1. The Role of Service-Learning in Student Retention & Success

2. Service-Learning
Type of experiential education that combines and pursues both academic achievement and community service in a seamless weave
Requires the use of effective reflection activities as a part of the coursework

3. Why Service-Learning?
Service-learning is shown to increase:
Student retention
GPA’s
Long-term commitment to civic engagement in communities

4. Retention Outcomes of Service-Learning
More evidence is supporting service-learning as an innovative learning strategy which facilitates the creation of meaningful connections to people and academics – thus improving integration and student retention (Campus Compact, 2008)

5. Retention Outcomes of Service-Learning
Service-learning students reported greater academic challenge and had a greater intention to persist in relationship with academic challenges and engaging course content (Gallini & Moely, 2003)
Service-learning students were more likely to report greater intention to persist and reenrolled the following fall at a higher rate than nonservice-learning students (Hatcher, Bringle & Muthiah, 2002)

6. Retention Outcomes of Service-Learning
Studies indicate that service-learning has an impact upon student’s intention to persist through its ability to create faculty interactions and encourage positive academic experiences (Keup, 2005)
Service, including service-learning, was positively associated with persistence, student satisfaction, and a sense of personal success (Vogelgesang, Ikeda, Gilmartin, & Keup, 2002)

7. Improving Retention with Service-Learning
Service-learning has an optimal impact upon retention when it is high quality, collaborative, well-placed, directly tied to course content, structured and employs reflection (Eyler & Giles, 1999). Quality service-learning should provide students with opportunities to engage in community-based, problem-solving and address social justice issues.

8. Improving Retention with Service-Learning
Service-learning should be designed to:
Maximize the number of meaningful interactions amongst individuals from diverse backgrounds
Incorporate reflection that promotes both cognitive and personal development and employs reflection
Integrate into the freshman year to quickly establish community connections

9. Improving Retention with Service-Learning
Utilize Chickering and Gamson’s (1991, 1987) “seven principles of good practice in service-learning programs”
Employ activities to meet diverse student learning needs
Create a meaningful service-learning experience by explicitly focusing on quality in regard to placement, reflection, and application