BSU Students Participate in Service-Learning Meet-and-Greet

Bemidji State University students had an excellent opportunity last week, as a community partner meet-and-greet held by BSU and NTC faculty provided the chance for students to form connections through service-learning.

“Service-learning is a form of teaching practice where students are in the community learning about concepts in the classroom,” said BSU Director of Academic Service-Learning Dr. Donna Pawlowski.

Each student that was present had detailed information on the work they had been doing over the course of the spring semester, allowing them to show how BSU is involved in the Bemidji community.

“We’ve been able to put these posters together to present to different members of the community,” said BSU criminal justice student Gabriel Davis.

This event served as a culmination of the work of students that were involved with service-learning, from which they learned skills they can use in academic and everyday life.

“The skills I learned in my class and through the service-learning…I’m able to apply to relationships, in my class, and in my work,” said BSU psychology student Tia Tracy.

Although primarily for the students’ educational benefit, the objectives of service-learning provide lessons and skills for the educators as well.

“It’s actually changed some of the ways in which I teach because I try to make an effort now of having that applied, real experience for the students connected with the content,” said Dr. Pawlowski.

The event also saw BSU President Dr. John Hoffman give a speech acknowledging the students’ and staff’s accomplishments with this program.