The Classroom to the Community
Callan Shore, staff writer
The clock ticks on and the students wonder how these lessons will ever be used in real life. Sitting in a classroom all day long may not be the most productive learning environment for every student.
At PVCC, there are opportunities for experiential learning and real-world experience that can help break up the day.
These opportunities are found through the service learning program, a resource for students to find volunteer opportunities in Charlottesville. Todd Platts, PVCC’s service learning coordinator, said, “Part of a liberal arts education is for students to become proactive members of their communities. Service learning facilitates this by putting students in contact with local organizations that serve the needs of the community.”
PVCC has formed strong connections with local organizations and makes finding volunteer opportunities simple for students. These organizations include the Boys and Girls Club, Buford Middle School, and the Adult Learning Center.
There are service learning options that cater to many different interests. The service learning newsletter provides a detailed guide with service learning opportunities that correspond to each major. The newsletter conveys to art majors that they may improve in their field by teaching art, helping to promote local artists, and even contributing to art museums.
Teachers at PVCC can introduce service learning into their curriculum or include it as extra credit, demonstrating how volunteer work is strongly encouraged at PVCC. There are even students who continue their volunteer position after the class obligation has ended. Connie Jorgensen, assistant professor of political science, and Kit Decker, professor of Spanish, are two teachers who have made an effort to bring service learning into their classes.
The overall goals for the PVCC service learning program are to give students insight into new and different communities, to gain job skills, and to become competent at solving problems. More immediate goals for this year include increasing funding, student interest, and teacher involvement.
Interested students can find links and contact information at the PVCC website under Service Learning.
