Currently, it is being developed as a minor in Community Leadership and Social Change. It is anticipated that the application for the minor internally to the university will be completed by January 2022 and presented to the Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Programs and Planning (APP) for approval or revision.

At Stockton University there has been a recent intense interest in academic achievement and specifically how this is born out through High Impact Practices. The Stockton Center for Community Engagement and Service- Learning (SCCESL) has considered and integrated HIPs in much of the work we do, including the community engaged courses and other initiatives. Community Outreach and Scholarship Initiative (COSI) was designed with HIPs integration as the model. Professor Anthony Dissen, Instructor of Health Science, worked with four students throughout the year on individual COSI projects. One student presented at a Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference in January 2021 about balancing her activism work with Citizen’s Climate Lobby and educating college students for engagement. She also presented at the Northeast Regional Honors Council on her research around climate change and the perspective of college students. Additional details will be provided under the community impact of Professor Dissen’s facilitation.

An unanticipated impact of the CEL work came from the thought-provoking presentations that were provided as part of the 2020-21 CEL Communities of Practice workshops. Previously, SCCESL had long standing service-learning courses that had moved through the application and review process, and were running consistently. However, there was little evidence to indicate the impact of those courses on student learning. The sharing and knowledge provided as part of the CEL community of practice workshops supported us to rethink assessment and impact. As a result, SCCESL revamped the quantitative pre and post tests provided each semester to students, and in Spring 2021 we saw immediate indicators that there were significant outcomes. Under the institutional impact, there will be additional details about this.

From the period of time of Fall 2019 until Fall 2021, there are 173 service learning courses taught by 81 distinct faculty. They ranged across 23 unique programs, including two Masters Programs, one minor, and 20 programs. Of the programs, represented were the First Year Studies program focusing on rudimentary skills,

and all of the General Education programs, including the arts and humanities (GAH), the natural sciences and mathematics (GNM), the social sciences (GSS), the general education (GEN) and the general integrated and synthesis courses (GIS). There were 12 individual programs represented, which is nearly half of the 26 programs that Stockton offers. At least three of the courses are core courses, meaning that if the service- learning methodology is consistently offered everyone in that program will have experiential education. All seven of the schools at Stockton University were represented in this listing.

Community Impact

Another COSI project was the Torch Leadership and Development Conference, organized by a senior Bonner Leader studying Education. Developed by the Bonner Leader and Professor Dissen initially, this project quickly evolved into a statewide initiative. Professor Dissen supported the student in finding a faculty mentor and applying for a Stockton University Board of Trustees Fellowship for Distinguished Students. This provided the financial resource for the student to promote the concept of the Torch Leadership and Development program. The proposal focused on teaching leadership skills to high school students across New Jersey. Robert K. Greenleaf, of the Center for Servant Leadership, suggests such a model of leadership that is best understood as “servant leadership,” wherein leadership is conceptualized as an action done in service to others rather than a special skill owned by a few individuals. After years volunteering at a student leadership conference, this student and her community partner decided to found Torch Leadership Academy, to offer a high-impact leadership training experience to high school students. Their focus was a unique, team-based, participative style, in the name of visionary servant leadership. This also served as the Bonner Leader’s capstone project.

Of the 173 service-learning courses offered, the students worked extensively with 62 different community partners. Our database of community partners includes 221 organizations, agencies or offices, and this represents 28% of our total cohort of partners. Students worked on projects that ranged from direct service, research, advocacy, legislative and policy initiatives and capacity building activities. Some completed projects that focused on students or bringing community on campus while others supported projects in the community and traveled to or worked virtually with the partners.

Institutional Impact

Over ten years ago Stockton University adopted the Essential Learning Outcomes (ELO) that guides the learning that occurs in courses, programs, schools and thus across the university. As a center, we have established what ELOs are experienced by students overall, but until this year we had not established specific ELOs that correspond to our individual programs. At Stockton University, the colloquial term for community engaged learning is service-learning. Within our service-learning program, which was established over 20 years ago, we typically have between 30 and 50 courses designated as service-learning. Before the pandemic, some semesters would reach 50 courses, and predictably, during the pandemic, it slipped lower.

For the past seven years, one constant has remained. The students of each course that is identified as service-learning are enrolled into a Blackboard course where they complete specific assignments connected to the service-learning. This was initially established as a way to ensure that each student reflected on their service-learning experience. At the onset of the project, there was inconsistent reflection being facilitated by service-learning faculty, and yet it was considered a cornerstone of the service-learning field. In addition to it being a strongly recommended best practice by the SL industry, evidence shows that reflection helps students to make meaning of their experiential learning on a micro, macro, systemic and individual level.

Once the Blackboard course was a codified practice, additional elements were introduced. Qualitative pre and post tests were created, using the tools found in the Campus Compact text “Assessing Service-Learning and Civic Engagement: Principles and Techniques” by Sherril B. Gelmon, et al. An in depth analysis after five years conducted by SCCESL found little significant difference. Needless to say, this was a disappointing moment. However, recent presentations regarding assessment during the CEL workshops led SCCESL to consider what internal frameworks could be utilized that might provide evidence of impact.

The pre and post tests were changed in Spring 2021 and immediately showed impact. With a total of 280 surveys, there showed significant increases in the feeling of these areas after their service-learning experience. Each of these questions correlates to an ELO learning map, demonstrating that there were increases in the ELO areas of Creativity and Innovation, Adapting to Change, and Communication Skills. An additional area of further research includes focusing on Teamwork and Collaboration, considering that many service-learning projects are conducted in teams.

For Fall 2021 the questions have already been modified slightly for optimum results. It is anticipated that this will continue to be a fundamental body of evidence that indicates how the HIP of service-learning impacts students. In addition to collecting the quantitative data in the pre and post tests, SCCESL also has an “assignment” that focuses qualitatively on pre-planning and pre-reflection before the service-learning project begins, and then qualitative reflection questions. There is an apex activity required, called Documentation of Service, that asks students to submit an artifact of their service experience. Further research on impacts and outcomes of these assessments can be conducted with additional time.

Institutionally, SCCESL anticipates that the service-learning assessment data will become a major highlight of both the internal HIPs focus and our impending Middle States Accreditation scheduled for Spring 2021. We continue to consider how service-learning can make an enduring influence on students learning at Stockton University.

SCCESL has also firmly established, as a result of the CEL work since 2019, a policy for adding SRLN attributes to a course. This is the basic process that helps faculty to make their courses officially a service- learning course. Some faculty may still use community engagement as a tool in their courses, but to become to add the SRLN attribute to their course and be entitled to all the benefits that entails, courses must follow this process. It starts with reviewing existing SRLN courses, then considering established community partners listed in our database and designing the course and syllabus. Once that is completed, faculty are invited to submit their applications, where it will be reviewed by a cohort of faculty fellows and SCCESL staff. The committee makes recommendations or approves the course as is, and notifies the Registrar and appropriate Assistant Dean of the appropriate school that it should have the SRLN attribute added. The thoroughness of this process would not be possible without the support of the Bonner Foundation and the CEL Initiative.

Replicable Lessons

The primary replicable lesson or approach for another school with similar goals to Stockton University would be to follow a basic community organizing rule -- identify allies. First establish who are the stakeholders that are invested in the work and make it possible for them to collaborate. It is not necessary to convince anyone to

“get on board” or buy into new strategies. Work with the allies that are already established among staff, other offices, faculty and in the community.

Another lesson to consider is work with models and frameworks already embedded in your institution, and do not feel like you have to reinvent the wheel. In our assessment plan we utilized a tool that was established in the field of service-learning and civic engagement but did not echo any of the strategic planning of our university. Once we aligned what we were measuring with what the university was measuring, not only did we see better results (conceivably as a result of the service-learning experience) but also because the language was familiar to students, it was easily embraced. The post test went from 16 questions to 8 questions, making it much more likely that students would complete it.

The third and final lesson that was learned is connected to the habits of over communicating clear values and goals. Our center is not trying to be everything to everyone. We recognize that there are additional courses that may include elements of community engagement or experiential learning. SCCESL provides service to courses that have the SRLN designation -- services that range from orientation and Q/A sessions, to reserving rooms and transportation, to researching and matching potential community partners, to funding micro-grants for the projects. There are many benefits to being part of the SCCESL service-learning “family” and in exchange we have established and reiterated what our values and goals for the program are. Not everyone has to work with us, and those that do are supported to make service-learning as accessible and supported as possible.

Reflection on Long Term Goals

Working with the CEL initiative for the past two years has increased our capacity considerably to provide service-learning courses, establish signature programs, and collect data that supports the impact we are making with students. During these two years, SCCESL utilized the standards previously created and established an application for service-learning courses and a policy and procedure for reviewing them. We created a cache of syllabi for review by faculty interested in developing a service-learning course. We created a cohort of faculty fellows to review the courses and become “ambassadors” across campus to support service-learning. We started COSI and are well on the way to creating and getting approved a minor in community leadership and social change. We re-evaluated our assessment tools and made significant improvements. While it is arguable that some of it might have happened without the support of the Bonner Foundation and the CEL initiative, it would not have happened on such a rapid trajectory as over two years.