Integrating Service and Learning

Based upon its commitment to promote the Christian ethic of service and to serve the Appalachian region, Berea College undertook a new initiative to educate students for active citizenship and service-oriented leadership by creating the Center for Excellence in Learning Through Service (CELTS), which coordinates the campus’ student-led, community-service programs and supports service-learning in the academic curriculum. Established in 2000, CELTS educates students for leadership in service and social justice through promotion and coordination of service-learning, community service, and outreach. CELTS builds upon Berea’s commitment to serving the Appalachian region through student-led volunteer programs, including Students For Appalachia, Bonner Scholars, Habitat for Humanity, and People Who Care. Through their labor positions, students lead these service programs and coordinate activities including tutoring young children, mentoring at-risk teens, visiting elderly hospital patients, helping to build houses for low-income families, organizing the annual community-wide Hunger Hurts food drive, and taking on environmental and social-justice issues. CELTS also coordinates and supports service-learning in the academic curriculum. In service-learning courses, students apply academic knowledge to address community needs while developing their academic skills, sense of civic responsibility, and commitment to the community through critical, reflective thinking. Service-learning courses are taught each term in a variety of departments at Berea College. Designated service-learning courses meet the Active Learning Experience (ALE) requirement in the General Education Program.