Service Learning in the Rural Community College

Service learning is a pedagogical model that connects meaningful community service experiences with academic course learning. Large urban centers are often the leaders in community service learning opportunities. The urban population is centrally located and urban post secondary institutions can point with well-deserved pride to their outstanding community partnerships. These provide great experiential learning opportunities for students and valuable services to the community. Yet urban areas do not hold a monopoly on civic needs. Rural areas have the same problems and require the same services. Considering the great distances that rural areas encompass along with the lack of civic infrastructure and one can begin to picture the problem that rural community colleges face everyday in their struggle to increase student engagement. This paper concentrates on turning these special obstacles into great opportunities for students.