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You are exploring: VU > Arts & Sciences > College > Service Learning > Sophomore Service Learning Community > Requirements  Print This Page

Requirements of Service Learning Participants are below.  Please keep in mind that these are general requirements and are subject to change.

Weekly Service

All participants must complete approximately 3 hours of community service a week.  Service sites range from tutoring students at Jay Cooke Elementary School in the Logan section of Philadelphia, from Primary Grades, Elementary Grades, and Middle Grades.  Other sites include National Student Partnerships, the nation’s only year-round, student-led volunteer service organization that links people in need with the resources and opportunities necessary to become self-sufficient.  Finally, opportunities are also available at Urban Bridges, a non-profit community based organization that offers after school and summer art and academic-focused programs to school-age children and literacy training, mentoring and tutoring for adults, children, and families in the disadvantaged neighborhood of Olney-Feltonville in Philadelphia.

Weekly Fourth Hour Reflection

All participants must complete a weekly fourth-hour reflection.  Led by Professional Facilitators from various campus departments along with former SLC participants, Fourth Hour sessions provide an opportunity to reflect on your service experience on a weekly basis.

Other Requirements

  • Orientation Sessions.

    All participants should attend Orientation Sessions for the SLC and for actual service sites.

  • Community Action Project.

    During the Spring Semester, you will be responsible for working with you Fourth Hour group on creating a Community Action Project for one of the sites that you have been serving all year long.  Community Action Projects have ranged from

  • Participation in Special Projects.

    The special events that Service Learning Participants must typically participate in include Cooke Day, partnership dinner, and the celebration dinner at the end of the year. Both dinners are catered and are free to SLC participants.

  • Lecture Requirement.

    All participants must attend one lecture a year.  Topics and speakers range, and there is always a diverse offering to choose from.

  • Required Readings.

    To help bridge the gap between the different aspects of living and learning in the SLC, we ask that all participants complete several reading readings.  Please see the required reading list for details.