NWTC Service-Learning and Civic Engagement 2017-2018 | Page 12

C O M M U N I T Y M AT T E R S
SOCIAL SERVICES
NWTC Service Days
Learning and serving with local organizations
alongside other NWTC students.
Volunteering is a great way to get
involved both on campus and in
local communities, meet new people,
and make a difference. But how can
students find opportunities to get
involved that fit their often-busy
lifestyle and schedules?
To help fill the gap, NWTC Service
Days are developed each semester for
students who find it difficult to engage
in long term service opportunities but
still want to give back and engage with
the community.
Each Service Day is facilitated
by Service-Learning and Civic
Engagement (SLCE) leaders, with
each project typically lasting three
to five hours. Service Days are
designed to address different social
issues affecting the community,
providing student volunteers with the
opportunity to tour and learn about
a local nonprofit while completing a
meaningful service project.
NWTC Service Days support and
cultivate a spirit of engagement
and service on campus and in the
community. Students serve in groups
alongside other likeminded peers,
while exploring ways they can use
their career interests and skills to
make a positive impact.
Since the program’s inception in 2016,
118 students have participated in 17
NWTC Service Days serving
8 unique community partners.
94% of participants reported they
were either satisfied or extremely
satisfied with the service activity
and experience, while 90% of
respondents reported they would
consider participating in more NWTC
Service Days in the future.
Kyle Sherwood, a Service Day
participant during the Connecting
Families Community Health and
Wellness Event shared his experience,
“I worked with people I had just met,
and worked as a team to get the job
done and had so much fun doing it.”
Each student participating in an
NWTC Service Day is provided
the opportunity to reflect upon
their experience. Reflection helps
students thoughtfully process their
community work. It also helps them
critically assess and understand
what they are seeing and doing in
relation to what they’re learning in
the classroom.
“I was able to think differently about
people.” said MacKenzie Gumz, an
Associate Degree Nursing student
who volunteered alongside peers at
the NEW Community Shelter.
“I must be their advocate and give
them the best quality care that they
deserve. It really made me change
the way I thought of the homeless.
This experience made me evolve and
grow as a healthcare professional.”
CHECK OUT
UPCOMING
SERVICE DAYS
at nwtc.edu
CLICK ON:
Student Experience
  • Service-Learning
  •  NWTC Service Days
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