FAQ's for Students
What is Community Service?
Services volunteered by individuals or an organization to benefit a community or its institutions.
Servant Leadership at Crowder College
Welcome to Crowder College, where we are focused on “Building a civil, serving, literate, learning community of responsible citizens!” As a student, you are now part of a new community and culture. This culture consists of everyone who works, teaches, and studies at Crowder College, or those whom have done so in the past. As a graduate of Crowder College, the surrounding communities and employers recognize you as being a part of this special culture and encompassing many of the same values.
Our Service Seed Project gives students, clubs, and organizations the opportunity to be exposed to their community from a perspective different than what they might otherwise see. As a Crowder student you’ll have the opportunity to interact with the community in a positive way, learn about its needs and realize the plethora of services that are available. In addition, a personal connection can be made, thus leading to confidence, self-knowledge, and the desire to work with the public in a generous manner. From the Service Seed Project experience comes the realization that, “The ultimate expression of generosity is not in giving of what you have, but in giving of who you are.” ~Johnnetta B. Cole
Characteristics of a Servant Leader:
- LISTEN to understand
- Show EMPATHY by putting yourself in someone else’s shoes
- HEALING – trying to make things better in the group or for the individual by lending a helping hand
- Be AWARE by knowing what is needed by others
- Be PERSUASIVE by seeking to convince others, rather than coerce compliance
- DREAM BIG – imagine the possibilities of the future and merge it with the current realities. Then visualize and take the necessary steps to get there.
- Be a STEWARD by earning and keeping the trust of the individual or group and be willing to pass on your knowledge resources, etc.
- GROW! Believe that people have an intrinsic value beyond their tangible contributions and be committed to the growth of each and every individual
- BUILD COMMUNITY by experiencing the feeling of belonging to something bigger than each individual.
Servant Leadership and Community Service Benefits
- Good karma
- A new perspective and passion for your community as a whole as well as its individuals
- Networking experience
- Understanding people from all walks of life
- An opportunity to learn new skills
- Contribution to the greater good
- Your legacy
Crowder’s Servant Leadership Service Seed Project
One of the many ways that Crowder students demonstrate servant leadership and give back is through the Service Seed Project. The four-hour Service Seed Project is integrated into the College Orientation 101 (COLL 101) curriculum and must be completed in order to earn a final grade in the course. Each student will complete and record at least four hours of service. At the conclusion of their experience students will submit a time sheet(s) signed by the service site supervisor, a personal picture taken while volunteering, and a written reflection essay to their COLL 101 instructor. All three items are required in order to receive complete credit. Students must complete the four hours of service within the time frame of their COLL 101 course (ex. 4-week course, 8-week course, 16-week course, online).
What qualifies for the Service Seed Project
- It is performed for a nonprofit organization
- It is completed outside of class
- It is not required for any additional class grade (other than COLL 101) or for the courts
- It benefits a community or its institutions
- Gardening for someone who is too busy to do it (there is no demonstration of financial hardship)
- Helping at a business (for-profit businesses should pay, not exploit, student labor)
- Babysitting or cleaning house for a parent or friend (this is considered a family or friendship obligation — not community service)
- Religious proselytizing, reading Bible verses or being an acolyte (however, service that relates to support of a church will be accepted – such as preparing or serving food for a dinner, cleaning the sanctuary pews, gardening, non-paid nursery duty)
- Due to the Service Seed Project being integrated into the College Orientation 101 curriculum, hours earned prior to your COLL 101 course, or in a previous COLL 101 course, do not apply towards completion.
- An individual
- A family
- A for-profit business
FAQ's for Supervisors of Volunteers
Servant leadership Service Seed Project
Since the Fall of 2010, Crowder College students have participated in a four-hour Service Seed Project as part of College Orientation 101, a one credit-hour course and graduation requirement. The Service Seed Project encompasses the culture of Crowder College and provides opportunities for more positive interaction and the building of relationships between Crowder and the communities in which we are represented by students, staff and faculty.
Our Definition of Community Service
Services volunteered by individuals or an organization to benefit a community or its institutions.
To qualify as a Service Seed Project activity the service must be provided without pay to a nonprofit organization. The service must be primarily for the benefit of others, not the individual rendering the service.
When are volunteers available?
Students must complete the four hours of service within the time frame of their College Orientation 101 (COLL 101) course (ex. 4-week course, 8-week course, 16-week course, online). Due to the Service Seed Project being integrated into the COLL 101 curriculum, volunteer hours will be completed within the active FALL, SPRING and SUMMER semesters. Any volunteer hours completed prior to their COLL 101 course will not apply towards completion of the Service Seed Project.
Click here for access to the Crowder Academic Calendar
Crowder has a very diverse population. Our students come from all walks of life and are scheduled for work and school during a variety of hours. As a result, if one student can’t help there will probably be someone who can! Weekdays, weeknights and/or weekends: it is up to the student and volunteer supervisor to set up a mutually agreeable schedule. The student is expected to treat this volunteer endeavor as they would a “real job.”
How can you make a volunteer opportunity available to students?
Complete and submit the provided form by clicking on the Post a Volunteer Opportunity button on the Service Seed home page. You may also call to have your information posted. Your volunteer opportunity and/or contact information will be posted on our Service Seed Project site for all students, organizations and clubs to see. If a student is interested in sharing their time he/she will contact you for scheduling or for an interview. Crowder College hopes that your need for volunteers will be met but it will be up to the individual student to choose YOU!
Do you have to accept a student who applies?
No. It is your right to meet with the student prior to accepting service, and we encourage you to do so. You will decide whether the individual or group will benefit your program. The student, in turn, will decide if he will fit into your organization.
What if you want the person you interview to do service for you?
Be sure that you and the student have a clear agreement about his/her tasks, responsibilities, and the purpose and goals of the services to be performed. Agree upon who will keep track of the student’s hours. The supervisor will need to sign and confirm the time sheet at the end of each meeting. If a student does not complete the agreed upon tasks, or does not stay properly focused, it is your right as a supervisor to not sign-off on the volunteered time.
What can you expect from a Crowder volunteer?
Crowder College students will be respectful and show the utmost integrity. You can count on total dependability in attendance. You can and should expect that your Crowder volunteer will be there every day agreed upon.
You may also expect high quality performance and a good attitude. You are supposed to be getting help, not taking on an extra burden. The basic test is that a volunteer’s presence should make your organization more effective.
Please contact KathleenStrohl@Crowder.edu if you have any concerns about a volunteer. Likewise, please don’t hesitate to share your positive volunteer stories!
What kind of help may you ask for from a Crowder Volunteer?
Crowder wants our students to have opportunities to work directly with people and take on significant and responsible tasks that meet genuine needs. However, any professional job also involves material preparation and clerical work so this may also be expected of them. The key issues are that you get done what you need done and that a general outline of what is expected is clear from the beginning.
What is expected in terms of supervision?
Establish a clear working agreement at the beginning. Provide necessary training and orientation for the work expected. Give feedback on strengths and weaknesses, your level of satisfaction, etc. Encourage students, as you see fit, to take on additional responsibilities if the time and opportunity present itself. You do not need to watch each student do each task but you must be able to sign their time sheet with confidence that the hours of service were provided as agreed upon.
Will you be expected to grade a student?
No. We do however encourage you to write any additional comments you may have on your volunteer’s time sheet.
What if this arrangement just isn’t working out?
The basic criteria to keep in mind is that your program is more effective because of the volunteer’s contribution. It is very important that open communication take place. Please let both the student and Crowder (KathleenStrohl@Crowder.edu: Learning Opportunities Coordinator) know as soon as you suspect a problem, for your good, the student’s good, and the reputation of Crowder College.
Thank you for considering being part of the Crowder College Service Seed Project. We look forward to working with you now and in the future!
