Three field studies using norm-based public service announcements were carried out in a university context. The studies yielded inconclusive results, pointing toward the need to investigate the contextual and individual effectiveness of persuasive communication based on making social norms salient. The presented studies are discussed as the first…

Research on individuals' experiences engaging in outdoor education programs suggests participants are impacted in a number of ways. This study investigated the impact of participation in a wilderness education course on undergraduates' experiences with public service. This study asked the research question, what is the impact of an Outward Bound…

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program was established in 2007 and forgives borrowers' remaining federal student loan balances after they have made at least 10 years of qualifying loan payments while working in public service. Starting in September 2017, the first borrowers potentially became eligible for the PSLF program and began…

Starting in September 2017, the first borrowers became eligible and began applying to have their loans forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to review the PSLF program. This report examines the (1) number of borrowers pursuing PSLF and the extent to which the…

This introduction to a special issue reviews the community service movement in the 1960s-70s, current calls for youth involvement in community service, and the semantic differences related to the term "service learning." (SK)

Students (n=327) participating in an undergraduate community service learning course were surveyed at the beginning and end of a semester concerning their sense of power to impact the world. Contrary to expectation, they reported a lesser sense of power following the experience, with the effect strongest for particular students and settings,…

Criticism of the cost of continuing professional education programs in social work ignores two important factors: (1) such programs provide an important public service that add demand above and beyond their own enrollments; and (2) while short-term profit is limited, the long-term investment is in educational quality. (Author/MSE)

This study was designed to: determine outcomes from projects supported by grants made to campuses and community based organizations through the state funded Postsecondary Service Learning Grant program from 1989-2001; develop indicators to help campuses and evaluators define campus civic engagement; and document the current status of civic…

Discusses service learning (learning that combines public service with related academic work) and service learning projects in an undergraduate course on mass communication and society. Finds that it is an effective means of teaching that increases student understanding of complex material. (SR)

High school students who are involved in community service work are more likely to continue such community service after graduation. Highlights of a study using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, Second Follow-up (1992) and Third Follow-up (1994), include the following: (1) in 1994, 43 percent of 1992 high school seniors…

National University and Sierra College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) have jointly developed a program whereby small businesses become clients of the SBDC and are screened and selected as "living case studies" for National University's practicum for bachelor's and master's of business administration candidates. The new course replaces a…

College alumni associations are using a variety of approaches to improve alumni participation. Surveying alumni for needs and preferences can be fruitful. Program ideas include career planning, parent programs, community service, student relations activities, and high school recruitment. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation is crucial to…

A study investigated effects of a comprehensive 2-year service-learning program on 25 college students' level of modern (symbolic) racism. A nonequivalent control group experiment was conducted at a large state university in the West. Results support the hypothesis that students involved in service-learning show larger reductions in modern racism…

Describes a pilot project that had faculty from four universities develop portfolios of their professional service activities. Discusses issues and insights emerging from early project experience, including importance of collaboration, realistic estimation of time and effort required for documentation, tension between this innovation and…

A study based on data from 1,500 students at 20 colleges and universities found that students who combined community service and academic study (service learning) differed from those who did not, in their target attitudes, skills, values, and understanding of social issues. Participation in service learning had an impact on these outcomes over the…