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Partnership
Information
Why Become
a Partner?
Physicists use the term vacuum to describe an empty space,
existing without contact to the
outside world. CSUN borrows this term to emphasize its
belief that education does not happen
in a vacuum; a university could not survive without constant
interactions and interconnections
with its environment. Biologists use the term symbiosis
to describe the living together of two
species in a manner that is advantageous or necessary to
both. CSUN borrows this term to
define the nucleus of campus/community partnerships: the
University and organizations within
its community should coexist in a manner that benefits
and nourishes both.
These analogies
from the world of science demonstrate CSUN’s
philosophy about education in
the 21st century. They explain CSUN’s commitment
to advancing mutually beneficial community
partnerships because:
- Higher education has a responsibility to the communities
in which they are located.
- Research
demonstrates that linkages between the classroom, co-curricular
activities and
community service through service-learning and volunteerism have widespread
positive
effects on students academic and personal development. These include:
- Increased
commitment to community and to helping others;
- Improved
sensitivity to diversity and promotion of racial
understanding;
- Enhanced
leadership ability;
- More
self-confidence and self-esteem;
- Better
critical thinking, communication, and conflict
resolution
skills;
- Development
of civic capacities; and
- Exposure
to professional opportunities to help students
determine future goals.
- Communities
can do more and do it better when students add
their knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise to
advancing community partners’ goals. Survey responses
from CSUN’s existing community partners
showed that CSUN students:
- Increased
the quality of service to their clients;
- Improved
the visibility and name recognition of their
organization;
- Enhanced
their organizational ability to achieve missions
and goals;
- Excelled
at relating to staff and clients; and
- Had
above-average enthusiasm and skills.
- Higher
education curricula and public policy are better
informed
through university/community partnerships.
- Students
at all stages of academic development can contribute
to
an organization’s
To be recognized
as an official service-learning parter, please complete
a web application or download and complete the PDF
version and fax it back to (818) 677-5935. |
