Service Learning Impacts Over 500 TAMIU Students This Fall

This Fall at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), 522 students are enrolled in service learning experiences providing them with real-world opportunities to apply academic content. 

Service Learning at TAMIU is coordinated by the University’s Professional Resource Opportunities for Faculty Center (PROF), directed by Dr. Marcela Uribe.

Dr. Uribe said that service learning is a value-added experience for TAMIU students, providing a rich and relevant learning outcome and tangible community benefits.

“Through service-learning, TAMIU students are able to apply learned material as they work with a community organization, increasing their academic knowledge, civic engagement and responsibility and sense of value.  We partner with community organizations and services that also benefit from the knowledge that students provide and, of course, students create a real connection between class content and community needs,” Dr. Uribe explained.

A total of 12 service-learning courses are currently offered at TAMIU.  Participating faculty include Patricia Cantú, Dr. Sergio Garza, Dr. Peter F. Haruna, Dr. Julio Lujano, Marcela Moran, Dr. Philip Roberson, Dr. Jacqueline Romano, Melissa Shin, Bonnie Villarreal and Dr. Xuesong Wang.

Programs offered this semester focus on civic awareness, community tutoring and an international speech pathology initiative.

A service learning project directed by Dr. Haruna, TAMIU associate professor of public administration, pairs with his “American National Government and State Government” courses. The courses create civic awareness among students, showing them that the political process is more complex and interesting than often assumed. Over 200 students will collaborate with the Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC), to restore and expand the Paseo del Indio Nature Trail, providing 800-plus hours of service. Students will explore how government affects their community by understanding and analyzing principles and practices of American government structure and function. In addition, they’ll learn about and promote Laredo’s recently passed plastic bag ban ordinance. 

In TAMIU assistant professional Dr. Garza’s continuing service learning project, 150 students enrolled in “Introduction to Teaching” apply teaching theories for children at the Boys & Girls Club of Laredo.  Initially launched in Spring 2014, students learn pedagogical strategies to help children improve mathematics, reading and interpersonal skills, generating over 1500 hours of tutoring. 

Over Wintermester, TAMIU College of Education assistant professionals Melissa García and Rosa Robledo will lead an international service learning experience for their speech-pathology course offered in the Central American country of Belize.

To learn more about Service Learning at TAMIU, contact Dr. Uribe by email at marcela.uribe@tamiu.edu, call 956.326.3133 or visit the PROF Center office in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 421.

University office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu