Students

The Service Learning Program at Cal State East Bay works to fulfill the civic mission of the University by sponsoring activities that promote student leadership and awareness of community issues. Students engaged in service learning activities gain experience that exposes then to a variety of career options building those skills necessary to be successful participants in a democratic society: the ability to think critically, solve problems, work as part of a team, and be respectful to diversity. The Service Learning Program works as a resource for students, faculty, and community agencies seeking to reap the benefits of a community-university partnership.

Learn More

Our goal is that all CSUEB students will have the chance to participate in a service learning opportunity and we encourage students to seek out these opportunities through membership in service-oriented clubs, fraternities/sororities, and student organization. Student at CSUEB function in a small but diverse community; CSUEB prides itself on establishing a learning environment that encourages student involvement and real-life learning opportunities. Students are encouraged to give back to their community through service -- a dynamic that fosters civic awareness through action, a dynamic that leads to student achievement through the acquisition of leadership skills and a sense of social responsibility, a partnership that ultimately builds stronger communities.

• Project List by Discipline
• How Does Service Learning Fit into the Job Market? (pdf)
• What Happens After You Complete a Service Learning Project? (pdf)

Make It Happen

• A Student guide for receiving a Service Learning Placement (doc)
• What Issue Do I Want To Work On (pdf)
• Scheduling Worksheet (pdf)
• Student Contract & Learning Plan (doc)
• Student Tracking Sheet (pdf)
• Guiding Principles to Reduce Risk in Service Learning

Working in the Community

Ten Basic Rules of Intercultural Effectiveness

To improve relations with others, observe the following rules:

1. Give People the benefit of the perceptual doubt, Assume goodwill. This rule assumes that most individuals seek psychological comfort and congeniality.
2. Minimize confrontations by asking questions such as "How's that?" and "How so?" Or say, "Please help me understand why you see A or B the way you do." Here the emphasis is on giving the "other" an opportunity to explain his or her point of view.
3. Ask for clarifications. "Would you please give me an example of A or B?" or "I'm not sure I understand what you mean, would you elaborate further?"
4. Use "I" instead of "you" to deflect blame. Say, "I'm having some difficulty understanding A or B" rather than "You are not explaining the origins of chopsticks very well"
5. Try to look at people as individuals rather than as members of ethnic groups. Some stereotyping will occur, of course, since we generally do not start each encounter with a clean slate of impressions.
6. Seek common ground. Learn about things that you share in common with others. For example, " My friend Yoshiko and I both love the music group Hootie and the Blowfish."
7. Be flexible in selecting words and actions. Learn how to respond positively to conditions, people, and situations as they arise.
8. Learn how to distinguish between things that happen to you because you are white, Latino, Chinese, male or female, and things that happened to you in spite of your sex or ethnicity.
9. Recognize the fact that people communicate differently. For example, some people smile a lot; others do not.
10. Develop empathy. Try to infer the feelings and actions of others.