In this Issue
2005 Service-Learning Courses
"Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland" will
examine different forms of dialogue, including public
deliberation, sustained dialogue and mediation, and how
they can be used in reconciliation efforts within
communities. Students will engage in a service project
with other
volunteers and travel to Northern Ireland where they
will learn
about "The Troubles." Students also will examine
community peace
efforts and the role that dialogue and deliberation has
played in these efforts. The six-credit course will be
taught by
Dr. Neal Newfield, associate professor of social work at
WVU.
"Globalization: The Navajo Nation Case Study"
traces the role that the Navajo Nation and its people
have played in shaping economic, political and cultural
relationships with a special emphasis
on underlying Navajo principles and worldviews.
Students will be introduced to ethnographic methods
and data gathering techniques, as well as participate in
local cultural and recreational activities in Arizona. The
six-credit
course will be taight by Dr. Ginny
Majewski, associate professor and chair of the Division
of Social Work at WVU, and Dr. Monica Frolander-Ulf,
associate professor of anthropology, University of
Pittsburgh, Johnstown.
Each course requires a minimum of 10 participants.
Academic credits will be offered through WVU and
transferred to students' home schools.
Visit our updated service-learning page to read more about 2005 courses or to download new application materials.
Quick Links
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Greetings!
This month begins an exciting era at Amizade. The
bright colors of this newsletter show our school spirit
for our new academic partnership with West Virginia
University. The Amizade Global Service-Learning
Consortium will bring expanded service-learning
opportunities to students at colleges and universities
throughout the United States. We look forward to
everything that is possible through this new
partnership.
Sincerely,
Michael Sandy, Executive Director
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Amizade partners with WVU
Amizade is proud to announce a new academic
partnership with West Virginia University to offer
educational and community service
opportunities for college students throughout the
country. The agreement, finalized April 14, will allow
WVU to expand service-learning options for
undergraduate and graduate students and enable
Amizade to attract additional students to participate in
a growing number of service-learning courses. "This
partnership presents incredible opportunities for
collaboration between students, professors and the
international community," Sandy said. "WVU recognizes
the value of service-learning and the experience that
an established global nonprofit organization such as
Amizade brings to education."
WVU Office of International Programs Director Dan
Weiner said, "This partnership will significantly enhance
our international educational options for students and
also contribute to innovative experiential learning
options." According to the National Service Learning
Clearinghouse, the concept of service-learning is a
growing trend on college and university campuses
around the world. Service-learning is an educational
strategy that integrates community service with
academic instruction and personal reflection to enrich
learning experiences, teach civic responsibility, and
strengthen communities.
Amizade and WVU will offer two pilot courses this
summer: "Globalization: The Navajo Nation
Case Study" and "Peace and Reconciliation in Northern
Ireland." The courses will be open to students from any
university. Academic credits are received through WVU
and may then transferred to home
institutions. "Experiential learning is an important
pedagogical practice too often omitted from the regular
curriculum," said Kimberly Colebank, director of the
WVU Office of Service-Learning Programs. "Becuase of
this partnership, students have another avenue to
pursue hands-on learning while helping communities
internationally."
By next summer, Amizade and WVU expect to offer 12-
15 courses in numerous academic subject areas.
Founded in 1994, Amizade led its first volunteer
program in Brazil in 1995. Over the past 10 years,
Amizade has established community partnerships in
10 countries and developed a wide range of service-
learning courses and volunteer programs.
Learn more about the Office of International Programs at WVU »
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Service-Learning: What Students Say
Students who have participated in Amizade's
service-learning courses report that the experiences
profoundly impact them personally,
academically and globally.
Whether in Brazil providing vocational opportunities for
children who would otherwise be homeless or
completing research on HIV/AIDS
educational programs in rural Tanzania, global service-
learning courses present unparalleled opportunities.
"In a tiny village that many people could not locate on
a map, I began to understand that global service-
learning is about far more than a grade received or a
project completed," said Danille Kobet, who took a
service-learning course titled "Anthropolgy in Africa" in
Tanzania in 2003.
In addition to studying the local culture and the
effects of AIDS on the village, Kobet and other
students helped lay the stone foundation for an AIDS
orphanage in Kayanga. "We were able to break down
stereotypes and build friendships. Just knowing that
orphaned children will have a roof over their heads due
to our volunteerism is an amazing feeling."
Cara J. Hayden, a participant in the Northern Ireland
course in 2003, studied the peace process and even
helped build a house for a local Irish family. "The most
memorable part of my trip was understanding how and
why the Catholics and Protestants are divided in
Northern Ireland. We had read books about it and
discussed it in class for two months, but I really didn't
understand until I saw how they live and talked to
some local people." Hayden also recalls valuable class
discussions. "It's not just going and doing something --
there is time to reflect, think, discuss and learn from
others."
Find out how other university students are serving and learning »
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Volunteer Update
Amizade volunteers continue to make extraordinary
progress sharing their time and talents around the
world.
For the month of April, we had 19 volunteers,
including a group of seven students from Michigan
State University's Upward Bound Program, engaged in
projects in Bolivia, Jamaica and the Navajo Nation.
We extend our gratitude for their service and our
wishes for successful experiences, life-long learning and
productive partnerships.
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