Alternative Spring Break (ASB) is a program hosted by college campuses in which students use their traditional vacation to serve the community locally, domestically, or internationally. There are 101 recognized and accredited Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the United States (National Center for Education Statistics,…

At North Carolina State University (NC State), first-year master's students in the Higher Education Administration program enroll in the Foundations of Higher Education & Student Affairs (EAC 540) course that provides an introduction to the field of higher education and student affairs administration, including the historical and philosophical…

Alternative breaks (ABs) often bring a smattering of images to mind: college students in matching T-shirts, cramped vans, well-used work gloves, physical labor, and, perhaps, way too much peanut butter. All of these images are at least in part accurate for the AB program at the College of William and Mary. Add to them a strong sense that sending…

Even as educators understand how their millennial students learn in such different ways than previous generations (watching how-to videos downloaded from YouTube or engaging in experiential learning adventures), colleges still rely heavily on in-the-classroom learning. The author can't offer an alternative to this classroom format, but she…

Cocurricular events are capable of providing rich learning opportunities for students. However, as the film and speaker sequence described in this article demonstrates, all too often they fail to reach their potential. In order to teach lessons and enhance skills related to civic responsibility, these events must be designed with a purposeful…

Students making the transition into college typically come face to face with increased independence and decreased external structure. This may be especially problematic for students with learning disabilities who may be less capable of managing in times of change than others. The outcome is often chronic procrastination, absenteeism, and…

When she was graduate coordinator for the Office of Community Service-Learning's Alternative Breaks (AB) program at the University of Maryland-College Park, the author had the privilege of working with undergraduate student trip leaders as they researched, planned, and coordinated weeklong service-learning immersion trips in which students would…

Across the broad spectrum of disciplines and departments within higher education, it sometimes feels like there is little that unites them. They talk about silos, they bemoan divergent and fragmented efforts, and they refer frequently to "them" and "they," regardless of where they are on the organizational chart. However, there is one topic that…

The Serve America Act was signed into law in April 2009. The Act provides for many opportunities to serve and learn for pre-college youth, college students and graduates, and even baby boomers. It dramatically increases intensive service opportunities by setting AmeriCorps on a path from 75,000 positions annually to 250,000 by 2017, focusing that…

Defines integrative learning, a concept that can help create more potent learning environments. Suggests this type of learning can realize potential pedagogical innovations such as collaborative learning, service learning, learning communities, and residential learning. (Author/JDM)

Few have had as great an impact in as many areas of higher education as the late Ernest Boyer. At his memorial service he was called "one of the nation's greatest leaders in education." He was able to zero in on critical issues that go to the very meaning and purpose of education. He felt passionately that education needed to be built on a…

Spirituality has long been associated with public service, but is it a key ingredient? The author argues that it is and that higher education is missing a critical opportunity by not helping students understand the spiritual aspects of serving others. (Contains 12 references.) (GCP)

Service learning has been heralded as a transformative and positive experience for most students, but what about those students who just don't get it? These students can often make the service-learning experience difficult and uncomfortable for everyone involved. The author examines this underside of service learning and suggests how to manage it.…

This article details how one student's passion for teaching and interest in the Civil Rights Movement led to the creation of a unique learning community on wheels. (GCP)

Discusses the specific and complex outcomes of community service participation in higher education. Argues that support for community service learning is likely to wane if long-standing narrow beliefs about cognition are not challenged; educators need to think more holistically about what constitutes an educated person. (Contains 22 references.)…