SOLD Workshop Series Marianne Magjuka, M.Ed. The Significance of Service

Why do we perform service? Required by membership, class, or organization Build resume Help others Build community Religious, moral, or political convictions “Because of how it makes me feel” “Life’s most urgent and persistent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”—Martin Luther King, Jr.

Why is service important? Students who perform voluntary community service are 19 percentage points more likely to graduate from college than those that do not Community service has a positive effect on: Leadership and communication skills Spiritual growth and moral development Cultural and racial understanding Career development Personal identity Commitment to the community and sense of belonging “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”—Gandhi

Why is service important in Waco? 2008 Census reports that Waco is the fifth poorest city in the state of Texas In 2007, the poverty rate for families in the city was 21.9 percent, almost double that of the national average One in three children in Waco live in poverty “It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness”— Confucius

How can I find service opportunities for my organization? Service Council Meetings—service chairs attend first Tuesday of every month (5:00PM, Houston Room) The Citizen Service Reflection Journal Make an appointment with me or stop by Student Activities! “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”— Harold Whitman

How do I record service hours? Go to the Student Activities website Log in to the online roster Make sure that you have an accurate count for service hours Report monetary value of donations “Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”—St. Francis of Assisi

Why is it important to report hours? University recognition President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll Service Awards: A.A. Hyden Award for Outstanding Student Organization in Community Service John S. Belew Award for Outstanding Male in Community Service Virginia Crump Award for Outstanding Female in Community Service

How can I help my members to get more out of service? Take suggestions from members about potential projects, organizations to serve Attempt to match service opportunity with the mission and purpose of your organization Tie your service project with a social activity Focus on community-building Connect with the site Place the service project in a larger context Reflect on the experience

Methods of Reflection What? So What? Now What? Discussion/Reflection Circle What were your expectations of the service project before you arrived there? Were your expectations met? What surprised you about the service project? If you were the person receiving our service today, how would you feel about needing our help? What have you learned about the Waco community today that you didn’t know before? What was the best/worst/most challenging thing that happened today? How has our service today addressed a social need in the community? Is this the kind of service we should consider doing again as an organization? If so, why? If not, why not?

Methods of Reflection Quotes Do these comments represent your experience today? Are these comments sensitive to the people who we are serving? Can you identify with the emotions behind these statements? Why do you think the speaker made these comments? Imagine for a moment that a member of the host organization recorded these comments. What image of our organization would that person have? What image of Baylor would that person have? After hearing these comments read back to you, are you proud to be affiliated with our organization?

Q & A