Service-Learning Through School-University Partnerships: Undergraduate Student Volunteers' Motivations and Experiences

Abstract

School‐university partnerships is one major community engagement strategy used to improve learning opportunities for underserved students (poor, Black, and Brown students). As part of its commitment to local communities and based on teachers’ input, Light University (pseudonym) implemented a service learning program in two urban elementary schools to improve language arts instruction and students’ outcomes in the early grades. Undergraduate students served as literacy volunteers who worked with teachers and students. Drawing on a multisite longitudinal case study, the objective of this paper is to share undergraduate students’ motivations for and experiences with volunteering in this school‐university partnership program. Findings from this paper provide important information for the effective and sustainable implementation of service‐learning oriented partnerships.