"Twenty Years of Making a Difference"

Service to the community as a part of learning will be honored when the Center for Service Learning at Johnson State College celebrates its 20th anniversary Friday, September 28 and Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007.

Over the years, thousands of students have supported local food shelves, built homes, donated blood, and promoted literacy among children. In just the last academic year (2006-2007), 500 JSC students logged 15,600 hours of community service.

The Center for Service Learning (CSL), previously known as SERVE (Students Enriching and Responding through Volunteer Efforts), has built service learning into the curriculum and also helped students broaden their horizons with overseas study and exchange programs. Since 1991, participation in the Break Away program to inspire lifelong active citizenship has seen 839 JSC students participate in 84 alternative study trips around the world.

Most recently, students raised awareness about the New Sudan Education Initiative to build schools in southern Sudan, and produced a self-guided walking and history tour of Johnson for the Lamoille Valley Chamber of Commerce. In honor of the 20th anniversary of CSL, students are also involved in starting a Service Learning endowment fund to support student programs, travel, leadership, and community partnerships.

JSC alumni who participated in CSL programs are invited to return to campus to recall their experiences, share them with others, and bring digital photos for a slide presentation.

For more information, contact Ellen Hill at 802-635-1257 or Ellen.Hill@jsc.edu, or read more about Service Learning on the JSC Web site.