S OUTH C AROLINA C AMPUS C OMPACT M EMBER I NSTITUTIONS S ERVE
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I N THIS I SSUE Cover Photo Courtesy of University of South Carolina— Upstate from September 2012
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Letter from the Executive Director
Meet South Carolina Campus Compact’s new Executive Director and learn why promoting civic engagement in institutions of higher learning is becoming more important than it has been before.
Meet the 2012-2013 AmeriCorps VISTAs SCCC is pleased to introduce our twenty-four 20122013 AmeriCorps VISTAs tasked with the goal of impacting poverty in South Carolina.
SOUTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT PRESIDENTS’ COUNCIL Winthrop University Dr. Anthony DiGiorgio, Chairman
Greenville Technical College Dr. Keith Miller
Benedict College Dr. David Holmes Swinton
Midlands Technical College Dr. Marshall White, Jr.
Charleston Southern University Dr. Jairy C. Hunter Jr.
Newberry College Dr. Maurice William Sherrens
Claflin University Dr. Henry N. Tisdale
The Citadel Lt Gen John W. Rosa
Clemson University James F. Barker
The University of South Carolina Dr. Harris Pastides
Coastal Carolina University Dr. David A. DeCenzo
The University of South Carolina– Beaufort Dr. Jane T. Upshaw
College of Charleston Dr. P. George Benson Columbia College Elizabeth A. Dinndorf
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9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance Originally launched in 2002, this effort first established the tradition of engaging in charitable service to the 9/11 victims, survivors, and those who rose up in service in response to the attacks. In this issue we highlight our member institution’s service.
Fully Engaged Catch up with the many diverse service events from South Carolina Campus Compact’s 17 member institutions.
10 In Their Own Words
Newberry College VISTA Amanda McSwine reflects on the System Justification Theory. Wofford College VISTA Sarah Hager shows how impactful sustainability can be. Clemson University VISTA Emily Nuss shows Clemson students the true nature of poverty. USC VISTA Beth Brink speaks about the importance of reflection when serving.
South Carolina Campus Compact (SCCC), formed in May of 2008, is a coalition of 17 South Carolina colleges and universities working to promote and develop the civic purposes of higher education. Through this work, the SCCC improves the ability of higher education institutions to partner with their communities to collectively impact community needs and provide real world learning for college students. Members of SCCC collaborate to share and seek resources and best practices, mobilizing students, faculty, and staff toward this end.
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Converse College Dr. Elizabeth A. Flemming
The University of South Carolina– Upstate Dr. Thomas F. Moore Wofford College Dr. Benjamin Bernard Dunlap
CAMPUS COORDINATORS AND VISTA SUPERVISORS Benedict College Ms. Tondeleya Jackson Charleston Southern University Dr. Rick Brewer Dr. Hester Young Claflin University Ms. Carolyn Snell Ms. Jennifer Holliday Clemson University Ms. Jennifer Shurley Ms. Jennifer Goree Coastal Carolina University Ms. Whitney Comer College of Charleston Ms. Stephanie Visser Columbia College Ms. Mary Carlisle Dr. Ned Laff Converse College Rev. Jason Loscuito Greenville Technical College Ms. Susan Gasque Ms. Sandra Hartsell
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Midlands Technical College Ms. Mary Rawls Dr. Diane Carr Newberry College Dr. Joseph McDonald The Citadel Dr. Conway Saylor The University of South Carolina Dr. Jimmie Gahagan Dr. Susan Alexander Dr. Dottie Weigel Ms. Theresa Harrison The University of South Carolina– Beaufort Dr. James Glasson Ms. Kate Torborg Vermilyea The University of South CarolinaUpstate Ms. Kara Ferguson Winthrop University Ms. Ellin McDonough Ms. Laura Foster Wofford College Ms. Jessalyn Story
Better Together Designer, Editor: Elizabeth Crumley Crumleyk@winthrop.edu
LETTER FROM T HE
E XECUTIVE D IRECTOR Dear Members and Supporters, Now in the midst of its fifth year, at 17 members strong, South Carolina Campus Compact has made great strides in building a strong organization dedicated to supporting the civic engagement and service-learning initiatives on our members’ campuses. During my first three months here at SCCC, I have been inspired by the efforts on each of these campuses to develop well-rounded, socially conscious students, leading them to make measurable and sustainable impact in our communities. Just in this past year alone, we have recorded over 18,000 volunteers who have committed themselves to almost 250,000 hours of service in their communities. These numbers have increased each year, but more importantly the scope and depth of the service opportunities being offered has been broadened allowing for a heightened awareness of and a definitive impact on community challenges. Our AmeriCorps VISTA program has been an integral component in the development and sustainability of many of the service opportunities on our members’ campuses. We would like to welcome our exceptional group of AmeriCorps VISTAs for the 2012-2013 year, who have already been hard at work coordinating civic engagement and service-learning opportunities on our member campuses. On the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance, facilitated by our VISTAs, nine of our member campuses offered service opportunities on their campuses and in their communities such as writing letters to service men and women, working in community gardens, and providing meals to the homeless. They have also already assisted in the implementation of a variety of other service events through service-learning initiatives, Living and Learning Communities, and student organizations. This cohort is truly enthusiastic and motivated in their mission to lead students toward service in a meaningful and lasting way. Such is the goal of SCCC and we look forward to another year of continuing to enhance the benefits of membership and support and to build our network of colleges and universities dedicated to creating positive change in our communities through a united front. Thank you for your continued support. Sincerely,
Jessica K. Lynn Executive Director South Carolina Campus Compact
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MEET THE VISTAS
MANDY KINZEY SCCC AMERICORPS VISTA LEADER
ELIZABETH CRUMLEY SCCC VISTA
KENDRA SMITH BENEDICT COLLEGE VISTA
BRITTANY PACK
KATE CUMMINGS
EMILY NUSS
FELISHA CLARK
NICOLE COZZI
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY VISTA
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY VISTA
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY VISTA
COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY VISTA
COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY VISTA
LAUREN SPINELLA
SARAH GAY
MICHELLE BIRON
ALLY FORSHAY
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON VISTA
COLUMBIA COLLEGE VISTA
MARTHA SCOTT JOHNSON
GREENVILLE TECHNICAL COLLEGE VISTA
MIDLANDS TECHNICAL COLLEGE VISTA
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CONVERSE COLLEGE VISTA
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AMANDA MCSWINE NEWBERRY COLLEGE VISTA
UMEKO FAVOR
SETH MADISON
BETH BRINK
SANDY GREENE
CITADEL VISTA
CITADEL VISTA
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA VISTA
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA VISTA
2012– 2013 S TATE T RAINING AT
T HE C ITADEL EMILY HERRMANN
DAPHNIE GLENN
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA — BEAUFORT VISTA
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA —UPSTATE VISTA
JOHN “JP” PETERS
JUSTINE KNUDSON
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA —UPSTATE VISTA
WINTHROP UNIVERSITY VISTA
JILL WAHLBRINK
SARAH HAGER
WINTHROP UNIVERSITY VISTA
WOFFORD COLLEGE VISTA
Kicking off a new academic year, South Carolina Campus Compact welcomed 22 new AmeriCorps VISTAs, in addition to veteran VISTAs Kendra Smith of Benedict College and Sarah Hager of Wofford College. Held at the Citadel and Citadel Beach House, located in Isle of Palms, South Carolina, VISTAs participated in various leadership development sessions led by SCCC Executive Director Jessica Lynn, former SCCC Executive Director Kim Keel and Campus Coordinators Dr. Conway Saylor of the Citadel and Ellin McDonough of Winthrop University. State training culminated with the VISTAs starting their year off with a service opportunity at the Low Country Food Bank in North Charleston.
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S E P T E M B E R 1 1 TH
DAY OF SERVICE AN n September 11th, 2001 a bright autumn morning was darkened by the worst attack on Americans in our nation’s history. Thousands of innocent men, women, and children were lost following attacks on the World Trade Center in the heart of New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, DC and diverted attack in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. In honor of the family, friends, service members and first responders Public Law 111-13 was approved by Con-
gress as the observance of September 11th on April 21, 2009. While initially introduced as Patriot Day in December 2001, September 11th is now annually recognized as a "National Day of Service and Remembrance." Over a decade later, September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance serves as a reminder of the generosity and unity the nation experienced by the nation following that autumn morning. In September 2012, nine South Carolina Campus Compact
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member institutions participated in service or remembrance in their communities. Like Midlands Technical College who volunteered with faith-based organization, to the campus memorial services at USC Upstate, to USC students distributing food for those in need, to kind words and encouragement to our men and women in uniform from Newberry College and Coastal Carolina University, our member institutions displayed how simple it really is to incorporate reflection and service into our everyday lives.
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Overnight, an anonymous group of Winthrop students created a mural dedicated to those lost on September 11th and those lost in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Midlands Technical College students helped Lexington Interfaith Community Services (LICS) by sorting through clothing donations.
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USC Upstate students attended and spoke at a campus memorial, featuring words from Chancellor Dr. Thomas Moore.
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Not afraid of getting a little dirty, Clemson students helped restore a local community garden.
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Coastal Carolina University Volunteer Services encouraged students to write words of encouragement and support to service members deployed overseas.
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The ladies of Columbia College went green by clearing up the community garden at St. John Baptist Church.
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Newberry College learned more about what it takes to be a Newberry fire fighter.
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USC Beaufort students displayed Random Acts of Kindness, ranging from high-fives to giving out patriotic balloons.
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USC helped stock and organize the Transitions Homeless Shelter food pantry.
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FULLY
ENGAGED College of Charleston This September College of Charleston’s Volunteer Corps teamed up with the Charleston Miracle League, an organization that hosts baseball games for children and adults with special needs. Members of the Volunteer Corps are advised by College of Charleston VISTA, Lauren Spinella, and meet multiple times each month to discuss social issues as well as perform two service projects each month.
The Citadel Cadets began the semester with introductory service projects with Habitat for Humanity and Johns Island Rural Mission. Cadets were first trained as a group to encourage teamwork and enthusiasm towards Johns Island Rural Mission’s goal of rehabilitating approximately two dozen Charleston area homes, as well as smaller emergency repairs at an additional 100 houses.
Charleston Southern University Continuing an ongoing partnership, Charleston Southern University Service Learning and Habitat for Humanity collaborate each Thursday and Saturday in constructing homes in the Charleston area. Continuing with the university’s mission, CSU Service Learning provides the opportunity to integrate their faith in leading, learning and serving.
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Claflin University
Benedict College
One in eight South Carolinians have Chronic Kidney Disease and seventy-five percent of South Carolina kidney patients are AfricanAmerican. The statistics are worse in certain South Carolina counties, with one in three suffering from the disease in Bamberg County and one in four in Orangeburg County. Over 100 students from Claflin University participated in the fight to help South Carolina citizens undergoing this health issue at the Orangeburg Kidney Walk on October 18, 2012. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness about the prevention of kidney disease and the need for organ donors. Numerous student organizations and student-leaders sold over $900 worth of wristbands and donated an additional $250 towards the University’s contribution to the National Kidney Foundation.
Converse College Kicking off the academic year, Converse College held their campus volunteer fair. The volunteer fair hosted 18 non-profit organizations and provided an enjoyable and accessible environment for the community to connect with local nonprofit organizations and charities, as well as campus student organizations whose focus is service and philanthropy. Students were encouraged to attend the fair to develop connections to the campus and Spartanburg community.
Every fall semester, during the Student Research and Service Day at Benedict College, the Service-Learning & Leadership Development Program sponsors a Day of Service where students can utilize the day out of the classroom to serve those in the community. On Friday, September 28th, students and staff went out into the community for the 2012 Fall Day of Service. A total of 40 Benedict College students served Healthy Columbia, C.M. Tucker Nursing Care Center, and Hannah House.
Greenville Technical College
In early October, 17 students, faculty and staff members teamed up to give back to the Greenville community. Homes of Hope was created to provide safe, affordable housing for homeless and low-income families and individuals, while also providing job training and mentoring for men overcoming drug and alcohol additions. Now in its fourteenth year of operation, Homes for Hope has housed over 350 families and helped 275 men lead restored lives.
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SUSTAINABILITY IN ACTION: WOFFORD COLLEGE WRITTEN BY: SARAH HAGER, WOFFORD COLLEGE VISTA
While planning for our MLK Day of Service in 2012, the Director of Multicultural Affairs and myself thought it would be a great idea to have a large chalkboard constructed that could be used on campus for student and community expression, a project that would later be called “I Have a Dream”. The idea derived from an art project that began in New Orleans called “Before I Die.” We wanted to know what “dreams” our students and participating community members had for their life and the lives of others. So after generous funding from Wofford Student Affairs and Multicultural Affairs and the donation of time from our Facilities Department, our dream became a reality. We had an enormous, 4x8 trisided chalkboard that could be folded and moved from location to location. After its successful use at our MLK Day of Service, it went on to be used for several on-campus service events. The most recent use of the chalkboard was for an art project hosted by HUB-BUB, an arts non-profit in Spartanburg, SC. Similar to the project for which it was constructed, this project was entitled “Before I Grow Up”—a project to know what our community wanted to accomplish in their lifetime both for themselves and the community of Spartanburg. It was a great success, traveling to an array of locations across Spartanburg. We had enormous participation at each site and received a lot of positive feedback. It was wonderful to see such a sustainable collaboration between Wofford, a local nonprofit, and the Spartanburg community. Not only that, the chalkboard was able to reach an assortment of community members. It traveled from Wofford College to the Soup Kitchen where it was able to reach a large homeless population, giv-
ing them the opportunity to have their voices heard. After that, it traveled to several other colleges and a local coffee shop. It eventually found its way to the Upstate Pride SC March and Festival where the LGBT community and allies were able to express their dreams. The chalkboard has been a positive asset to not only my campus, but the Spartanburg community as well.
Walking a Mile in Someone Else’s Shoes Written By: Emily Nuss, Clemson University VISTA “Life felt impossible.” “I can’t believe that people experience this.” “It was a HUGE reality check.” “I have an entirely new perspective and understanding on what it is like to live in poverty!” “I feel inspired to make a difference in my community.” The above remarks are from first year students at Clemson University, when they were asked to comment on their experience with a Poverty Simulation and what they learned. In the simulation, created by the Missouri Community Action Agency, participants experience what it is like to live at or below the poverty line for a month in the United States of America. Throughout their four - fifteen minute ‘weeks’, participants engage in daily activities such as paying mortgage/utilities, visiting Social Services, purchasing groceries, problem solv10
Clemson Students who participated in the simulation, 96% of students said that their experience had a positive impact on their life and how they view others. These same students also mentioned that the simulation inspired them to make a difference.
ing any emergencies that come up, caring for their family members, and going to work. Through this experience, participants The Poverty Simulation is a perare forced to make decisions and prioritize fect example of service learning, because it their duties, as well as make sacrifices in engages students through a tangible experiorder to sustain themselves and their famience and then gives them potential outlets ly. and venues for service. Even though the This simulation gives students a phrase, “In order to understand someone tangible memory and experience of how and what they are going through, you need others live on a daily basis. It has been to walk a mile in their shoes”, is trite and proven that in order for people to truly sometimes overused, it is definitely true. understand others and where they come Volunteers are able to better serve their from, they need to live like them and expe- community if they understand how those rience what they experience. Even though they are serving, live and experience life. the Poverty Simulation only lasts an hour, This understanding creates growth and it gives participants a glimpse into the lives development among those volunteers and of those in poverty and it inspires them to in turn changes the world. take action in their community and strive for a better world. From a recent poll of
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Reflecting on Reflection Written By: Beth Brink, USC VISTA
Serve. Lead. Inspire. These are a simplified version of the goals of Community Service Programs at the University of South Carolina. Before beginning my year of service here, I was unclear on one of these goals. Serve: The Office of Community Service provides service programs for students to become actively engaged in the Columbia area to address community needs. Lead: Community Service Programs provide many leadership opportunities, including internships, Service Saturday site leader opportunities, and the Service Leadership Institute.
IN THEIR OWN
WORDS Out of a group of seven, four thumbs up, two thumbs in the middle, one down. I had one person in each group share why. “Everyone was so grateful”, “we helped them do SO much work!”, “not my thing, but I was glad to help”, “I felt I wasn’t making an impact”. This is it—here was my opportunity! How does what we did today help the faculty? How does this help them help the students? Why is it important?
Through more experience in leading reflections and discussions with staff here at USC, I’ve learned much more But inspire? Inspire students to serve for a lifetime? about reflection. It seems that we often do things without stopHow can I do this through service programming? This goal is much harder for a programming office to achieve than an office ping to think about what we’re doing or why we’re doing it. Reflection is simply taking the time to ask what was done, why it whose function is service learning. One program might be the only interaction I get to have with a student. How can one pro- was important and what to do now. The Experiential Learning Cycle sums this up nicely, asking three questions: What? So gram inspire students to serve again, to serve for a lifetime? what? Now what? A reflection can be used to answer all three of I’ve often heard the term reflection tossed around, but these questions, but I’ve found that it is easier for students to never realized the importance of it until beginning my year of answer them when information prefaces the service experience. service. My first experience with it in this position was leading Here at USC, we ask the agencies where our students are volunthe reflection for my site group at the end of our time on Service teering to give them a bit of information about the site, what the Saturday. I was nervous; I’ve never really led a reflection that I agency does, what the students will be doing, and why the work felt was effective. I asked my students to form a fist and put it in is important. When students go into the service experience with the middle of the circle. “On three, give me a thumbs up, a this information, they are given a context in which to place their thumb in the middle, or a thumbs down as to how you felt about experience, making reflection much easier and more beneficial. what we did today.”
The Pursuit of Happiness
their own. By taking the blame off of the system, we do not feel obligated to modify it, which only ensures that the cycle continWritten By: Amanda McSwine, Newberry College VISTA ues. Kid Cudi, has a song that says, sary, and inevitable,” in order to alleviate If we allow ourselves to fall victim “I’m on the pursuit of happiness, and I feelings of, “anxiety, guilt…discomfort, to system justification, we will never be know, everything that shines ain’t always and uncertainty” (Jost & Hunyady, 2002). able to fix the flaws in our world. We will going to be gold. I’ll be fine once I get it, System justification theory can affect any- only continue to make excuses for them. I’ll be good.” The song is a tribute to the one, and you may be a participant of it, Yes, we all want a perfect system that alconstant struggle we all experience to be without even realizing it. lows for equal opportunity and prosperity happy. We are all searching for happiness, When you see a person asking for for all people, but we cannot let the vision and we all go about our search in different money on the street, what is your first reac- cloud reality. It is essential that we not ways. However it’s rare that anyone stops tion? Usually words like bum, con artist, make excuses for a flawed system, but see to think about the cost of being happy. and lazy come to mind. We stereotype those flaws for what they are, and do What are we sacrificing to achieve happiwithout even knowing their story. This is a something to change them. ness? Is it possible that in order to stay part of system justification theory. In the “happy” we ignore the glaring issues of same article, Jost and Hunyady (2002) state society that make us too uncomfortable to that stereotyping disadvantaged groups, “as talk about, and thus to fix? lazy, irresponsible, and unintelligent allow This is the premise of system jus- people to blame these groups for their own tification theory. System justification theo- poverty and to deflect blame from the sysry states that people will “find ways of tol- tem.” Instead of thinking about how they erating and even justifying social and eco- got to be in this situation, we attribute their nomic disparities as fair, legitimate, neces- suffering or misfortune to some fault of B ETTER T OGETHER |SOUTH CAROLINA CAMPUS COMPACT|F ALL 2012
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SAVE THE DATE— UPCOMING CONFERENCE OPPORTUNITIES
February 2, 2013 from 9:30am – 4:30pm
6th Annual
Registration Available at: www.sa.sc.edu/sldc
Principled Leadership Symposium
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March 7-8, 2013 ————
Educational Session Submissions Accepted Until November 26, 2012 at: www.sa.sc.edu/sldc
For More Information: http:// www.citadel.edu/root/symposium