Kentucky Campus Compact, in partnership with Louisiana Campus Compact, held a train-the-trainer institute Aug. 5-6 to promote service-learning in higher education.
The institute, funded through a Learn & Serve Grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service, was held in Baton Rouge, La.
The Service-Learning Train-the-Trainer Institute helps increase the capacity of colleges/universities to implement service-learning into academic courses by increasing the skills of faculty and helping them to understand the use of this methodology. Each Institute participant is expected to conduct two service-learning trainings for faculty on their own campuses. Melissa Gilbert, community service director for Otterbein College, facilitated the training. Gilbert has 18 years of experience in teaching college courses that implement the service-learning methodology and helping other faculty learn to do the same. She is one of 10 engaged scholars identified by the national Campus Compact.
Gayle Hilleke, executive director of Kentucky Campus Compact, said "This was an excellent opportunity to assist colleges and universities in Kentucky and Louisiana to build capacity to fulfill their civic mission. The participants in this Institute are going back to their campuses prepared to help other faculty use service learning to engage students in learning in partnership with the community."
Fifty participants from 24 colleges and universities participated in the Service-Learning Train-the-Trainer Institute. From Kentucky, 14 participants from 8 colleges and universities attended, including: Big Sandy Community & Technical College, Gateway Community & Technical College, Kentucky State University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University, Thomas More College, Union College and University of Kentucky. From Louisiana, 36 participants from 16 colleges and universities attended, including: Baton Rouge Community College, Bossier Parish Community College, Centenary College, Delgado Community College, Grambling University, Louisiana State University, LSU at Alexandria, McNeese State University, Nicholls State University, Northwestern State University, Our Lady of the Lake College, River Parishes Community College, Southeastern State University, University of Louisiana at Monroe, University of Louisiana System and Xavier University.
Kentucky Campus Compact (KyCC) is a statewide coalition of Kentucky college and university presidents and their institutions, both public and private. Its vision is to help higher education strengthen the Commonwealth’s communities and improve the lives of Kentucky’s citizens. Founded in 2005, KyCC includes 21 member institutions and is hosted on the campus of Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Ky.
For additional information regarding Kentucky Campus Compact, visit http://kycompact.nku.edu/ or call (859) 572-7614.
