Service Learning

At Worcester State University, the world is your classroom.WSU has been part of the fabric of the larger community since our founding in 1874. From our original commitment to the new thinking in education in the 19th century to our growing global emphasis today, we empower you to transform your curiosity and passion into the knowledge and skills that can shape our communities and our world.
 
We recommitted to that founding vision in 2006 with a multidisciplinary approach fostered by the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement. The center promotes collaborations among faculty and local organizations and businesses to develop student projects and internships that serve the community.

In 2012, the center united with the our Residence Life Office to enhance this work through the creation of the Community and Leadership Experience at Worcester State (CLEWS) and the Community and Leadership Experience Hall. Each year, a select group of first-year students lives on designated gender-specific floors in Dowden Hall, takes two linked courses, and participates in extracurricular activities and trainings that explore themes of self-development, community building, and leadership.

Graduate student opportunities develop organically through course or program activities created by faculty and program coordinators. Students in a health-care program may take service-oriented trips abroad, for example, while students in the management program might serve as statistical consultants for a non-profit organization.