Community College of Philadelphia Hosts a Conference on Service Learning and Volunteerism

PHILADELPHIA, PA, OCTOBER 5, 2004 - Community College of Philadelphia will host the First Annual Best Practices in Higher Education Conference: Accessing the Impact of Service Learning on Student Development on Friday, November 19, with registration beginning at 8:00 a.m. Topics of discussion will include keynote addresses on "Everything I need to Know About Service Learning, but Didn't Know to Ask" and "Beyond the Shadow of the Ivory Tower: Higher Education and Democracy" as well as an alumni panel themed "How Service Learning Experiences in College Impacted on their Professional Careers".

Service Learning can link for-credit academic course content with experiences in the community and allows students to receive hands on training while contributing services to non-profit community organizations. Service Learning enhances what is taught in the classroom with volunteerism. Service learning can also occur outside of the academic setting.

Registration is open to those with an interest in Service Learning. For more information, contact Jan Harris at Community College of Philadelphia by November 15 at 215-496-6169.

The event will feature concurrent sessions on various service learning projects, a panel presentation by alumni of the college and program speakers including:

• Stephen M. Curtis Ph.D., President, Community College of Philadelphia
• James Birge, Ph.D., Executive Director, Pennsylvania Campus Compact
• Alumni of Community College of Philadelphia