What is CommunityEngagement@Wayne?

CommunityEngagement@Wayne makes academic knowledge, skills, and debates meaningful by relating them directly to real-world issues and challenges. Students learn academic skills by using and developing these skills in service projects situated in a community outside the university. For instance, Physicians’ Assistant Program students might do health screenings in a clinic offering free services to the homeless, while technical writing students might produce promotional materials for a non-profit community agency. Students engage in active learning that teaches them how to effectively use the knowledge they’re gaining, and they get experience working collaboratively in diverse settings. Communities gain the expertise, energy, and commitment of university students, faculty, and staff. Community engagement at Wayne immerses students in hands-on learning and helps them contribute meaningfully to the greater community.

What is service-learning?

Service-learning is an approach to designing classes and learning opportunities according to the principles of Community Engagement at Wayne. It emphasizes linking academic content with real-world service projects to:

1. offer students opportunities for active learning and application of theoretical knowledge, and

2. provide beneficial services to the greater community. Service-learning involves both academic and service components and works from the belief that linking the two provides a far more powerful learning experience than either alone.

For more information about service-learning at Wayne State University, e-mail CommunityEngagement@Wayne at communityengagement@wayne.edu.

What is volunteering?

Volunteering is a form of community service in which students (or other volunteers) contribute meaningfully to the greater community, whether through short-term projects like a weekend clean-up effort, or through longer-term involvement. Volunteering promotes engagement in the community and greater understanding of local issues and possible solutions. It does not involve an academic component.

For more information about volunteer opportunities at Wayne State University, visit the Dean of Students’ website at www.doso.wayne.edu/volunteer/index.htm.

What are internships, co-op education, and work-study?

Internships, co-operative education, and work-study programs all offer students the chance to gain professional experiences relevant to their field of study. These opportunities emphasize career development and do not necessarily involve service projects or strong links to students’ academic work. They are available through Career Services, which offers students and alumni various services, from career counseling, career development, job fairs, job placements (full-time employment) and opportunities for college work-study, cooperative education, and internships. Students can post resumes and search job opportunities by logging onto WarriorTRAK, a Web database.

For more information about career services at Wayne State University, visit the Career Services website at www.careerservices.wayne.edu.