Developing Students to be Active Citizens: Community Engagement through Alternative Breaks
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Date
2018-04
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Ohio State University. Office of Outreach and Engagement
Abstract
The Buck-I-SERV Alternative Break program at Ohio State engages students, faculty and staff in service with local communities across the world during academic breaks, while focusing on the impact each individual plays in tackling today's critical social issues. Buck-I-SERV is the second largest alternative break program in the country, providing 88 service trips annually to 16 states and six countries and involving 1,200 participants. Learn about the positive impacts of alternative break programs on communities, social issues and developing students to be active citizens. Recommendations and strategies will be shared for how to maintain authentic, mutually beneficial community-university relationships. Current members of the Buck-I-SERV program will share how engagement in service has impacted their personal and professional development.
Description
The Buck-I-SERV Alternative Break program at The Ohio State University seeks to develop active citizens and create sustainable change through community engagement initiatives across the country and the globe. The Buck-I-SERV program allows students, faculty and staff to travel, learn and serve during their academic breaks while learning about the role each person plays in tackling today's challenging social issues. Through Buck-I-SERV, Ohio State is able to promote the health and well-being of communities across the country who are facing issues including hunger, homelessness, disease, disabilities and poverty. Buck-I-SERV is the second largest alternative break program in the country, providing 88 service trips annually, impacting 16 states and six countries and involving 1,200 students, faculty and staff members. This presentation will focus first on a brief overview of the alternative break movement and the history of the Buck-I-SERV program connecting alternative breaks to the engagement of students and higher education institutions in the work of community engagement and the promotion of health and wellness for all. The presentation will then discuss how alternative break programs build and foster successful community partnerships including skills and suggestions for how to maintain authentic, mutually beneficial relationships. Additionally, the presenters will provide examples of current partnerships the Buck-I-SERV program has been able to create across the country and globe and the benefits of the community-university relationship. Finally, the presentation will include testimonials from current Buck-I-SERV students on their involvement with community engagement during their college experience. Students will also share the impact of service on their personal and professional development as well as their understanding of how service can advance health and wellness equality for all communities. This presentation is intended for a diverse audience. Audience members could include current students, university faculty, staff, or administrators as well as community members and community agency staff. Presenters Rebecca Delo and Bailey Harr are professional staff members for the Buck-I-SERV Alternative Break program within the Office of Student Life and Student Activities at Ohio State. Rebecca and Bailey both hold master's degrees in higher education and student affairs and have focused their work with college students on civic engagement and service. Together, Rebecca and Bailey coordinate all service trip logistics, manage community partner relationships, and facilitate training and development for 1,200 Buck-I-SERV members each year.
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Bailey Harr, Buck-I-SERV Alternative Break Coordinator, The Ohio State University, Columbus Campus, harr.72@osu.edu (Corresponding Author); Rebecca Delo, Buck-I-SERV Alternative Break Senior Coordinator, The Ohio State University, Columbus Campus.
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Bailey Harr, Buck-I-SERV Alternative Break Coordinator, The Ohio State University, Columbus Campus, harr.72@osu.edu (Corresponding Author); Rebecca Delo, Buck-I-SERV Alternative Break Senior Coordinator, The Ohio State University, Columbus Campus.
Keywords
active citizenship, student engagement, community partnerships, alternative breaks, social issues
Citation
Engaged Scholars, v. 6 (2018).