If you are registered for a Public & Professional Writing class during Fall or Spring term, you have the opportunity to register for an extra credit that will allow you to volunteer for a nonprofit cause of your choice and to reflect on your experiences. Service-learning is a way for you to integrate community service into your educational experience as a college student.

This is our fifth year of offering this opportunity. Students have had a range of powerful experiences, including finding internships and jobs through their service learning work.


Frequently Asked Questions About the Service-Learning in PPW Experience

What type of service will I do?

You may choose the organization that you work with from a list we provide or you can identify a potential organization on your own. You might walk dogs at an animal shelter, help an organization plan and carry out a fundraising event, work on a newsletter, or help re-package food for a food bank, for example. There are many possibilities.

What are the benefits of service-learning?

If you choose to register for the service-learning component of this course, you can expect to benefit in a number of ways:

1. You get a credit toward your degree.

2. You get experience with a local organization or agency that could lead to an internship or job.

3. You can list your service-learning experience on your resume.

4. You get the satisfaction of contributing your time to a worthy cause and of being part of a community that is engaged in public service here in Pittsburgh.

5. You get to learn more about the nonprofit sector, which is an excellent way to test the waters if you are interested in working in the field.

What are the requirements?

You will work with your chosen organization for at least 30 hours during the term, keep a blog reflecting on your experiences, participate in weekly online discussions about topics related to nonprofits, and complete a couple of short writing assignments as well as a presentation at the end of the term. There is no exam for this component, and the grade for the credit is S/NC.

In order to register for the service-learning experience, you must meet these requirements:

1. Be registered for a PPW course.

2. Be willing to participate diligently in the online class offered through Courseweb starting week 3 of the term.

3. Register for ENGCMP 1903 Service Learning in PPW before the end of the add/drop period (course number for Spring 2009 is 15238)

4. Find a site where you wish to volunteer. We provide a directory of possibilities, but you are welcome to volunteer at other nonprofit organizations.

5. Present your experiences to faculty and students at the end of the term and meet (at arranged times) with Jean Grace as necessary

Sounds interesting, but I want to know more before I decide. What do I do next?

We will have optional informational meetings in the Writing Center (M-2 Thaw Hall) for students who want to learn more about Service-Learning in PPW. Stop in during these information blocks (you don't have to stay the entire time):

Jan. 13, 2009 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Jan. 14, 2009 from 2:30 to 3:30

If you can’t make these times, email ppw@pitt.edu, and we can answer your questions via email.

For more information, contact Jean Grace (412) 624-5661.


Potential Sites

You can check out the Volunteer Solutions website, a searchable database of volunteer opportunities, for possible sites for your work: www.volunteersolutions.org. This website lists dozens of opportunities just in the 15213 zip code.

We have assembled a directory of potential volunteer sites that you can download as a pdf file. You will need a pdf reader (like Acrobat Reader) to open it. You are welcome to volunteer at sites that aren't on our list

Click a Link to Jump

Frequently Asked Questions

Read About the Experiences of Past Service-Learners

Download the learning agreement [pdf]

Download the directory of possible sites [pdf]