SERVICE-LEARNING &

VOLUNTEERING

A N N U A L R E P O R T

2 0 1 7 - 2 0 1 8 A C A D E M I C Y E A R

  Table of Contents   

Executive Summary  2 

Program Development  3 

Academic Service-Learning  4 

Volunteering  10 

Events & Group Volunteering  11 

Highlights  14 

Community Partners  17  

    

   

1  

  Executive Summary    

  

Undergraduate Academic Service-Learning 

2014 - 2015  49 Courses  100+ Community Partners  1,423 Students  24,858 Hours 

2015 - 2016  32 Courses  100+ Community Partners  699 Students  10,268 Hours 

2016 - 2017  52 Courses  100+ Community Partners  1,041 Students  19,371 Hours 

2017-2018  70 Courses  100+ Community Partners  1,788 Students  21,884.5 Hours 

 

Husky Day of Service 

2014 - 2015  10 Service Projects  70 Volunteers  280 Hours 

2015 - 2016  18 Service Projects  179 Volunteers  716 Hours 

2016 - 2017  27 Service Projects  292 Volunteers  876 Hours 

2017 - 2018  22 Service Projects  267 Volunteers  801 Hours 

 

Volunteering* 

2014 - 2015  14 Organizations & Events  308 Students  7,620.5 Hours 

2015 - 2016  14 Organizations & Events  362 Students  2,983 Hours 

2016 - 2017  9 Organizations & Events  455 Students  5,021 Hours 

2017 - 2018  14 Organizations & Events  515 Students  5,444.86 Hours 

 *Numbers include Husky Day of Service and AmericaReads 

 

 2  

 Program Development  

3  

Academic Service-Learning   Courses delivered this year incorporating service-learning components are listed below. These courses range                         in their depth and breadth of service-learning. Some incorporate one-time projects or optional                         service-learning, while others’ curriculum is grounded in the pedagogy. Because hours are a quantifiable part                             of service, we have captured that data; this does not necessarily correlate with impact. This data is collected                                   by staff, faculty teaching the course, and self-reported records from students serving in the community.                             **Note: 2017-2018 data likely under-report actual hours of service due to missing course information  

College of Science, Technology and Health   

College of Science, Technology, and Health – Fall 

COURSE  PROFESSOR  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

NUR 339 & 341  Susan Clement  14  784 

NUR 339 & 341  Karen Zuckerman  9  650 

MAT 131 & 231  Kelly McCormick  38  76 

TOTAL 61 1,510 

 

College of Science, Technology, and Health – Spring 

COURSE  PROFESSOR  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

BIO 305  David Champlin  10  200 

BIO 311  Rachel Larsen  41  80 

EGN 304  Ivan Most  30  900 

ESP 303  Karen Wilson  24  48 

ESP 401  Robert Sanford  12  200 

NUR 339  Krista Meinersmann  11  140 

NUR 339 & 341  Susan Clement  17  774 

NUR 339 & 341  Susan Sepples  17  952 

NUR 339 & 341  Karen Zuckerman  14  60 

NUR 419  Karen Zuckerman  10  48 

MAT 131 & 231  Kelly McCormick  38  76 

TOTAL 224 3,478 

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 College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences  College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences – Fall 

COURSE  PROFESSOR  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

AED 421  Kelly Hrenko  4  20 

CMS 255  Russell Kivatisky  20  300 

CMS 345  Russell Kivatisky  20  300 

ENG 334  Lorrayne Carroll  11  40 

FSP 200  Jamie Picardy  31  31 

FSP 210  Jamie Picardy  8  8 

POS 104  Timothy Ruback  48  503.75 

SOC 100  David Everson  40  400 

TOTAL 182 1,602.75 

College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences – Spring 

COURSE  PROFESSOR  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

CMS 345  Russell Kivatisky  20  60 

CMS 450  Dennis Gilbert  24  1800 

CRM 225  Sandra Wachholz  31  155 

ECO 102  Glenn Cummings  26  78 

POS 104  Timothy Ruback  51  612 

SOC 100  David Everson  79  550 

SOC 370  David Everson  2  20 

TOTAL 233 3,275 

   

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 College of Management and Human Service  College of Management and Human Service – Fall  

COURSE  PROFESSOR  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

BUS 369 & MBA 698  Robert Heiser  89  2880 

BUS 450  John Voyer  70  700 

EDU 100  Jane Etsy  24  266 

EDU 100  Robert Keuch  29  411.5 

EDU 305  John Oyerbides  29  220 

EDU 310  Jean Whitney  29  289.5 

SED 335  Jennifer Libby &  

Kathleen Cox 43  203 

SED 420  Pat Red &  

Danielle Williams 21  348 

SWO 201  Natallie Gentles-Gibbs  15  161 

SWO 604  Paula Gerstenblatt  9  300 

TAH 150 & 311  Sara Ghezzi  60  80 

TAH 312  Tracy Michaud  16  300 

TOTAL 434 6,159 

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College of Management and Human Service – Spring 

COURSE  PROFESSOR  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

EDU 100  Robert Kuech  16  213.25 

EDU 305  Heather Flanders  31  317.5 

EDU 310  Jean Whitney  27  403 

HCE 612 & 640  Yura Yasui  40  339.25 

SED 335  Pat Red  27  189 

SED 335  Jennifer Libby  29  145.75 

SWO 201  Natallie Gentles-Gibbs  13  130 

SWO 365  Hermeet Kohli  50    400 

SWO 393  Susan Fineran  22  440 

SWO 553  Paula Gerstenblatt  27  50 

TAH 222, 340, 409  Sara Ghezzi  50  40 

TOTAL    332  2,667.75 

 

             

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 Lewiston-Auburn College 

 

Lewiston-Auburn College – Fall 

COURSE  PROFESSOR  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

EYE 123  Mary Anne Peabody  28  85 

HRD/SBS 200  Mary Anne Peabody  21  210 

LAC 370  Michelle Vazquez Jacobus  20  100 

LOS 611  Tara Coste  18  432 

SBS 345  Michelle Vazquez Jacobus  23  250 

SBS 346  Michelle Vazquez Jacobus  8  240 

SBS 350  Mary Anne Peabody  17  128 

TOTAL 135 1,445   

Lewiston-Auburn College – Spring 

COURSE  PROFESSOR  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

LAC 370  Michelle Vazquez Jacobus  20  60 

LOS 270  Daniel Jenkins  7  21 

LOS 512  Tara Coste  33  594 

SBS 310  Mary Anne Peabody  13  104 

SBS 347  Michelle Vazquez Jacobus  17  370 

TOTAL 90 1,149   

Lewiston-Auburn College – Summer 

COURSE  PROFESSOR  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

HCE 624  Mary Anne Peabody  6  30 

TOTAL 6 30 

8  

 Special Programs  Honors – Fall & Spring 

COURSE  PROFESSOR  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

HON 101  Rebecca Nisetich  10  200 

HON 101  Reza Jalali  2  15 

HON 103  Margaret Reimer  12  60 

RSP 402  Elizabeth Dodge  5  150 

TOTAL 29 425 

 Co-Curricular Learning Labs 

COURSE  INSTRUCTOR  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

COR 101  Samantha Frisk  9  54 

COR 101  Daniel Barton  7  14 

COR 101  Alex Carrier  12  24 

COR 101  Anna Schwartz  9  13.5 

COR 101  Pamela Edwards  25  37.5 

TOTAL 62 143    

       

9  

 Volunteering

  

Group and Event Volunteering 

GROUP/ EVENT  STUDENTS  HOURS SERVED 

4-H STEM Ambassadors  20  400 

America Reads  12  1,073.56 

Alpha Xi Delta  58  19 

Chemistry Club  6  7 

Day of Code  10  58 

Engineers Without Borders  20  20 

Gamma Iota Sigma  17  11 

Honors Leadership & Development Scholarship Students 

15  1500 

Husky Day of Service  267  801 

Husky Hunger Initiative  2  25 

Kappa Delta Phi NAS  18  660 

Phi Mu Delta Fraternity  18  674.5 

Russell Scholars Program  9  90 

Spring Break Service-Learning with Rose Pelletier  12  40 

STEM Sisters  13  34.8 

Student Nurse Organization  10  15 

Veteran Identification Project  8  16 

TOTAL 515 5,444.86 

  

   

 

10  

 Events & Group Volunteering  

 

Husky Day of Service 

Husky Day of Service exemplifies a day of collaboration. For the 9th annual event, 22 community partners                                 hosted volunteers, 10 sponsors provided fuel for the day, and 267 students, staff, faculty, and alumni                               worked together to complete 22 projects, contributing to a Greater Portland and Auburn that we all want                                 to live in. This day supports community organizations that invest in positive change in our communities,                               but also serves as an opportunity for the USM community to become aware of local critical issues, while                                   connecting with one another.  

 

Community Partners:   

American Red Cross  Garbage to Garden  Portland Gear Hub Animal Refuge League  Greater Portland Landmarks  Portland Housing Authority Back Cove Clean Up   Maine Children’s Museum  Portland Trails 

Boys & Girls Club  Maine Veterans Home  Preble Street 

Strive U  Wayside Kitchen  Spring Point Ledge Light Trust 

Center for Grieving Children  Partners for World Health  Ruth’s 3Rs 

Cultivating Community  Peabody Center  YMCA SPACE Gallery    

 Sponsors: 

 

USM Student Senate  Sodexo  Oakhurst  Hannaford  Starbucks 

Rosemont Market & Bakery  

Portland Food Co-op 

University Credit Union 

USM Service-Learning & Volunteering 

Coffee By Design 

 

  

11  

    

STEM Expo  

The fourth annual STEM Expo         brought students from grades 3         through 12 from Portland Public         Schools and 65 exhibitors from all           over Maine and Massachusetts into         USM’s Sullivan Gym for 5 hours.           Students experienced what it’s like to           be on the green screen and           post-video production, getting their       hands coddled by giant turquoise         caterpillars, designing new toys with         3D printers, experiencing the life of a             

firefighter, and solving computer algorithms with nothing more than linguine pasta. Each year new                           exhibitors are added and USM students often find themselves showcasing their love for science among the                               many booths. Next year’s STEM Expo will be held on Friday, November 2nd, 2018.  

 

College Experience Day  

Every year, USM hosts high school students learning about local higher education options on the Portland                               Campus. The students come from Deering, Portland, and Casco Bay High School’s college-readiness                         Make it Happen! program out of Portland Public Schools’ Multilingual Multicultural Center. In 2018,                           thirty-three students were invited to attend classes such as Consumer Behavior from a Business                           Perspective, Organic Chemistry, Sociology, and taking tours of the Ci2 Lab and WMPG. Students got the                               opportunity to interact with current USM students in the Woodbury Campus Center where they learned                             about their experiences as first years and fourth years at USM and had the special chance to meet with                                     President Glenn Cummings. Experiences like these help to provide prospective students with perspective                         and gives them a chance to picture themselves as part of the community.          

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Day of Code 

The first event of its kind, Day of Code was a celebration of all things pertaining to computer science                                     captured in a single event at King Middle School, where sixty-four girls from grades 6 to 8 experienced                                   coding from how to read hex codes to change colors on websites using CSS, how shipping companies                                 create efficient driving routes, writing code through minecraft, and implementing their web-design skills in                           various coding challenges. Students from USM worked with high school students from Portland High                           School and Baxter Academy to design and developed hands-on activities and women from CashStar,                           Memic, and Diversified Solutions all came to support the event with their computer-based learning                           activities.  

 

Veterans Day Project 

On Friday, November 10th, eight USM students volunteered two hours of service at the Evergreen                             Cemetery, collecting data from the graves in order to ensure that those who have served in the military                                   will be properly recognized during holidays such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Over 90 veterans                               were identified.  

      

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 Highlights 

 

STEM Sisters  

A new program established in Fall of 2017, STEM Sisters aims to strengthen the connection between                               USM and the high schools in Portland Maine. With shifts in the demographics of the public schools,                                 bringing current students and community members into the schools and interacting with potential                         students strengthens the pipeline into higher education and supports the community at large. The                           2017-2018 Academic Year saw fifteen STEM Sister volunteers participated in 8 different outreach sessions                           at Deering High, Maine Girls Academy, and the Portland Public Library, reaching students from Casco                             Bay and Portland High School. The program hopes to continue to expand the number of volunteers and                                 types of activities that make STEM learning engaging and provide a platform for stories from women in                                 STEM worth listening to. 

   

Portland Mentoring Alliance Collaboration 

Portland Mentoring Alliance was established in 1992, and has spent the last twenty-six years building                             relationships in the community and connecting volunteer mentors with Portland High School students,                         many of whom are first generation immigrants or refugees. Each spring, Seniors in the Communications                             and Media Studies Program collaborate with non-profits in the area, including Portland Mentoring Alliance,                           to help create videos documenting the organization’s impact.  

    

14  

    

Capisic Pond Collaboration 

Karen Wilson’s ESP 303 course within the Department of Environmental Science and Policy partnered                           with a 5th grade class from Longfellow Elementary School to study how human behavior can impact                               water quality. All students spent a day at Capisic Pond exploring and talking about how humans have an                                   impact on the health of local waterways.  

  

Andrew Seligsohn Campus Visit 

The Service-Learning and Volunteering       Office was honored to host Andrew           Seligsohn for a campus visit and lecture             on November 1st. Seligsohn is the           president of Campus Compact, and         spoke about Equality, Democracy, and         Higher Education, discussing ways that         universities can and need to participate           in community change. Service-Learning       supports this engagement with the         community off campus, and promotes         the development of real-world skills that           will help students become successful in           the workforce after graduation.  

  

Student Leadership Awards Gala 

The Contribution to Community Service Award recognizes a person and a student group that made a                               commitment to service, volunteered in the community, and showed leadership in building a culture of                             service at USM. The student group recipient was the Kappa Delta Phi National Affiliated Sorority, whose                               members contributed over 660 hours of service to the local community as well as 1000 hours of national                                   service. The individual recipient was Kimberly Howrigan, a junior at USM and a player on the Women’s                                 Basketball team, who has been active in events on campus and in the local community, with a focus on                                     supporting student athletes and helping her peers realize the resources available to them.     

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Maine Campus Compact Awards 

 

The President’s Campus Leadership Award was awarded to the Recovery-Oriented Campus Center                       (ROCC). The ROCC has built a supportive community for students in recovery from substance abuse and                               other mental health conditions. The ROCC’s goal is to help students reconnect with themselves and their                               community, providing students with the space to build confidence in their future and academic potential.  

The Donald Harward Faculty Award for Service-Learning Excellence was won by Samantha Allen, who                           brought students to Preble Street and to Unified Sports through her roles as NCAA Champs Life Skills                                 Course Instructor and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Advisor, respectively. 

  

 

 

16  

  Community Partners  

The University of Southern Maine strives to provide engaged-learning opportunities to its students, which is                             only possible with commitment from our partners to serve as co-educators. The following organizations are                             made up of people that care deeply about change in our communities and helping prepare our students to                                   be positive contributors in the 21st century. Their dedication to the development of our learners and the                                 institution can never adequately be recognized, but here we thank them.  

350 Maine  Gray-New Gloucester High School  PPS Multilingual Multicultural Center 

4-H STEM Ambassadors  Grow Smart Maine  Preble Street Resource Center 

Alzheimer’s Association  Habitat for Humanity  Project Grace 

American Red Cross  Hardy Girls, Healthy Women  Reiche Elementary School 

Animal Refuge League  Junior Achievement of Maine  Ronald McDonald House 

Autism Speaks  LearningWorks  The Root Cellar 

Biddeford Estates  Logan Place  Ruth’s 3Rs 

Bonney Eagle High School  Long Creek Youth  Development Center 

Salvation Army 

Boys & Girls Club  Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad  Scarborough Schools 

Cape Elizabeth School District  Maine Veterans Home  South Portland High School 

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership  Make it Happen!  South Portland Recreation 

Catholic Charities  My Place Teen Center  SPACE Gallery 

The Center for Grieving Children  National Alliance on Mental Illness  Spring Point Ledge Light Trust 

The Children's Museum  & Theater of Maine 

Ocean Ave Elementary School   Stevens Brook Elementary School 

The City of Portland  Parkside Neighborhood Center   STRIVE 

Cryptozoology Museum  Partners for World Health  Sweetser 

Cultivating Community  Planned Parenthood  The Telling Room 

East End Community School   Portland Adult Education  Wayside Food Rescue 

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Falmouth School District  Portland Area Volunteer Administrators 

Westbrook Community Center 

Furniture Friends  Portland Food Co-Op  Westbrook Learns 

Garbage to Garden  Portland Gear Hub  Westbrook School District 

Girls on the Run  Portland Housing Authority  Windham Public School District 

Good Shepherd Food Bank  Portland Mentoring Alliance  Winter Kids 

Goodwill of Northern New England 

Portland Public Schools  YMCA - Portland 

Gorham High School  Portland Trails 

 

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