Thank you for your interest in the 2008 Summer Workshop Series!

Information will be available for the upcoming term by late February. Please check back then for the most updated information regarding registration, etc.

Are you interested in revising your course to make it service-learning? Would you like to design a new course that has a service-learning component? Then please consider applying for the Service Learning Associates Program. During the spring semester, participants will attend a series of six classes that provide opportunities to explore the value of service-learning in the university curriculum, formulate strategies for incorporating service-learning into existing or new courses and gain valuable input from colleagues and experienced service-learning instructors. The Service Learning Associates Program training course meets for 90 minutes on the following Tuesdays: February 5, February 19, March 4, March 18, April 1, April 15. The meeting time is 3:00-4:30 in the Center for Teaching Excellence Conference Room, 4th Floor of Cabell Library. Contact Helen Ruth Aspaas (828-8086) (hraspaas@vcu.edu) for further information. The application form is at http://www.community.vcu.edu/solutions/servicelearning/forms/slapapp_v.doc

Breaking out of the Classroom:
Community-Based Learning (CEWS3)

This workshop will provide a summary of the theory and rationale for community-based learning pedagogy which includes: service-learning, experiential education and community projects. We will explore how community service experiences can be integrated with course content, and how instructors and community partners work together to make this a mutually beneficial experience. Participants will learn about the resources offered through VCU’s Division of Community Engagement.

Helen Ruth Aspaas, Ph.D.
Service-Learning Faculty Scholar
Associate Professor, Wilder School

1/24/08 12:00-1:30 pm Richmond Academy of Medicine Conference Room
1200 E. Clay Street, Room 1002

*To register, email Emily Gambill at ergambill@vcu.edu with your name, telephone number and email address.

“Generation Dream 08” honors civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Performance part of annual “Living the Dream” tribute

By Mike Porter
University News Services
Jan. 2008

Virginia Commonwealth University’s annual “Living the Dream” program will pay tribute to the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King with a musical and spoken word performance.

"Generation Dream 08: An Edu-concert in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." will take place Thursday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. at the VCU Singleton Performing Arts Center, 922 Park Ave. The event is free and open to the public.

“Generation Dream 08” will feature performances by the activist percussion group “Drums No Guns,” spoken word performances by Richmond actor and poet
Iman Shabazz, and music from the local rock-funk fusion band Think! The show also includes performances by youth members of the Richmond Youth Peace Project, including students from Middle Eastern, Asian, and African nations and productions by New Generation Theater and Theatre VCU.

The event is sponsored by VCU’s Division of Community Engagement, Office of Multicultural Affairs, NAACP at VCU, Department of Theatre and VCU Libraries. The Richmond Peace Education Center and “Drums No Guns” are serving as community sponsors of the event.

For more information, contact the VCU Division of Community Engagement at 804-828-1831 or the Richmond Peace Education Center at 804-232-1002 or visit rpec@rpec.org.

This semester’s Introduction to Conversational Spanish I, II and III classes for faculty and staff begin the week of Jan. 28. To register, visit http://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/training/ and enter the keyword "Spanish." There is no financial responsibility for participants who are eligible for educational assistance or a tuition waiver. Participants should verify their eligibility with their department before registering. For more information, contact Anna Jones at ajones47@vcu.edu or 828-8831.