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I Didn’t Know That: Service-Learning

Boise State student working working at a desk one-on-one with a young elementary school student.

So you may have heard of Service-Learning at Boise State but what is it exactly and why should you care? Some courses here – over 150 – offer Service-Learning as a class project where you get hands-on opportunities to apply what you are learning in class to a community need, make a positive impact in the community and reflect on your experiences. 

What does Service-Learning look like? 

It can look different depending on what class your project is assigned in, and there are many possibilities for what your experience and subject matter may be. Here are a few examples:

  • Marketing students may create a campaign for the foodbank
  • Psychology students may tutor kids at Headstart 
  • Engineering students may design adaptive devices for people with disabilities
  • Biology students may help with a foothills restoration project

Why should you care?

Service-learning connects students with something bigger. At Boise State, instructors add more service-learning experiences every year to give students experiential learning with meaningful community impact. 

Just a few ways you can benefit from Service-Learning:

  • A hands-on experience that helps you build real-world skills and connections           
  • Resume enhancing experiences that appeal to employers, graduate schools and scholarship reviewers
  • Interactions with people of diverse cultures and lifestyles
  • The opportunity to try something that may be a new passion… or not! It’s a great way to learn more about yourself and your own interests through a real experience (whether that means you find something you love to do or something you don’t love to do)
  • Make a positive impact on your community and community issues

In a Nutshell

Service-Learning involves hands-on learning, real-world experience, networking opportunities, personal growth and a new awareness of community strengths and challenges. Service-Learning projects are an opportunity for you to stretch to see yourself, your coursework, and the community in new ways. 

Coming up: Service-Learning Exhibition (SLx)

Three Boise State students presenting on their service-learning experiences.

December 6, 2023 4-6 p.m., Simplot Ballroom

Interested in Service-Learning and want to learn more?

Check out what students have been up to by dropping in on the Service-Learning Exhibition (SLX) in December! The Service-Learning Exhibition is a chance for students to showcase their experiences and reflect on what they have learned. Stop by to check out all of the different ways service-learning contributes to student learning from the students themselves!

Questions? Contact the Service-Learning Team at servicelearning@boisestate.edu or visit Service-Learning