Many College of Arts & Letters students care deeply about helping others and want to solve complex global issues. Service learning and community engaged learning are great options for students who are eager to meet their experiential learning requirement while getting involved in the community.

What is service learning?

Service learning is a credit-based opportunity where students connect what they are learning in their coursework to community engagement activities with local schools, nonprofit organizations, and community groups. Service learning courses take place in select study abroad and study away programs as well as classes in East Lansing.

Resources:

  • Volunteer Opportunities: Check out Give Gab, MSU’s free volunteer matching platform that helps students find service opportunities that meet their skills and interests. 200+ organizations around the Greater Lansing area post volunteer opportunities here.
  • Alternative Spartan Breaks (ASB): ASB provides quality service trips around the country and world that range anywhere from a weekend to a week-long. ASBs focus on educating Spartans about the social issues they are addressing through their service. Learn more at https://www.asb.msu.edu/.
  • Days of Service: MSU organizes several campus-wide days of service where Spartans can sign up with their friends to serve local community organizations. These are large-scale events that generally include transportation to/from the service sites, lunch, and a free t-shirt. Learn more at https://servicelearning.msu.edu/

For more information about service learning courses and for students looking to find volunteer opportunities, contact the Center for Community Engaged Learning.