Faculty Benefits and Incentives

Service Learning has numerous benefits for faculty members. Not only can Service Learning enhance the effectiveness of your teaching, but it can also provide you with new opportunities.

• Discover new and effective teaching resources and methods
• Engage and motivate students with participation and reflection activities
• Connect the course content with student participation in the community

Service Learning can also advance your efforts in

• Collaboration
• Research
• Scholarship opportunities
• Opportunities for recognition and reward
• Opportunity for tenure/retention

Student Benefits

Service Learning enriches the learning experience of the student. Student benefits include:

• Learning experiences outside of the classroom
• New job skills such as critical thinking and working with diverse populations
• Applying academic knowledge and course content to “real life” situations
• Developing a sense of community and civic responsibility

Community Benefits

Service Learning projects take place in the community. Benefits for the community include:

• Providing the local community with hundreds of hours of student service per quarter
• Students and community members teaming up to work towards a common goal
• Alleviating local issues in the community
• Raising awareness of topics of concern in the community

University Benefits

Service Learning provides benefits for the university as well. University benefits include:

• Fulfillment Cal Poly’s mission and goals, including our “Learn by Doing” motto
• Bridging the gap between the university and the community
• Providing opportunities for the university to get involved in meeting community needs
• Overall strengthening of university/community relations