2019 Continuums of Service Conference

Combining pedagogy and civic engagement did not arise from a single theorist but rather from the experiences of diverse educators, philanthropists, and activists. It developed when young people actively supported equal rights and opposed a war on foreign soil. It blossomed without a governing body or any public legislation. “Service-learning” advocates first convened in Atlanta in 1969, 50 years ago and 20 years prior to the formation of Campus Compact. In those early days most service-learning efforts were undertaken in spite of the will of university faculty and administrators rather than with their support. Service-learning professionals battled to win the hearts, minds and budgets of highly traditional, resistant institutions. Key to success was the strong, nurturing, critical community that came together through the National Society for Internships and Experiential Education (NSIEE), which enabled members to lean on one another for ideas, challenges and inspiration. This networked community enabled the work to become accepted as critical to higher education and civic engagement. This session builds upon and promotes this community by enabling participants to engage in one-on-one interviews that bring together the field’s pioneers, its new voices, and community partnes to explore/share motivations, convictions and questions about their goals and practice.