0 0 6 Wednesday, February 13, 2013 The Statement Beyond the classroom, into the community by Melanie Kruvelis SA senior Emily Rheaume heard about Project Outreach at just the right time. "I was a sophomore - I didn't know what the hell I was doing," she said. "But I ended up taking the class that shaped my future." Rheaume, now a senior in the Interna- tional Studies Program, hopes to study public health after she graduates this May, focusing on maternal and child health. Rheaume said after taking Project Outreach, a psychology course that combines lecture with commu- nity service, she realized what she wanted to do post-undergrad - and possibly, the rest of her life. "When a friend told me about Project Out- reach, I still wasn't sure what I was doing here," Rheaume said. "But I could tell that class sounded different." In Project Outreach, students split in-class hours with fieldwork around the Ann Arbor area. From spending time in juvenile deten- tion centers to working with ESL preschool- ers, students break out of the lecture hall and dive right into the community, giving them a whole new classroom experience. Rheume, who was placed in the Univer- sity of Michigan Health System's childcare center, said working with three to five year olds - especially those from international . families - put her developmental psychology knowledge to the test. "There's only so much you can learn in the classroom," Rheaume said. "Some of the most important lessons I learned happened right out there - out in the community." REACHING OUT Project Outreach - or Psychology 211, as it's listed in the course guide - is one of more than 60 service-learning classes taught at the University. LSA Prof. Ian Robinson, the faculty sponsor for the Sociology Depart- ment's Project Community course, says these courses are, to some extent, an offshoot of the famed campus activism of the 1960s. "In the mid-60s, a lot of students were heading down south to engage in the civil rights movement," Robinson said. "When they came back to Michigan, they wanted to continue what had been a transformative part of their lives." Many of these students pushed for inde- pendent studies, hoping to find a way to inte- grate activism into their class schedule. In 1975, Prof. Emeritus Mark Chesler, one of the University's leading experts on social justice, founded Project Community, a course that bridges the gap between academia and the ever-elusive "real world." Today, with four areas of interest and more than 150 students enrolled each semester, not to mention 20 to 30 Peer Facilitators, Project Community has grown into one of the largestservice-oriented courses at the University. Just like the other service-learning class- es taught on campus, Project Community is overseen by the Ginsberg Center, a branch of the University's division of student affairs. The center, which focuses on expanding com- munity service-learning on campus, supports some 3,000 students each year through its courses. Dave Waterhouse, the director of student initiatives at the Ginsberg Center, says that number is much higher when you account for the support the center gives to student organizations across campus. "It's hard to estimate just how many stu- dents we reach each year," Waterhouse said. "But we do know that by the time they gradu- ate, more than 80 percent of Michigan stu- dents have had a significant service-learning experience." Stacked against national averages, these statistics are impressive. In 2010, about 26 percent of college students in the United States volunteered in some capacity. Still, Robinson has noticed a"slight drop in stu- dent interest in community service, which he chalks up to growing economic pressures. "Students today are more strapped for time," Robinson said. "You've got kids taking on part-time jobs, which have gone from 10 hours to 20 hours a week. When you're bal- ancing rising tuition cost, it can be hard to find the time to volunteer." Rheaume agreed. "From the 4 required on-site hours a week, to the lectures, to the discussion, not to men- tion the assignments - these classes can be a lot of work." "Since they're out of the classroom, a lot of people sign up for these classes thinking they'll be easy," Robinson added. "But the fact is, students might be putting more time into this class than any other at the University." And when it comes to actually going out to these communities, students and faculty alike realize these classes aren't exactly a cakewalk. "It's a challenge, you know - going out into a community where you don't under- stand someone, and they don't understand you," said Carole Lapidos, program director for "It's Great to Be a Girl," a female-oriented mentorship class that pairs Michigan under- grads - or Femtors - with middle school students. "But we really work on preparing our- Femtors for their experience, because more often than not, it's a lot more difficult than they imagine." Gearing students up for community engagement isn't as simple as preparing them for an exam, Waterhouse said. Accord- ing to Waterhouse, the Ginsberg Center spends a lot of time with students, training them for whatever they might face in their community service. "We're not here to go in and save any- body," Waterhouse said. "Our students get as much out of these experience as anyone else, and it's important they understand the ins and outs of the community they're about to enter." Lapidos echoed Waterhouse's sentiments. "IGTBAG doesn't focus on reaching one par- ticular population. We encourage our Fem- tors to focus on what they wished they heard in middle school - not just the differences they see in each community." MOVING FORWARD Though the University currently has no plans to make volunteer service a require- ment to graduate, Waterhouse says service- learning experiences will be a priority for administrators going forward. "Classes with communwity service com- ponents are a particular emphasis under the Third Century Initiative," Waterhouse said. The initiative, a five-year, $50-million investment in action-based learning, was introduced by University President Mary Sue Coleman in 2011. Focusing on entre- preneurship, study abroad expansion and service-learning, Waterhouse says renewed administrative interest in community service will help expand the reach of the Ginsberg Center. "Interest in our programs is growing," Waterhouse said. "Students and faculty are seeingtangible results from our services." Some students want to see more of a commitment to community service from the University by adding it as a require- ment to graduation similar to LSA's distri- bution requirement. Today, the Psychology Department is the only department that requires community service in order to graduate. "The University should absolutely require community service," Rheaume said. "You can't just be an academic when you come here." Rheaume paused. "A lecture hall isn't enough," she said. "You need to go out and get your hands dirty." Robinson cautioned of the challenges that-surround organizing these classes as a requirement. "Setting up the programs is a huge time (commitment)," Robinson said, mention- ing the difficulties in coordinating not only with students, GSIs and peer facilitators, but also community organizations. "These classes pay off in the long run. But they don't come without a serious investment." outtakes photo by mckenzie berezin/daily on the record "Some students just don't know about (Central Student Government), and we want to do our best (so) that they do know about (it) and that they can enact change through the medium of Central Student Government." "Then boom, Wisconsin just heaves up this prayer with 2 seconds to go." - Graduate student David Lee Submit your own photo caption on The Michigan Daily's Facebook page for next week's outtake. - CHRIS OSBORN, LSA junior and CSG presidential candidate for forUM about his party's platform. "It was a great dunk. I thought I was outside the charge area, but sometimes you don't get those calls. I think that gave them a lot of momentum." - TREY BURKE, sophomore Michigan point guard, about being called for afoul on a dunk made by Wisconsin forward Jared Berg- gren. "David Fincher ('Zodiac') was hired to be David Fincher, and these first two episodes are very David Fincher, indeed." - SAM CENZHANG, Daily Arts writer, about Fincher directing the first two episodes ofNetflix's "House ofCards." CBS issued a "memo" for the Grammy's this year, asking stars to cover up their bits and pieces for the public. Luckily, Jennifer Lopez found the loophole who said anything about legs? - and her entire right leg was able to make an appearance. Taylor Swift's opening performance bashed her latest ex-beau-surprise! - Harry Styles. Ever so discreetly, she talked in a poor British accent when imitating the boy who broke her heart. J Auam Brouy ano eignton oxeester, inAK Seth Cohen and Blair Waldorf, are rumored to be dating. Blair's snark with Seth's nerdy charm? The West coast has never met the East coast in such a beautiful way. --0O F M--0 Pope Benedict XVI dropped the mic in the first resignation of a pope since 1415 Citing "advanced age," he'll formally resign on Feb. 28, leaving the papacy vacant. Lightning struck the Vatican only hours after the announcement - total "coincidence." _ t f a t