Getting Started
Community Service and Service Learning
Community service is co-curricular or extra-curricular service to the community, either long or short-term; direct or indirect; research-based or advocacy work. Community service can address a wide range of important social issues, and can be done independently or in groups. Community service is a great way to find out about the community and its needs, and to meet new people while also making a positive contribution to society.
Service learning is experiential learning and community service that is part of a course or a structured project or activity. It includes academic preparation, service activities needed by the community, and structured reflection. So, students have an opportunity to apply course objectives and theories to real-life hands-on experiences while also contributing to the solutions of real community needs.
Together these opportunities work to enrich the college experience at Florida State University. Students are encouraged to participate in both community service and service learning simultaneously or separately throughout their collegiate career.
Students who wish to participate in community service should follow the steps listed below:
- Come to the Center for Leadership and Civic Education for a walk-in advising session. Service Advisors are available Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. After-hours advising is available upon request. Appointments can be made if desired.
- Prior to advising, students should consider the community issues that they are interested in, such as children and youth, environment, hunger and homelessness, health, etc. To search for community service opportunities online, students are encouraged to visit the Community Resource Library.
- Through advising, students will be given information about various programs, special events, area nonprofit agencies, and other service opportunities. Students should return to the Center for Leadership and Civic Education periodically for new community service opportunities. Also, visit the website for updates, at www.serve2learn.fsu.edu.
Students who wish to take a service learning course should follow the steps listed below:
- Information on which service learning courses are being taught for each semester is available through the Course Search System. Go to the Registrar’s home page at http://registrar.fsu.edu/ and select “Course Search” – this will take students to the Course Search System. Follow the instructions provided on the screen to get to the course listings for departments. Select "Service Learning" from the optional search criteria drop down menu. Service learning courses will have a notation of either “community service required” or “community service optional” in the comments field.
- Visit the Center for Leadership and Civic Education for additional assistance to find agencies appropriate for service learning courses.
- Click here to learn more about Service Learning.