Like many Messiah College roommates, Ashley and Hilary have a lot in common. In addition to being nursing majors and members of the 2011 class, Ashley and Hilary both volunteer at Herbert A. Schaffner Youth Center, Dauphin County’s 63-bed juvenile detention center in Steelton, Pennsylvania. And both are doing it as a part of Lifespan Development, a service-learning course taught by Professor Valerie Lemmon. Read the rest of this entry »

Local Community Service: Outreach Teams

The purpose of Outreach Teams is to encourage the expression of faith through action by partnering with local community organizations; assisting them in fulfilling their needs and facilitating student learning and growth. In 2008-09, our teams consisted of:

International Service: International Missions Teams

All International Missions Teams from the Agapé Center and Individual Mission Grants recipients participate in the Mission Training Program. While Agapé teams have regular team meetings and monthly large group trainings, a highlight of preparing students for their service and mission trips is the annual Cross-Cultural Ministry Orientation Retreat. Getting away from the busyness of campus life for a time of refreshment, training, and experiential learning is a crucial element of the National and International Service and Missions Office (NISM) program. This year, the retreat focused on God’s passion for drawing diverse people together into one, helping individuals to reconcile with one another and with God. Other training topics from this year also included:

1. Fundraising
2. Introduction to Wholistic Community Development
3. Sharing the Gospel in Word
4. Spiritual Preparation for International Service and Mission

Service-Learning is a type of curriculum that intentionally integrates academic learning with community service in a credit bearing academic course. Our students participate in an authentic service activity which - meets needs identified by the community (designed within the framework of a mutually beneficial relationship) - and then they critically reflect on that activity. Thus, our students gain a deep understanding of their course content, a commitment to socially responsible citizenship, and they develop skills and understanding needed to contribute to civic well-being.

“Service-learning is a way to find opportunities to get out of the classroom to put into practice what I’ve learned there, but also to create a new classroom where you can learn real life situations that are genuine, not staged.” - Sarah H. ‘09

In 2008-09, there were 35 classes involving service-learning, 17 service-learning professors and 515 students enrolled in service-learning classes.

Community service and engagement have long been a tradition at Messiah College, and have become a distinctive part of students’ education. As a result of this legacy, the Agapé Center for Service and Learning has not only become nationally recognized for service-learning, but continues to engage 99% of the student body in some form of local, national, or international service and mission. As the director of the the Agapé Center, Chad Frey, it is my hope that you will be inspired by the images and stories of students, faculty, staff, and community partners as they have engaged in service with one another.