The Office of Faith-Based Service and Learning at Judson College exists to facilitate the meaningful engagement of faculty and students with the people and needs of the surrounding community and the world. This mission is accomplished through assisting faculty members in the planning and implementation of academic service-learning projects integrated into course curriculum, as well as through the coordination of service opportunities within the Division of Student Services. This process not only reinforces and expands traditional learning experiences of students, but also instills in them the same deep concern for those who live in poverty that can be found in the teachings of Christ. Through their involvement in service learning, Judson students are learning to combine the knowledge they gain in the classroom, their gifts and talents, and their desire to make a difference to become effective agents of change in Perry County and beyond.
During the last academic year, Judson students assembled birthing kits that will improve the chances of survival for 100 women and their babies in rural Haiti. They offered hospitality to 200 New Orleans residents who were evacuated to Marion during Hurricane Gustav. They distributed food to 300 families in Perry County, and placed books in the hands of over 500 children. Students were part of health fairs and school screenings that provided basic medical screening for over 800 men, women, and children. Judson students spent hundreds of hours working to improve the Perry Lakes park and nature preserve. They invested more than one thousand hours in the lives of children in local schools.
The service efforts of our students, faculty, administrators, and community partners have been recognized on the national level. For the third consecutive year, Judson appeared on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal award given to recognize volunteerism and civic engagement. Judson was also among 119 institutions to receive the 2008 Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
For more information about service learning at Judson, or to find out how you can get involved, please contact Susan Jones at sjones@judson.edu.