Service Learning

Named to the Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

What is Service Learning?

Service learning is a credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs. Students reflect on the service activity, gain further understanding of course content and gain a broader understanding of the discipline. Service learning students help build a better community, and the community helps create a better informed and better prepared student. Service Learning is a rewarding opportunity for both instructors and students to grow and learn.

What is our mission?

Kilgore College encourages its students and employees to partner in projects with the community to create a quality learning experience that incorporates service into the educational experience.

What are our goals?

Service Learning supports a component of KC's mission--preparing students for success by providing educational opportunities that have community focus-by promoting more meaningful learning, personal development and community awareness for the students of Kilgore College through engagement with the community.

Service Learning

Benefits to Students, Faculty and the Community

Benefits to students:

  • Provides students with documented experiences
  • Enhances student’s resumes
  • Promotes critical thinking
  • Broadens horizons
  • Improves communication
  • Promotes ethical and moral development
  • Improves social awareness
  • Improves self-esteem
  • Provides opportunity to apply classroom knowledge (active learning)
  • Provides career exploration and improves occupational skills
  • Develops citizenship skills
  • Increases learning motivation

Benefits to faculty:

  • Integrating service-learning into existing courses provides opportunities for:
  • Improving student learning of core competencies
  • Sharing the rewards of civic engagement and responsibility
  • Reaping significant returns from modest investments
  • Instructing within or across disciplines
  • Interacting with civic-minded peers
  • Gaining fresh and different perspectives about your discipline
  • Re-energizing your teaching

Benefits for the community and community partners:

Effective, ongoing service-learning facilitates:

  • Meaningful service to our community
  • Access to the skills, time, energy, and talents of interested students and instructors
  • Opportunities to help foster values of long-term civic engagement in student community members
  • Opportunities to participate as co-educators in the student learning process
  • Increased awareness of community needs and more willing and prepared community participants
  • Increased ties between the college and other community partners
Example Projects and Service Opportunities

What are some examples of service learning projects?

  • Education & Tutoring Opportunities
  • Environmental Service Opportunities
  • Community Service Organizations: Kilgore, Longview & nearby areas
  • Promoting Financial Stability & Independence
Presidential Service Award: How to Get Recognized

 What is the Presidential Service Award?

“The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation (the Council) was established in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers are making in our communities and encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President’s Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.”

What do I get in the award package?

  • An official Presidential Volunteer Award lapel pin
  • A personalized certificate of achievement
  • A congratulatory letter from the President of the United States

What are the minimum requirements for earning an award?

  • Be a KC student and/or employee
  • Serve a minimum of 100 hours during a 12-month period
  • Activities should be unpaid and may not include court-ordered community service.

(Only U.S. citizens qualify for the award. If you are a U.S. citizen and are volunteering abroad, you may submit your hours to your certifying organization to receive the award.)

How can I obtain more information?

Visit the President’s Volunteer Service Award Website.

Important Files:

For information about Service Learning:

Becky Johnson
Dean
Arts and Sciences
Phone:
(903) 983-8223
Office:
Old Main Building (OMAIN), 143
rjohnson@kilgore.edu

Offices & Services Offered