Mission

The mission of the Jacksonville University Community Service-Learning Center is to enhance student learning and development and social action through community service that allows students to acquire leadership skills, grow in social responsibility, assess personal values, and develop critical thinking skills.

What does the Center do?

The Center creates opportunities to assist students with the fulfillment of the graduation requirement of 50 hours of community service-learning. The Center records all student community service hours and reports them to the Registrar's Office. The Center also works with faculty in the development of service-learning courses that integrate community service with academic learning.

Programs

Big Students Little Students Mentoring Program

For two or more hours per week, JU Big Students mentor and tutor Little Students (children) at Arlington and Justina Road Elementary schools both in the classroom and in the after school program.

Lunch and Serve

Lunch and Serve is a one-hour lunch presentation usually held on the last Friday of the month. This is an opportunity for faculty and staff to learn about community organizations and their needs. Lunch is provided and one hour of service is given to students who attend.

DIAD (Done In A Day) Program

On the first Saturday of each month the Center organizes a Done In A Day Project (DIAD). The project is coordinated with a community partner and usually lasts four hours. Previous projects involved organizing a clothing closet for a local youth shelter and painting displays at the zoo.

Annual Projects

  • August: Project FROSH (Freshmen Reach Out to Serve and Help) during the New Student Orientation
  • September: Annual St. John's River Clean-up
  • October: National Make A Difference Day
  • November: JU Days of Thanks & Giving, a week of activities that address hunger and homelessness
  • December: Angel Tree that provides gifts for economically disadvantaged children in partnership with The Salvation Army
  • January: "A Day On, Not A Day Off" project for Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
  • February: National Donor Day Blood Drive to benefit the Florida Georgia Blood Alliance
  • March: Alternative Spring Break program

Ongoing Projects

Students can opt to serve at a community organization in an ongoing, volunteer capacity. Examples of this service are coaching a Little League team, assisting in a nursing home, and working with handicapped children in a classroom.

Leadership Training

The Center promotes leadership, cultural diversity, and citizenship through service projects, reflection sessions, and other community-building activities.

Service-Learning

The Center assists faculty with the development of service-learning components for courses. The Center maintains a resource library of service-learning books and materials and conducts service-learning workshops from time to time.

The Center is located in Gooding, Room 203.

Telephone: 904- 256-7234

Our motto is: Opening hearts, hands, and minds

Director: Christine Tyler