TO THE EDITOR:
Thank you for Tuesday's editorial regarding the Public Service Scholars program. We join you in celebrating the commitment of the more than 1,000 participants.
We agree linking the program to academics is essential, so the decision to require one rather than two service-learning courses was made only after thoughtful consideration.
The required orientation presents a framework of the socio-ecologic perspective: To bring about change, one must address issues in multiple ways. We encourage students to explore direct, organizational and policy related service.
Participants complete four trainings in areas including financial management and grant writing. Importantly, all graduates complete portfolios synthesizing their experiences, relating them to concepts learned. Portfolios can be issue-oriented or reflective analyses; they clearly demonstrate the link to scholarship. Finally, students must have a GPA of 3.0 to receive the notation of Public Service Scholar on their transcripts.
In sum, we believe that those completing the rigorous requirements are well deserving of the title Public Service Scholar.
Lynn White Blanchard
Director
Center for Public Service
Eileen Hannan
Program Officer
Center for Public Service
