Office of Service-Learning

Welcome to the Office of Service-Learning Newsletter!

Our newsletter is published bi-weekly and is designed to highlight the rich array of activities taking place on campus and in the community that showcase the work of BGSU faculty, staff, and students, as well as the contributions of our community partners. If you would like to submit an article or news item, or want to request to have your program or class highlighted, please contact our main office at 419-372-9865 / 315 University Hall / slbgsu@bgsu.edu.

Check out our new wiki under ‘Events and Opportunities’ for up to date links to campus workshops, conferences, publishing opportunities, SL resources and more….

Office of Service-Learning moves to 315 University Hall
By Erin Hanline

      Moving is a task that many people dread. However, when the Office of Service-Learning (OSL) got ready to move from 305 University Hall to 315 University Hall, the entire office was excited. Although all of the work that is usually associated with moving was required, the shift was well worth it. The office size nearly quadrupled in the move.

      There were a variety of reasons for the move, many of which included the need for extra space. The OSL was created in 2006 as a result of the report submitted by the President’s Committee on Service Learning. As the office became more established on campus, more organizations and offices started partnering with it. Most recently, the Civic Action Leaders, a program sponsored by the BGSU University Bookstore joined the OSL. Other organizations that work with the OSL include the BGSU Teen Center, Wood County Corps/AmeriCorps, Ohio Campus Compact, and the sponsorship for the President’s Volunteer Service Award. As more organizations began partnering with the OSL the need for more space became even more apparent.

      The space gained in the move enhanced the functionality of the office. Many people work in the office such as interns, graduate students, practicum students and faculty members. In the summer alone, there are around 15 people working in the office at different times of the day and week. The extra space and technology makes it easier to get work done and adds a sense of privacy to the office.

      The space gained was used to create a main office space with a waiting area, two separate offices connected to the main office as well as a conference room. The addition of space was enough to get the staff excited, but what the space was used for made it even better. The old office did not have a waiting area or a conference room.

      Referring to the waiting area OSL Secretary Kathy Newman said smiling, “I like to call that our hospitality area.”

      It is still taking the staff a little while to get used to all of the changes but they will have plenty of time to get settled in before the fall term begins. It is during the summer that the office really prepares for the busier time for them, the academic year. The conference room is a perfect place to have all of the necessary meetings to get everything in order for the school year.

      “I was scheduling for Dr. Rosser to meet with three people and I was unsure of where there would be enough space for them all to meet. Then I remembered that we had gained the conference rooms and knew that they would be a perfect spot for the meeting,” said an intern working in the OSL.

      So, when moving from 305 to 315 University Hall, the office gained not only more space, but convenience. The office members are working on setting up bulletin boards and putting together outreach materials along with completing other tasks to get prepared for the academic year. The Office of Service-Learning is excited for the new space and about the possibilities for program growth.