Marquette University's Service Learning Programs: A Deep Dive into Community Engagement

College is an opportunity that not everyone can afford, and empathy for the less fortunate is not always taught in schools. Marquette University recognizes this and addresses it through its robust service learning programs. By integrating community service with academic coursework, Marquette provides students with hands-on, meaningful experiences that benefit both the students and the local community. These programs push students forward in their academic journey while fostering a sense of social responsibility and empathy.

The Genesis and Evolution of Service Learning at Marquette

Marquette's service learning program began in 1994, initiated by a philosophy professor who integrated volunteer service into his classes. According to Kim Jensen Bohat, director of service learning, this initial effort has grown into a university-wide initiative that is now a required part of the curriculum for several majors, such as nursing. The program proudly celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024, after being founded by Dr. Andy Tallon, Emeritus Professor, Philosophy, who wrote the initial grants and the first Program Director, Bobbi Timberlake.

The Core of Service Learning: Reflection and Empathy

A key component of Marquette’s service learning program is the emphasis on critical reflection. As Bohat explains, "The critical reflection session that we offer allows students to dig into those social justice topics a little bit more deeply and again, to develop some empathy and understanding." This reflection process encourages students to analyze their experiences, understand the root causes of social issues, and develop a deeper sense of empathy for the individuals and communities they serve.

A Student Perspective: The Impact of Service Learning

Ruby Lexau, a student coordinator for the service learning program and an alumnus of the program, experienced service learning during her first semester. MacGregor worked with Literary Services of Wisconsin, an organization that helps adults who did not finish high school further their education and improve their literacy. Lexau's experience highlights the transformative potential of service learning. "I’m so lucky for education to have always been a known path to take in my life, and it’s always been a track that I’ve been on. But to have that perspective, that education, is really a gift."

Service Learning in Action: Examples and Opportunities

Marquette’s Service Learning Program connects students to meaningful community service opportunities. The university has been honored as the #1 Most Engaged College in Community Service by the Princeton Review for the second year in a row, a testament to the program's success. Here are some examples of service learning opportunities available to Marquette students:

Read also: Marquette Academics and Rankings

Milwaukee Rescue Mission: The Milwaukee Rescue Mission is one of the Marquette Service Learning Program’s current community partners.
Literary Services of Wisconsin: Students can work with this organization to help adults improve their literacy and further their education.
Next Door: Through the 414 Fellows program, students can serve in early childhood education at Next Door, spending 10 hours a week and receiving an educational award.
Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers: The Salud Social Internship Program allows interns to work one-on-one with patients and primary care providers in a clinical setting, screening patients for Social Determinants of Health and providing resources and referrals.
The Neighborhood Kitchen: This program empowers students to reduce food waste and address food insecurity in the community through food recovery, meal prep, and meal delivery.
Food Recovery Network: A student org that seeks to reduce food waste on campus by recovering surplus food and donating it to community partners working with food insecure populations.
Burke Scholars: The Burke Scholarship Program is a four-year program for full-time undergraduate students who have a passion for social justice and a commitment to serve others.

Marquette University South Africa Service Learning Program

Marquette also offers international service learning opportunities, such as the Marquette University South Africa Service Learning Program based in Cape Town. This program provides students with a unique opportunity to pursue academic coursework and real-world learning in a global context.

Experiencing the Rainbow Nation

South Africa is known as the Rainbow Nation, a term that reflects its racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity. In Cape Town, students will encounter Xhosa, Afrikaans, and English. The program allows students to become acquainted with South Africa's rich history and witness firsthand the country's efforts to rebuild after decades of apartheid. Cape Town's diverse socioeconomic communities serve as a classroom, and its leaders become teachers.

A Dual Path of Learning

Students in the South Africa program attend weekly classes at the University of the Western Cape, an institution that played a key role in ending apartheid. They also work two days a week at a local nonprofit organization, applying their education to address global challenges. These service learning sites offer opportunities to contribute to community education, health issues, gender inequities, sustainable living, and youth education.

Immersion and Reflection

Participants live together in the Kimberely House in the Observatory neighborhood of Cape Town, known locally as "Obs." They also visit significant South African historical and cultural sites, such as Table Mountain, District 6, and Robben Island. The program fosters cultural competence and personal confidence through immersion in a different culture. One participant shared, "Oh my word, I learned so much. I learned about more about my identity as an American and as a woman. I learned about racism/race that wasn't in an American context. I learned about Afro-centric history… I learned how to be empathetic and a good listener at my internship. I learned how to reflect and break down things that are happening around me. I learned that I wanted a career in the non-profit sector. I learned about a new culture and how to properly adjust to differences around me. I gained a great deal of cultural competence as well as personal confidence through this program."

Service Learning: A Mutually Beneficial Partnership

Service learning is an academic program that enables students to perform meaningful community service related to their courses. Agencies and schools in the community benefit from the services provided by the students and become partners in their education. Classroom studies complement service within the community and enable students to reflect upon and address local and national social problems. Service learning classes are offered in many departments and demonstrate the creative expertise of faculty committed to extending disciplinary work into local communities.

Beyond Service Learning: Additional Resources at Marquette

Marquette offers a wide array of resources to support student success and well-being, complementing the service learning experience:

Academic Support: Marquette provides small-group tutoring, one-on-one sessions with study skills specialists, and writing assistance through the Norman H. Ott Memorial Writing Center.
Campus Safety: Campus Safety provides mobile transports to ensure safe travel throughout campus.
Career Center: The Career Center helps students explore career options, find the right major, and prepare for life after graduation.
Center for Engagement and Inclusion (CEI): The CEI provides a space of engagement for all underrepresented and minority populations while also being a space for all students at Marquette.
Center for Leadership, Service and Involvement (CLSI): The CLSI is an integrated resource for community service, leadership development, student involvement and student organization resources.
Center for Peacemaking: The Center for Peacemaking aims at empowering Marquette and its community to explore the skills to become nonviolent peacemakers.
Counseling Center (MUCC): MUCC offers mental health services in the form of individual and group counseling, psychiatric services and crisis services.
Recreational Facilities: Marquette offers facilities, free to all students, including the Rec Plex, Wellness + Helfaer Recreation Center, Valley Fields and Norris Park.
Haggerty Museum of Art: The Haggerty Museum of Art offers rich art collections, exhibitions and programs to all students.
IT Services: Marquette’s IT Services is here to help with any assistance with technological concerns.
LGBTQ+ Resource Center: The LGBTQ+ Resource Center is focused on Christ-like care, compassion and support for the needs of Marquette’s LGBTQIA+ students, faculty and staff.
Marquette University Police Department: Marquette University Police Department is available for safety and security needs.
Office of Disability Services (ODS): ODS is dedicated to providing equal access within the classroom setting, through the determination of appropriate accommodations, and for students with documented disabilities.
Office of International Education (OIE): If you are interested in seeing the world and truly immersing yourself in another culture during your time at Marquette, contact the Office of International Education (OIE).
Raynor Memorial Libraries: The Raynor Memorial Libraries are excellent spaces for studying, working with classmates, finding books and articles, consulting a librarian, and relaxing.
707 Hub: The 707 Hub is a space designed to foster collaboration and innovation.
Marquette University Women’s Innovation Network (WIN): WIN is a comprehensive network designed to support the advancement of women, people of color, first generation college students, the LGTBQ community and others currently under-represented in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Shaping the Future through Service

Marquette's Service Learning Program is more than just a requirement for certain majors; it is an integral part of the university's mission to develop students who are not only academically successful but also socially responsible and engaged citizens. By providing opportunities for students to connect with the community, reflect on their experiences, and apply their knowledge to real-world problems, Marquette is shaping the next generation of leaders and peacemakers. Following in the Jesuit tradition of faithful service, the Service Learning Program facilitates student academic learning through meaningful service experiences, which encourage and enable Marquette's faculty and students to positively impact the community.

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