MLK Day@15

STOCKTON UNIVERSITY

MLK DAY @15

Celebrating 15 years Community in Action

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR DAY OF SERVICE, A RETROSPECTIVE MONOGRAPH

preparing students and other members of the campus community for active citizenship, creating co-curricular experiences that reinforce classroom learning, and fostering interaction among member communities on campus and with Stockton’s surrounding communities.

At the heart of Days of Service are volunteers and community partners – the nonprofit organizations and local agencies that support our communities.

Key issue areas addressed by Stockton’s MLK Day partners include hunger and homelessness, political and social issues, health and wellness, and literacy and learning.

WELCOME

by Dr. Betsy Erbaugh Assistant Professor of Sociology

Dear Members of the Stockton Community, In 1994, the U.S. Congress charged the Corporation for National and Community Service to spearhead the celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) federal holiday as a national Day of Service. The CNCS describes the event as an opportunity to transform the Rev. Dr. King's principles of nonviolence and "the Beloved Community" into "community action that helps solve social problems."

In January 2019, Stockton University hosted its 15th Annual MLK Day of Service. Since 2004, the Day has evolved into a logistically complex event involving students, faculty, staff and community members in service projects with dozens of off-campus community partner organizations, complemented by a full week of activities that highlight service and enhance civic engagement, learning, connection and reflection. Stockton’s institutional goals related to Days of Service include: MLK@15

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With 2020 Initiative funding support, we have investigated long-term outcomes of Stockton’s MLK Day of Service for participants, community partners, the university and our surrounding communities. We have collected and analyzed artifacts, oral histories and survey data, culminating in this report and a celebratory exhibit in conjunction with the Stockton University Archives.

A secondary aim of this project has been to expand the knowledge base of evidence-based scholarship on engagement and service-learning. We are proud to have published and presented our research on Stockton’s MLK Day in multiple scholarly venues, including a peer-reviewed journal and national conferences.

Thank you for celebrating over fifteen years of the MLK Day of Service at Stockton University with us.

Please enjoy the exhibit and the enclosed overview of this rewarding project, assembled by the Office of Service-Learning.Many thanks to Erin O’Hanlon, Daniel Tomé, Jess Bonnan-White, Alexis Poston, Heather Perez, Shawn Cooper, Veronica Rowland, the MLK Day of Service Planning Committee and Assessment Subcommittee, and the 2020 Initiative Committee.

We look forward to seeing you at the next MLK Day of Service on January 20, 2020.

Betsy Erbaugh Assistant Professor of Sociology and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Faculty Fellow for Service-Learning, 2017-2019 NOVEMBER '19

CONTENTS MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE 15 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE

01 Welcome, from Dr. Betsy Erbaugh

07 Learning Happens Everywhere

11 Impact Reaches Across Time and Geography

03 Service is Embedded in the Culture of Stockton

08 Girl Scouts Lead the Way

13 Snapshot of the Impact

05 Serving Builds Connections

09 The Power of Reflection

14 Thank You, from Mr. Brian Jackson

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Starting with Days of Service

Service is Embedded in the Culture of Stockton Service is an important part of the culture at Stockton University. Whether it starts with inside the classroom opportunities, like service-learning, or whether it starts with co-curricular activities, the majority of students at Stockton University serve during their four years at Stockton.

For many first year students, Days of Service start their commitment to this experience. In the Fall, the Office of Service-Learning and Office of Student Development co-host the Fall Day of Service on the first Saturday after the start of the semester.

While there are several additional days of service throughout the year, the signature Day of Service happens on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday every year. MLK Day of Service typically includes over 900 students, alumni and community members that MLK@15

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travel all over the county and provide service to community partners.

Typical activities for Martin Luther King Day of Service during the first fifteen years include everything from capital improvements to community partner spaces, such as painting or cleaning, all the way to education of middle school students about what the day of a typical college student is like. This often includes a tour of the college campus and a review of academic programs.

"Programs happen both on campus and in the community for days of service," said Dr. Daniel Tomé, Director of the Office of Service-Learning." January, when MLK Day of Service happens, sometimes offers tricky weather and transportation needs. We have events both in the community and on campus."

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What does this embedded tradition of service at Stockton mean for the long term?

Why is engagement important as a skillbuilding opportunity for students?

"Stockton students are uniquely positioned to enter the workforce and become citizens in the community because of their service experiences that often start with days of service like MLK and then go to service-learning in the classroom and internships. The more experience they have with the community, the more they understand people different than them -they will be better citizens," said TomĂŠ.

Students who have an opportunity to see and work with community partners are more likely to work with those partners in the future and more likely to tap them for an internship or pre-professional experience.

These type of pre-professional experiences include observation hours that many graduate schools request as part of their application processes, a common experience for Health Sciences majors.

Faculty play an important role in creating a culture of service at Stockton. Many faculty support Days of Service throughout the year, and especially make a commitment for Martin Luther King Day of Service. In addition to coordinating service with partners, they often serve as project leaders and travel to off-campus sites with students.

Stockton is proud of the fact that service is something most students experience during their time at the institution, and that it is a value shared by staff, faculty and alumni. As a result of Stockton's commitment to service, it is an embedded part of the culture that every student experiences.

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IMPACT OF MLK DAY OF SERVICE

Serving Builds Connections Through a generous 2020 Initiative Project

community, and potential community partners.

Grant award, Dr. Betsy Erbaugh, Assistant

Stockton University has over 400 students

Professor of Sociology, Dr. Jess Bonnan-White,

participate in the Fall Day of Service each year

Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Erin

and nearly 900 students, faculty, staff and

O’Hanlon, Senior Program Coordinator of the

community members engage in the Martin

Office of Service-Learning, conducted research

Luther King Day of Service in January every

on the impact of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day

year. While it is time intensive to organize and

of Service over it’s 15 year history at Stockton

facilitate these days of service, there are clear

University. They were aided by MAHG Graduate

connections

Assistant Alexis Poston.

organizations on campus and their “kick off” to

In particular, four key pillars were reviewed -community connections, service, reflection and learning.

Initial data indicate that days of

between

the

clubs

and

service each semester through these dates.

Connection can mean many different things -connection to the community, connection to

service play a crucial role in introducing college

fellow

students to the concept of service, the

university. Through Martin Luther King Day of

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students,

and

connection

to

the

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"...Days of Service act as an 'introduction' to civic engagement..."

--Erin O'Hanlon Office of Service-Learning

Service, students experience one or all of these things. Based on the research conducted with Drs. Erbaugh and Bonnan-White, students experience a stronger

connection

to

community

members and local organizations as a result of the day of service.

“The research shows that Days of Service act as an ‘introduction’ to the concept of civic engagement in the community,” said Erin O’Hanlon, Senior Program Coordinator in the Office of Service-Learning and co-investigator of the research on MLK Day of Service.

In one specific question that focused on connections, over 38% of students indicated that they learned more about university programs and services, 16% say that they had more interaction with staff, administrators and faculty, and 17% said that they will be more involved with campus activities.

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LEARNING HAPPENS EVERYWHERE

Bonner Leader Juliana Murcia approached the 2019 MLK Day of Service committee in October of 2018 with an idea.

“I had a history of childbirth class here on campus as part of my General Studies curriculum. And I knew that I wanted to do something to teach the community and Stockton students important information about childbirth. I wanted to incorporate service in it and make sure that it was great for both women as potentially future mothers, and men as potentially future fathers,” said Murcia.

Her workshop -- offered during MLK Day of Service in January, 2019 -- was a huge MLK@15

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success. Murcia partnered with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies of Atlantic County and while the participants made fleece, nosew blankets, she provided information on childbirth and maternal health.

“We had a great group of students making blankets and listening, and afterwards we gave the blankets to agencies that support women and infants,” said Murcia.

Murcia is a senior Bonner Leader who studies Health Science at Stockton University, with a concentration in Speech and Language. She hopes to attend graduate school in the next few years and become a Speech and Language Professional in a local school district.

Funding for the program comes from Stockton University and the Bonner Foundation of Princeton. The Office of Service-Learning currently has over 40 Bonner Leaders.

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MLK@15

GIRL SCOUTS LEAD THE WAY

Bringing girls aged from 7

Martin

Luther

King

years old to teens, there are

Stockton's

always opportunities for them

service

to serve. In recent years they

teachers, parents and community

have partnered with Stockton's

volunteers who consistently bring

Circle K Club and made items

their youthÂ

for local dog shelters

complete hours of service. Over

brings members every year to participate in

as well as toys for organizations

one third of the participants at

Martin Luther King Day of Service in January

that work with children.

Stockton's MLK Day of Service

is the Girl Scouts of America.

most schools are closed on

One of the community organizations that

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While

is

commitment

Day,

shared

by

to many

to Stockton to

are community members.

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THE

POWER OF REFLECTION Within the tradition and pedagogy of servicelearning,

reflection

is

a

major

cornerstone.

At times it has been included at the end of the day; other years it was facilitated after the day was

Reflection is often considered the connection

over.

between service and learning, or the mechanism

leaders manage reflection among the participants,

that supports students to “mine” the action of

and at times it has been accomplished in a more

service and learn how it impacts each person

formal, structured format.

individually.

There are times that faculty and project

Any way that reflection is completed, it often

From it's beginning, Stockton’s Martin Luther King

includes three elements -- plus, minus and delta.

Day of Service has included reflection as an

These are essentially -- what went well, what were

automatic practice.

the successes that came from the service, and

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what would we do again. That is the plus. The minus prompt often includes what was not successful, what didn’t work or we didn’t like, and what would we not do again. The delta includes asking what should be changed for next time, how could the experience have been better, and what did we learn about this experience that should include some thought or consideration?

Reflection is often focused on the individual -- how did this impact you? -- or the collective -- what does this have to do with us? Both are useful learning prompts even though they might view the experience through two different lenses. This is a oftrepeated process of service-learning, and it is considered a standard part of the field to be able to include and facilitate reflection discussions.

Serving as an informal assessment, reflection gives the opportunity for the individual to consider their role in the service and community, as well as the community and service’s role in their lives. connection

and

Research has shown that this builds

empathy,

and

raises

the

e-quotient

of

participants. Reflection will continue to be an essential part of Days of Service, and a cornerstone of the MLK Day of Service each year.

"Reflection is a very powerful experience when done well," said Daniel Tomé, Director of the Office of Service-Learning. "It is something that we teach each of our Bonner Leaders during their first year, and we train and expect MLK Day of Service Project Managers to reflect with their participants over lunch or coming back in the van to main campus."

The beauty of reflection is that it doesn't require much training, and can be done a variety of settings. Considered an essential part of experiential learning, it is what sets apart the experience.

There is a connection between reflection and student retention, and that is essential for developing job tools and employment.

"It is important for students to reflect on the

knowledge, skills and attitudes they learn through Days of Service -- they will need to tap into that when developing resumes and cover letters when entering the workforce," said Erin O'Hanlon, Senior Program Coordinator of the Office of Service-Learning.

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Impact Reaches Across Time and Geography In a five-year longitudinal study, over 2,000

Program Coordinator in the Office of Service-

respondents completed assessment surveys about

Learning.The findings indicated students forged

their experiences of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of

stronger

Service at Stockton University. The study’s findings

university as a result of the Day of Service and that

are fascinating, not just because of the story they tell

the MLK Day of Service may act as an introduction

about Stockton and its connection to the community,

to the community and the concept of civic

but also because they contribute to the sparse

engagement.

research literature on the impact of Days of Service

reported participation in multiple days of service

for students, universities and communities.

over their time at Stockton, and over 65% of the

Initially, Dr. Jess Bonnan-White and Dr. Betsy

connections

participants

to

the

community

and

Over one-third of participants

linked

their

participation

to

Erbaugh collaborated with Stockton’s 25-member

membership in a club or organization on campus,

MLK Day Planning Committee to examine preliminary

including Student Senate, a Greek Life organization,

assessment data related to the Day of Service. They

or a leadership forum such as Bonner Leaders or

published a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of

EOF students.

Community

Engagement

and

Higher

Education,

Over 17% of survey participants each year were

entitled, “Do ‘Days of Service’ Meet Institutional

respondents from the community, reflecting that

Service-Learning Goals? A Case Study in Assessment

MLK Day is a truly regional event.

of the MLK Day of Service” (2018). Results were

Over the five years studied, over 135 community

widely shared within the field and presented at

partner organizations were involved, and many had

several national conferences.

repeat participation from year to year. Within a five-

The follow-up data were most recently presented at

year span, participants in MLK Day of Service alone

the Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement

provided approximately 31,500 hours of service to

Conference in June, 2019 by Alexis Poston, Stockton

the community -- the value equivalent of $801,045,

MAHG graduate student, and Erin O’Hanlon, Senior

according to IndependentSector.org.

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"Days of Service, especially MLK Day of Service, is how we come together as a community and say that we are able to make the world a different place. The impact of our collective voices believing in that power is truly meaningful."

--Dr. Daniel Tomé, Director Office of Service-Learning There was an increased connection with the university community for the students as well. Students reported knowing more about who to call for information and assistance at the university after serving in MLK Day of Service. Connection to the community and connection to students who serve are important aspects of Days of Service,

and

these

connections

enhance

a

student’s

relationship with the campus.

Each MLK Day of Service offers a unique commemorative gift, such as a scarf, water bottle, or in 2019, a ski cap.

Students treasure these gifts and they are often seen around campus for weeks into the Spring semester. Worn or used with pride, these artifacts create lasting connections with the campus and special Days of Service.

"Days of Service, especially the MLK Day of Service, is how we come together as a community and say that we are able to make the world a different place. The impact of our collective voices believing in that power is truly meaningful," said Daniel Tomé, Director of the Office of Service-Learning.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service impacts learning, service, reflection and connection for students and the community alike.

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Snapshot of the Impact of MLK Day of Service 49.70% strongly agreed that they made a contribution to the organization/project that they worked with 40.79% agreed 8.91% were neutral 0.59% disagreed 0% strongly disagreed

38.58% (316) say they learned more about university programs and services 16.36% (134) say they had more interaction with staff, administrators, and/or faculty 5.86% (48) say they now know more about who to call for information and assistance 8.18% (67) say they know more about campus resources 17.09% (140) say they will be more involved with campus activities 4.15% (34) say they will explore classes at Stockton University 8.55% say their connection to Stockton is unchanged 1.22% responded with other

45.60% strongly agreed that they made a contribution to the people they served 39.20% agreed, 14.20% were neutral 0.80% disagreed 0.20% strongly disagreed

Data Analyzed and Graphics Developed by Graduate Assistant Alexis Poston, student in the Masters of Holocaust and Genocide Studies Program

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Celebrating a Day "On," not a Day "Off" BRIAN JACKSON CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ATLANTIC CITY CAMPUS The origins of Stockton’s Annual MLK Day of Service stem from a

where 175 volunteers from campus and as far as from Maryland to participate in over 20 service projects.

That year we recognized Stockton staff who demonstrated leadership and support to those affected by Hurricane Katrina; former employees Josie Stalling, Maria Parziale, Carlton Fernanders,

conversation between former Stockton University President,

Cheryle Eisele and Linda Aaronson. This would later evolve into the

Dr. Herman Saatkamp and I in 2004. At the time Stockton did not

Community Engagement Awards presented to university members

host a campus-wide event. Dr. Saatkamp talked about a day of

for their leadership and commitment to community service. The

service held at his previous institution, which drew thousands of

evolution of Stockton’s MLK Day of Service has been extraordinary,

volunteers and he believed a similar event would be successful at

expanding beyond the borders of the Galloway campus to our

Stockton. I offered to take the lead in organizing that first event.

instructional sites and our new Atlantic City campus.

Our first MLK Day of Service was held on January 17, 2005. We

With the support of Service Learning, the Bonner Foundation,

partnered with Galloway Township Public Schools who also hosted a

President Kesselman and the Office of the President, participation

MLK program for its students. About 75 members from the Stockton

from our students and staff, faculty published research on the

community volunteered, in addition to Township students, teachers,

impact of MLK Day of Service, and a growing list of community

and parents who stayed after the awards ceremony to participate in

partners, Stockton’s MLK Day of Service has grown into the largest

on-campus service projects.

of its kind in Southern New Jersey and in the greater Philadelphia

With our non-profit community partners, we created positive

region.

impact; however, I knew that Stockton could do more. The campus

I am proud of Stockton’s commitment to honoring Dr. King’s legacy

has rallied around this event because at its core, Stockton has always

through service and engagement. As an institution, it supports our

been a place where community engagement remains central to its

mission and values and continues to be a “day on” to serve our

mission. That became more evident at our 2006 MLK Day of Service,

community instead of a “day off.”

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THANK YOU.

2020 FUNDING INITIATIVE OFFICE OF SERVICELEARNING DR. JESS BONNAN-WHITE DR. BETSY ERBAUGH HEATHER PEREZ OF THE BJORK LIBRARY UNIVERSITY AND MARKETING RELATIONS ALEXIS POSTON, MAHG