Venture Grant Cycle 33 Grantees
Delta College “Faculty Development and Assessment of Service Learning Projects”
Ten faculty members across the disciplines will be given the opportunity to gain knowledge and competencies in order to develop and implement service learning courses and modules. During a spring semester faculty course, each faculty participant will create a service learning project for a current course or a new service learning course to be offered to students during the Fall 2007 semester. Also, in collaboration with the college's General Education Assessment Group, the faculty participants will create and pilot a common rubric to asses the college's general education outcomes integrated into the new service learning projects/courses.
Macomb Community College “Habitat for Humanity Architectural Design Contest”
Secondary and post-secondary students will be asked to submit architectural plans for houses to be built as part of a Habitat for Humanity subdivision development project. The plans will be judged by various professional architects, engineers and planners, and cash awards will be given for the top three designs in two categories (secondary and post-secondary). An awards banquet will be hosted by Macomb Community College and Habitat for Humanity to honor everyone who submits a design.
Macomb Community College “Clinton River Watershed Study”
This service learning study will focus on chemical, physical, and biological conditions, as well as the impact of campus and community on a small tributary of the Clinton River that flows through the campus. The health of the campus section of the tributary may reflect the health of other small tributaries in the watershed. This data will be shared with the Clinton River Watershed Council, Adopt-A-Stream program.
Macomb Community College “Habitat for Humanity Surveying and Engineering Project”
A piece of land in Macomb County has been acquired by Habitat for Humanity for the development of a 28 home subdivision. Prior to construction, the entire parcel of land needs to be surveyed, and the roads and sewers laid out. Engineering students will complete the boundary and topographical surveying required, will draft a preliminary site plan for submission to the township, and will contribute to the design of all unities for the subdivision. This project will advance the process through the permitting phase of development, and the culmination will ultimately be the construction of roads and houses for low-income Macomb County families.
Schoolcraft College “Multilingual Community Services Program”
This project proposes to identify students who have the language and/or cultural skills to serve as a cadre of volunteers assisting a growing non-English speaking population in the area. The students will assist business, government, health care, educational, and community service organizations by providing translation, interpretation, and other related services. Students will have the opportunity to participate in and benefit from service learning while providing valuable service to a growing multilingual community.
University of Michigan-Dearborn “Academic Service Learning Faculty Fellows Development Program”
Faculty fellows, over the course of one academic year, will be prepared to teach a course with an Academic Service-Learning component in the following Fall semester. This program will provide faculty members with the tools to revise or create AS-L syllabi, build community partnerships, design reflection activities and evaluate their courses. The Civic Engagement Project at the University of Michigan-Dearborn will oversee this program and provide all necessary assistance, which includes, but is not limited to, research, resources, acting as campus-community liaison, and giving in-class presentations on AS-L.