Service Learning

Service Learning sees students participating in projects that serve the community's needs, as part of the engineer's responsibility to society. Through this experience, students develop professionalism and a practical perspective by connecting the classroom to the real world.

 

There are two ways to earn Service Learning credit for Engineering+:

  • Participate in an approved project that uses engineering or computer science skillsets and serves a community need, as part of a Service Learning course (ex. ENGR 302 ). NOTE: Students must meet service learning requirements defined within the course in the term of enrollment to obtain the corresponding service learning.

OR

  • Complete a total of 40 hours of volunteer service on a project that uses engineering or computer science skillsets and serves a community need. NOTE: Students must submit a one-page summary report along with their approval form for this option. The pre- and post-reflection templates below can be used to plan out the summary report. 

Service Learning opportunities may be found in existing classes and through outreach initiatives such as Engineers Without Borders, GoBabyGo!, STEM mentoring, and more.

The Service Learning Project

Any Service Learning project should:

  • be an organized service activity consisting of an intentional and thought-provoking application of classroom learning to active and engaging work by participating in a group project that meets identified community needs, and
  • include structured reflection on the service activity to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility (Bringle & Hatcher, 1995; Totten & Pederson, 1997), and
  • benefit the community (broadly defined) and opportunities for service can address a wide variety of community needs.

View a video that highlights a service learning project by WSU GoBabyGo! at the WPS Little Early Childhood Center's Community Helpers event. 

ENGR 302.  Accessible Design (3)

Provides a set of multidisciplinary hands-on learning experiences in designing and creating assistive technologies for community members of all ages with mobility challenges, hearing or vision loss, communication challenges or other disabilities. Students develop a mindset to understand customer needs and are equipped with a skillset needed to source materials and build designs using tools in the laboratory/shop. Guest lectures from across campus — including but not limited to, communications sciences and disorders, early childhood unified, physical therapy or biomedical engineering — present different design perspectives and product design challenges.