Temple Students Learn Through Community Service
By Dr. Marciene Mattleman
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Carol Harris-Shapiro, an assistant professor of intellectual heritage at Temple is committed to giving her students practical experiences through service or community-based projects.
After speaking with the pastor of the neighboring Church of the Advocate, she learned that the congregation wanted to improve the efficiency of the Advocate Cafe but had no resources. Offering extra credit to students in her three classes, she divided them into two groups.
One gathered information about other area soup kitchens, including operating hours and menus to avoid redundancy and improve service; another group interviewed patrons to determine level of satisfaction.
The majority were pleased with the service; but males were more comfortable seeking a free meal than women who were more reluctant because of the perceived stigma of receiving assistance.
Not just knowledge, the students gained from this real-life experience and the Cafe found the information useful. Giving back is one of the values important in teaching.
Read more in the Temple University Magazine.