Abstract
Prior to the Fall 2022 semester, I met with the University’s service-learning director, Dr. Monica O’Neil, to discuss potential organizations, projects, and learning outcomes my students could complete during the semester. Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that combines meaningful community service with class instruction and reflection (National Service Learning Clearinghouse/ National Youth Leadership Council). The purpose of service-learning is to enrich student learning by teaching civic responsibility through connections to course content. There are several benefits to service-learning, including providing opportunities to apply course content to community needs, increase awareness of resources in the community for populations in need, and strengthen connections between the University and local community. The course “Mental Health and the Law” explores how one’s mental health affects one’s interaction with the law and how the law affects one’s mental health, as well as the personal and societal impacts of this relationship. Thus, service-learning in this course gives students a chance to apply course concepts in their projects while working closely with organizations that deal daily with the interplay of mental health and the law. I organized students into three separate groups that served a different organization in the local community: United Caring Services, Willow Tree Domestic Violence Shelter, and the Re-Entry Network. Students completed their service learning (e.g., social media blog posts, toiletries drive, and informational pamphlet) throughout the semester, submitted a report detailing their contributions and reflections, and then presented their project as a group. The purpose of the presentation is to describe the process of service-learning at our institution, present assignment descriptions and rubrics, and provide reflections on the students work as well as the service-learning process in general. Participants will learn more about service-learning, the benefits of utilizing service-learning in their classes, and discuss ideas incorporating service- learning into their own classes.