IntroductionMarquette University’s Jesuit tradition places an emphasis on social justice and provides an environment to challenge students to engage in their community as “men and women for others.” Both the domestic Service Learning and South Africa Service Learning (SASL) programs offer students a hands-on opportunity to develop an ethic of service, social justice and engaged citizenship. Ancedotedly, it is known that many students who participate in the SASL program have been engaged with service or service learning domestically prior to applying to the program. Likewise, many return to campus with a heightened interest in engaging in service either during the remainder of their time at Marquette or after graduation.

This phemenolgoical study was undertaken to better understand student patterns of service learning domestically and internationally. Additionally, the study provides insight into the post-graduation endeavors of students who decide to participate in a semester-long international service learning experience, such as SASL.

Since 1971, 680 Marquette students served in the US Peace Corps.

Currently, there are 14 Marquette alumni serving in the Peace Corps.

MethodsParticipantsThe study reviewed the domestic service learning patterns of 113 SASL participants from Marquette. A survey was administered to a convenience sample of 67 students. Twenty-nine (29) respondents completed the survey, which equates to 25.7% of the total population and 43.3% of the sampled population.

Survey InstrumentA 15-question survey was administered via an online system. Questions were primarily open-ended and asked students about their experiences with service-learning at Marquette, why they selected the SASL program and how it impacted their academic goals, career path, personal identity, spirituality, and remainder of their time at Marquette. It also asked about post-graduation experiences.

Data CollectionRecords from the Registrar’s Office and the Service Learning Program were obtained to determine which semesters students had completed domestic service learning in relation to their experience in South Africa.

For the survey, current email addresses were obtained from University Advancement. An email explaining the study was sent to each alum along with a link to the survey. Participants voluntarily completed the survey, which remained opened for one month.

Why did you choose SASL?

“My positive MU service learning experience and thirst for an international perspective.”

“I have participated in several service learning opportunities through Marquette…All of these experiences were helpful in me being prepared to work in service in South Africa.”

TheoryKolb’s Experential Learning

Service Learning: Bridging Local and International

Experiences for Lifelong Engagement

“South Africa taught me that I needed to be an advocate. That I had to do something to improve the lives of others and fight the injustices all around us ...I am now an immigration attorney and I run a small non-profit program...the xenophobia in South Africa shined a light on the xenophobia we have right here in America.”

• Students take two courses together to better understand the South African context and to reflect on their service experiences: Theology of Forgiveness, Reconciliation and Justice; and Grassroots Organiza- tions: Community Development and Social Analysis• Students enroll at the University of the Western Cape, a university that played a key role in ending the apartheid• A South African Resident Director provides support for students to delve deeply into cultural learning and knowledge

Excellence

Faith

Leadership

Service

• 189,000 hours of service in the Milwaukee community annually• Program started in 1994 to support the Jesuit motto: “men and women for others” • Establishes a mutually beneficial relationship between Marquette and the community• Students gain content knowledge, develop skills and shape values by serving 2-3 hours per week as part of an academic course• Coordinates with Residence Life to run the “Dorothy Day Social Justice Living Learning Community”

Service Learning at Marquette • Managed by the Center for Teaching and Learning • Approximately 1,200-1,300 students from 55-65 university courses are placed at 100-125 community agencies each semester

South Africa Service Learning • Located in Cape Town, South Africa • For the past 10 years, up to 20 students from multiple universities participate each semester • Students work two days a week with a local non-profit organization • Student live in community, learning from each other’s experiences

ConclusionsThe data did not reveal any significant patterns of domestic service learning (DSL) with respect to selecting or returning from an international service learning (ISL) experience. However, several themes emerged from the data and survey responses.

”It [SASL] helped me to continue to invest in the Milwaukee community once I returned. I also think it was one of the more significant factors in my decision to do a year of service after graduation...I am now pursuing my Masters in Social Work so I can continue to work to change some of the challenges that I witnessed while I was in South Africa.”

Results

ReferencesFor Senegal Peace Corps Volunteer, idea of service was planted at Marquette. (2013). Retrieved November 12, 2013, from http://midwestpcvs.wordpress.com/2013/08/01/for-senegal-peace-corps-volunteer-idea-of-service-was-planted-at-marquette/.

Killick, D. (2012). Seeing-Ourselves-in-the-World: Developing global citizenship through international mobility and campus community. Journal of Studies in International Education, 16, 372-389.

Kolb D. (1984). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Olson, C. & Peacock, J. (2009). In Lewin, R. The Handbook of Proactive and Research in Study Abroad (pp. 305-322). New York, NY: Routledge.

Plater, W.M. et al. (2012). Educating globally competent citizens through international service learning. In Deardorff,D., de Wit, H., Heyl, J., Adams, T. (pp. 485-505). International Higher Education. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Westrick, J.M. (2005). Phenomenology and meaning making: Student voices and understandings of cultural difference. Journal of Studies in International Education, 9, 105.

“I had greater perspective and understood how my time at MU was so small compared to the whole world. I got more out of my classes because I was less concerned with the grade and more concerned with how the new knowl-edge I was gaining would impact me and the community around me.”

v

After13

Before31

Both 21

MU Alumni

40

CurrentlyEnrolled, 8

No Domestic

SL 48

International and Domestic Service Learning Patterns

1 1Leadership

Skills3

Led to service or serving through profession

19

Confirmed Career Choice/Major

11

How did SASL impact career decisions?

No service program

11

International9

Domestic10

Post graduationservice program

19

Post-graduation Service Participation

1

Change in friends 7

More involved at MU17

More connectedto courses

3

No Response3

Restless togo back

3

Increased SL5

1

How did SASL impact the remainder ofyour Marquette experience?

• Participating in a DSL opportunity encourages and prepares students to select an ISL program. Likewise, after an ISL experience, career trajectories can be altered or affirmed and lead to service after graduation.

• ISL has an impact on the remainder of students’ on-campus experience specifically increasing engagement in community service and service learning courses.

• After an ISL experience students recognize a change in their personal identity noting that they now see themselves as citizens of the world and advocates.

“It absolutely changed my career path—I have only worked in non-profits since graduation, which was not my intention when I began college (though I am glad for the change).”

“The program was a transformative experience...My passion for global understanding, social justice work and intercultural dialogue only got stronger. Many of the things I learned, the people I met and experiences I had while there continue to inspire me and inform my life’s work.”

*This data does not account for community service activities not connected to academic courses.