PSYC/ETHN 310: Psychology of Immigration, Dr. Marcela Raffaelli

The Psychology of Immigration explores the psychological affects immigration has on immigrants and their descendants. Building on her commitment to the importance of “experience based learning,” Raffaelli’s service-learning option encourages students to serve approved Lincoln agencies that work with immigrant and refugee clientele. Raffaelli reports that the course content came alive as students were able to identify their own examples and became co-teachers in the discussion portion of the course. Students involved in the service-learning component demonstrated a clear understanding of the issues—such as socioeconomic instability, language barriers, and community adjustment—faced by these populations.

TEACH 395H: Improving Children’s Life Chances, Dr. Ali Moeller

This rigorous Honors Program seminar involves students in service-learning experiences in tandem with dialogue based on readings and research. Course content is focused on community issues such as drop-out rates, criminal activity, and drug abuse among youth, and on what actions can encourage these youth to become responsible, productive, and successful members of the community. Examples of past community partners include The Friendship Home, Cedars Youth Services, and People’s City Mission.

ARCH333/CNST 305: Building Environmental Technical Systems I, Assoc. Prof. Tim Wentz, P.E.

In this course, students develop a more holistic view of a building by working with community partners and learning to effectively balance mechanical criteria such as thermal properties, installation cost, and energy efficiency with human comfort, life safety, sustainability, and other factors. Using a real-life approach to construction management, Wentz selects a community partner, based on their needs and the value of the service-learning project, to involve students in the challenges and benefits of working with clients first hand and determining optimal building usage in relation to real life client needs.

ADVT 489: Advertising & Public Relations Campaigns, Dr. Nancy Mitchell

Through a service-learning component, students in this class work with actual clients to gain experience giving oral presentations and creating “Plansbooks” featuring a proposed client advertising campaign. Since the birth of this program in 1991, senior advertising students have worked with over 70 community agencies in need of marketing and promotional materials including the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, People’s City Mission, Downtown Lincoln Association, and UNL Visitors’ Center.