History

Alma College Service Learning Timeline

 

MILESTONES

Since 1998, the percentage of graduating seniors enrolled in at least one service learning course has risen from 56% to 89% in 2011.

Annual enrollment in academic service learning courses has risen from 440 in 1998 to 664 in 2011.

2012

Alma College recognized on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the fifth consecutive year.

Emily Neil '10 serves as the first College Coaching Corps AmeriCorps member in the Service Learning Office.

 

2011

Trained 200 College Positive Volunteers to help K-12 youth take steps toward postsecondary education.

Alyssa Walters, Fourth Alma College student to achieve highest Michigan Campus Compact Award:  Outstanding Community Impact

2010

Washington Monthly ranks Alma College fourth in the nation for community service participation among liberal arts colleges.

Kyla Wojtas,  Third Alma College student to achieve highest Michigan Campus Compact Award: Outstanding Community Impact

Alma College receives Campus Hero Award from Mid-Michigan Chapter of American Red Cross.

Fourth Year of funding for Mentor PLUS from Corporation for National and Community Service Learn and Serve Grant ($35,000). Governor's Service Award Finalist for Outstanding Mentoring Program.

Alma College awarded College ACCESS grant for New Frontier Program to train College Positive Volunteers ($19,000).

2009

First "Build your Capacity - Non-Profit Development Workshop" for local service agency personnel.

Kevin Everhart becomes second Alma College student to be awarded Michigan Campus Compact Humanitarian Award.

Third year of funding from Corporation for National and Community Service Learn and Serve grant ($35,255).

93% of Alma graduating seniors enrolled in one or more academic service learning courses.

2008

Second year of funding from Corporation for National and Community Service Learn and Serve grant ($36,000).

Alma College and Pine River Superfund Site Citizen Task Force win Carter Partnership Award($10,000).

Alma College recognized on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll "with Distinction".

Alma College to be listed in The Guide to Service-Learning Colleges.

83% of seniors reported participation in community service or volunteer work as compared to only 59% of their peers at other schools. - 2007 NSEE

Alpha Phi Omega celebrates 5 years!

Drew Emge becomes first Alma College student to be awarded Michigan Campus Compact Humanitarian Award.

Drew Emge

2007

Awarded Corporation for National and Community Service Learn and Serve Grant - Investing in College Futures, Campus Partnership for Youth Mentor PLUS ($30,000).

Alma College and Pine River Superfund Site Citizen Task Force become Finalists for Carter Partnership Award.

80% of the 2007 graduating seniors enrolled in academic service-learning courses.  Of the 80%, 53% enrolled in two or more service-learning courses.

2006

First Annual all-campus Relay for Life event.

e2e mentoring program established for faculty and staff.

80% of the 2006 graduating seniors enrolled in academic service-learning courses.

2005

Alma College Recognized in Colleges With a Conscience: An Engaged Students' Guide to College.

Second Alma College student to achieve highest Michigan Campus Compact Award: Shabnam Mirsaeedi, Outstanding Community Impact

Community Cafe becomes a partner of Alma College and Sodexho.

77% of the 2005 graduating seniors enrolled in academic service-learning courses.

2004

AmeriCorps*VISTA position funded in Service Learning.

Established Michigan Campus Compact Service Scholars Program.

72% of the 2004 graduating seniors enrolled in academic service-learning courses.

2003

Service House established and first residents move in.

Established Service Learning Faculty Fellows Program funded by the Discovering Vocation Project.

Established Service Learning Faculty Liaison position funded by the Discovering Vocation Project.

Dr. Susan Root,Professor, Education receives Life-Time Achievement Award from Michigan Campus

Compact.

Jennifer Antoline is first Alma College Student Commissioner to the Michigan Community Service Commission Board of Directors.

59% of the 2003 graduating seniors enrolled in academic service-learning courses.

2002

Alpha Phi Omega (service fraternity) reinstituted.

66% of the 2002 graduating seniors enrolled in academic service-learning courses.

2001

Dr. Alan Stone, Alma College President, receives Life-Time Achievement Award from Michigan Campus Compact.

Melissa Couturier is the first Alma College student finalist for the Governor's Service Award.

69% of the 2001 graduating seniors enrolled in at least one academic service-learning course.

Established first annual Service Week.

2000

Sarah Amman won first place in a student writing contest for "Tapping Honduran Women's Social Justice".

Stephanie Powell won third place in a student writing contest for: "Service Learning and Abroad: Restoring a Jewish Cemetery in Poland".

Anne Ritz, Service Learning Office Coordinator, receives Posey Award for Administrative Excellence.

42 service-learning courses and practica were offered during the 99-00 academic year.

67% of the 2000 graduating seniors enrolled in academic service-learning courses.

1999

Awarded Universities as Citizens grant to promote civic literacy and civic responsibility.

First Alma College student to achieve highest student MCCaward: Amanda Schafer, Outsdanding Community Impact Award.

Organized first Make a Difference Day service event.

55 service-learning courses and practica were offered duringthe 98-99 academic year.

66% of the 1999 graduating seniors enrolled in academic service-learning courses.

1998

President Stone serves as Chair of the President's Council,Michigan Campus Compact.

First AmeriCorps grant at Alma College: Focus on Children and Youth - Alma College AmeriCorps Program, Corporation for National Service.

Selected the first annual Mary Jansen Opra Scholarship recipient.

33 service-learning courses were offered during the 97-98 academic year.

56% of the 1998 graduating seniors enrolled in academic service-learning courses.

1997

Alma College joins Michigan Campus Compact.

1995-1996

21 service learning courses and several practica wereoffered.

Emphasis on meeting 7% community service requirementfor workstudy placement.

Incorporated annual service opportunity into  Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.

1994

Part-Time Service Learning Coordinator established as permanent college position.

1992-1993

Students Offering Service Organization established.

22 service learning courses were taught by 16 different faculty reaching at least 450 students.

First MCC Faculty/Staff Service-Learning award presented to Dr. Susan Root.

1991                                                        

Service Learning Program established with support of a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant which included course development funds.

 

 

 

 

 

Alma College is among the top 40 baccalaureate institutions in the country for the percentage of students who choose to study abroad, according to a report published by the Institute for International Education. Among Alma’s graduates in the 2009–10 academic year, 61.4 percent participated in study abroad, which ranked 37th in the nation.

 

Student Profile

Jared Kilpatrick

Jared Kilpatrick
Graduation: 2013
Major: Biology and Chemistry

For a chemistry and biology double major who hopes to become a physician, a stand-out résumé is as vital as a good bedside manner. That’s why Rochester Hills senior Jared Kilpatrick chose Alma College.

“The service opportunities at Alma sparked my interest,” he says. “I went to Nepal this past summer through Posey Global and volunteered in a hospital. It was a really great experience that made me appreciate the modern technology and health standards that we have in America.”