Owens Community College
Service Scholars Program
Student Handbook
2016-2017
Page 1 of 5
The Owens Community College Service Scholar Program:
Civic Engagement
Critical Reflection
Scholarship
The Service Scholar Program Mission
The mission of the Owens Community College Service Scholar Program is to provide an
opportunity for students to become civically engaged in their communities while building
academic skills.
The Service Scholars Program Vision
The Service Scholar Program offers students a wide variety of service opportunities in the local
community. The Service Scholar program also encourages students to use their education
through practical experiences while creating community-focused service projects and critical
reflections. Service Scholar students build their practical and intellectual skills while making a
positive change in their communities.
The Service Scholars Program Student Learning Outcomes
By fulfilling the Service Scholars Program requirements for graduation, the Service Scholar also
fulfills the program student learning outcomes. The Owens Community College Service Scholars
Program Student Learning Outcomes are
Civic Engagement
Service Scholars will:
• Contribute to the development and vitality of local communities
• Demonstrate the ability to identify community needs
• Apply knowledge creatively to address community needs
Critical Reflection
Service Scholars will:
• Review how community issues affect the individual
• Reflect on personal values and choices shape communities
• Identify and assess the personal, social, scientific, and/or historical influences that contribute
to their perspective
• Identify the way human diversity impacts individuals and communities
Scholarship
Service Scholars will:
• Demonstrate practical application of knowledge
• Express their experiences through written and oral communications
Page 2 of 5
• use interdisciplinary approaches to examine important social issues and how to facilitate
social change.
Service Scholars
Who are Service Scholars?
Students participating in the program are designated Service Scholars. Students will fill out a
Service Scholar application and complete required questions. Applicants who are qualified will
then be “accepted” into the program and invited to attend their first Service Scholars meeting.
Service Scholars are highly motivated and engage students who wish to go beyond the
minimum requirements for graduation from Owens Community College. Service Scholars will
demonstrate a:
1. commitment to their community
2. commitment to others
3. tolerance for diverse perspectives
5. willingness and ability to work independently
6. responsibility
7. dependability
Reasons to Become a Service Scholar
• Individualized placement in areas of interest
• Practical educational out-of-classroom activities
• Participation in the annual Honors/Service Symposium
• Recognition as Service Scholar at Commencement with the presentation of the Owens Service
Scholar cord at graduation and a personal letter from the President of the College.
• Eligibility for available service-learning scholarships
• Community and career connections
• Real world experience and career building
The Service Scholar Program Curriculum
Requirements for Graduation as a Service Scholar
Service Scholars can meet program requirements through one of three tracks:
1. Complete at least 40 hours of community service related to degree or course of study
learning outcomes.
2. Enroll in at least two courses with an embedded service-learning requirement (tbd by
instructor or self-designed for service scholar credit)
3. Participate in community engaged learning that is embedding into an existing degree
program (i.e. dental hygiene, nursing, radiography, etc.)
To graduate as a Service Scholar and receive the red, white and silver Service Scholars cord, a
student must:
Page 3 of 5
1. Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.5
2. Complete the above requirements.
3. Complete all relevent OCC graduation requirements.
4. Schedule and attend two meetings with program director prior to graduation.
The Honors Program/Service Scholar Symposium
*All Service Scholars are invited and encouraged to share a 20 minute presentation during the
annual Spring Honors/Service Symposium or alternatively offer a public presentation of the
service experience work, on campus or off (to be approved by the faculty member or program
director.)
Service Scholar Curriculum
The Service Scholar Curriculum is flexible enough to fit into any program.
Free-standing Service Learning Option Courses: Some courses already have a service-learning
component. These courses are listed on the schedule as having a “service learning component.”
Service Learning Option Courses: Most other Owens courses can be contracted as Service
Learning Option Courses with faculty approval and support. In these courses a student in the
Service Scholar Program, the instructor and the program coordinator agree on a Service
Learning Option Contract (see details below). Within the first fourteen days of class, the student
fills out a Service Learning Option Registration Form, obtains the instructor’s signature, and
submits the completed form to the Center for Experiential and Community Engaged Learning.
The instructor, working with the student and the program director, then completes a Service
Learning Option Contract that details the scope of the project. The Service Scholar Option
Contract must be submitted by the fourth week of the semester. Service Learning Option
Contracts must meet the following minimum criteria:
a. Students must work with a non-profit community partner, community foundation or
government agency.
b. Service Learning coursework should meet the Service Scholar Program Student
Learning Outcomes: Civic Engagement, Critical Reflection, and Scholarship
c. Each student prepares a presentation to be given in class, at the Honors/Service
Scholar Symposium, or at some other approved venue. Presentations can also be completed in
online courses. The type of presentation in online courses is at the discretion of the faculty
member, but must be stated in the Service Learning Option Contract.
Instructions for Service Learning Options Contracts
1. A student is registered for a class and requests Service Learning Option coursework. After
obtaining the faculty signature, the student submits the signed Service Learning Option
Registration Form to College Hall 155 by the 14th day of class.
2. The instructor, working with the student and program director, completes the Service
Learning Option Contract and submits it.
The contract will include
Page 4 of 5
a. Description of the service learning project
b. Information about how the Service Learning Option Project will be assessed and
calculated into the overall course grade.
c. Explanation about how the Service Learning Option Project meets the both student
learning outcomes of the Service Scholar Program and the learning outcomes of the student’s
program of study.
3. Service Learning Option Contracts may be submitted before the course begins, but must be
submitted by the fourth week of classes (16-week semester) at the latest.
Tracking Completed Service Hours:
*Each service scholar receives a copy of the Service Time Log sheet to keep track of community
involvement and volunteer hours. Please fill out the time log with accurate date, time and
location information and remember to have your site supervisor, faculty member or program
director sign to verify completed hours.
Service Scholars are welcome to keep records with them but please note that we MUST have
verification of completed hours to recognize service scholars at commencement. If you are
concerned about keeping records over several semesters, please visit College Hall 155 and we
can set up a file for you and keep your time logs on site.
Page 5 of 5