Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Uniting For Important Paws: The Independent Cat Society And S.H.I.N.E., Kayla Vasilko

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Homeless pets outnumber homeless people 5 to 1; only 1 in 10 animals in animal shelters are spayed or neutered; thus, organizations like the Independent Cat Society (ICS), a non-profit, cage-less, no kill cat shelter are vital community resources (Gaille, 2017). At the ICS, every cat admitted is spayed or neutered and updated on any needed medical treatment; feline overpopulation is addressed through trap, neuter, release (TNR), and additional programs to educate the public on responsible animal care practices (“About the ICS,” 2019). Through volunteerism and two Purdue Service-Learning grants, the Purdue University Northwest student organization S.H.I.N.E (students helping ignite …

A Critical Reflection On The Role Of Power And Privilege In Conducting International Development Research, Margaret Hegwood

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

In this article, the author reflects on the role of power and privilege during her interactions with international partners. She dissects how factors like social justice, intersectionality, and intercultural competence, which go beyond technical expertise, can dramatically influence the success of international projects. The goal of this paper is to provide insight for those interested in working in international development, while discussing challenges that are frequently unaddressed in the field.

Importance And Challenges Of International Service-Learning, Parul Chaube

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Service-learning is an important component of a college education as it helps students demonstrate a positive impact on their community using their classroom knowledge. Through business writing, a Purdue English course, we were able to learn about how to market effectively to a college audience and were able to implement these learnings in our partnership with Code for Nepal. Code for Nepal is an organization that works to improve the digital literacy of women and other minority groups within Nepal. Their most impactful work was creating a document encompassing key information regarding food, water, and shelter after the 2015 earthquake. …

Profile Interview With Dr. Jeralyn Faris, Mengshu Cai, Diyuan Deng

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Faris’s dissertation was a 4-year qualitative study of the Tippecanoe County Problem Solving Reentry Court. Dr. Faris explains: “I took a criminal justice course taught by Dr. JoAnn Miller, who was committed to using her knowledge to better the community. She designed the Reentry Court and invited me to serve with her on the team that supported ex-prisoners, men and women, returning to the community after years of incarceration. The team met with and advised the judge, attending weekly court sessions with ex-prisoners. The court provided support and accountability, and I participated for over four years, assisting a total of …

Caregiver Companion: A Service-Learning Initiative In Tippecanoe County, Danielle Auckley, Jack Harber

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

In this paper, we share our reflection of our semester-long service learning and community engagement project in partnership with a local organization in Lafayette called Caregiver Companion. Caregiver Companion is a non-profit organization serving the elderly and disabled community in Tippecanoe County by providing companionship and respite breaks for overwhelmed caregivers. Our English 420 Business Writing class assisted Caregiver Companion on publicizing the organization to Purdue students as well as community members with digital communication materials. With a close partnership with the Caregiver Companion staff, we created materials such as newsletters, brochures, advertisements, and videos to bring their mission to …

My Experience In Swaziland With Give Hope, Fight Poverty, Megan Kaser

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Megan Kaser, a recent 2017 alum in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Purdue University, describes her experience with Give Hope, Fight Poverty (GHFP)—a nonprofit organization in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in physician assistant studies. GHFP’s mission is “to foster philanthropy domestically by designing service-learning programs that engage U.S. college students with rural communities in Swaziland, Africa, and work together to educate, empower, and lift orphaned and vulnerable children—particularly those living in child-headed households— out of poverty” (Give Hope, Fight Poverty, n.d.). By incorporating college students in the implementation of GHFP orphan education …

Boiler Out! Program: Where Cultures Cross For Community Services, Quynh P. Nguyen

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Quynh Nguyen reflects on what she has learned from serving the community, from interactions with international students at Purdue, and how her volunteerism supports her current major in pre-pharmacy.

We can do no great things, only small things with great love. —Mother Theresa