EXC2EL Stories - September 2023
New Service-Learning Excellence Director commends community-based partnerships
At Texas State University, service is a hallmark. One of the signature programs in this area, Service-Learning Excellence has been at the forefront of purposeful impact by uniting students with community organizations and individuals both near campus and in the immediate region. Each semester, numerous Texas State faculty offer service-learning designated courses that integrate service assignments into course material and build relationships with community partners so that students use their learning on site and return to the classroom with reflections that generate understanding and innovation. With more than 20 years of successful activity, Service-Learning Excellence at Texas State University has a new faculty director, Dr. Steven Rayburn, associate professor of Marketing in the McCoy College of Business. A longtime service-learning fellow (Texas State faculty using the service-learning model in course design), Dr. Rayburn shares insights about the feature that is impactful on many levels.
Nearly 200 Service-Learning Excellence (SLE) courses were delivered in all disciplines and colleges last year at Texas State. Why do you believe faculty choose the service-learning model and how does SLE support them?
I think there are two reasons. First, faculty chose the service-learning approach because they understand the positive impact applying concepts has on students. When students are able to learn experientially, to apply the materials in a real context, they grasp the concepts at a deeper level. They are able to practice what they are learning and in the process internalize what they are learning. The second reason is a little different. Service-Learning faculty want students to engage their community with a service mindset. We want our students to know what it means to work for the benefit of others, to help, to lift others up. We want students to have the experience of service to others. When you combine these elements, students get to practice what they are learning and they get to make a difference. I think that is why we do what we do.
What have you learned about Texas State’s community as an SLE fellow and how will you use that experience as director?
There are just so many wonderful people working hard to serve various communities, locally, regionally, nationally, and even internationally. Our reach from here at Texas State is amazing. I hope to help more faculty to have that experience, and I plan to support our wonderful service-learning faculty and students in their efforts to make a difference. I look forward to working with current Fellows as we invite more faculty to join us in this effort, it truly is a collaborative movement.
What is SLE’s message to students about the community connection during their time at university (especially in a world so driven by technology and AI)?
Be in the moment, be with the people around you. We all need people, we need relationships and I think we are at our best when we are serving those we care about. Honestly, there has been a lot of research that points to the ingrained nature of empathy and altruism, of truly caring for and serving others. I don’t think we need the research to know that, we know. So, I suggest the following: participate in service, participate in a service-learning course if one is available, enjoy the process and think deeply about how it impacts you as much as the people you are serving.
To learn more about the Service-Learning Excellence program, please visit their website, or contact servicelearning@txstate.edu. For questions about experiential learning, please contact the EXC2EL Center at exccelcenter@txstate.edu.