About the Department
Olivet is committed to the idea that to be a good citizen, you must contribute and offer your talents to society. In addition to helping you develop as a leader and better understand social issues, volunteering is also a great way to make new friends. Olivet’s Service Learning requirement assists students in developing the skills and motivation to reach out to others in need.

Our goal is to provide a course-based Service Learning Project that will address community needs while at the same time instill in our students the ethic of Education for Individual and Social Responsibility. The college-wide Service Learning requirement combines first-hand community service experience with careful and extensive reflection on that experience.

Although community service is in itself a worthy activity, the main purpose of the Service Learning requirement is to enhance the student’s learning by participating in this active, community-based pedagogy.

At least once during their undergraduate experience, students at Olivet are required to complete a three semester hour service learning course offered by an academic department. Each Service Learning course requires students to spend a minimum of 40 hours serving the needs of the community. Such service is accompanied by reflection on that experience.

Certain majors and programs have integrated the Service Learning requirement into the structure of their courses. In such cases, students meet the requirement simply by completing the major or program. Other students take at least one course designated “satisfies Service Learning requirement.”

DIRECTOR                                    

Michael Fales '75 Director of Service Learning and Campus Ministries; Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Religion; Co-Advisor for International Students mfales@olivetcollege.edu (269) 749-7624 (faculty bio)

Department Members                                    

		Jean Paul Cortes '08   AmeriCorps VISTA         jcortes@olivetcollege.edu (269) 749-7127