CSUN to Receive $40,000 in Federal Funds for Community-Service Learning Projects

Cal State Northridge has received a grant from the federal government for $40,000 over the next three years to support innovative community service-learning projects at the university.

The grant grew out of a collaborative effort by CSUN's Center for Community-Service Learning, the university's Career Center volunteer program, faculty, students and San Fernando Valley-based organizations and schools.

"This grant will help us better serve the community as we expand our programs that bring new and needed services to people in the San Fernando Valley," said Maureen Rubin, director of CSUN's Center for Community-Service Learning.

The money comes from a federal Learn & Serve sub-grant from the Corporation for National Service through the California State University Chancellor's Office.

Community-service learning combines explicit academic learning objectives, preparation and reflection with meaningful work in the community.

Students participating in community-service learning projects provide direct service to nonprofit and public organizations as part of their requirement for academic credit, while professors help them understand the connection between the tasks they perform and their academic course work.

The projects include bringing music from around the world to elementary and middle school students, creating a "Lunchtime Handbook"

for people serving jury duty in downtown Los Angeles, teaching at-risk youths in foster care the skills they need to function independently in society, teaching the elderly how to use the internet and serving as teaching assistants in middle schools.

California State University, Northridge has more than 29,000 full- and part-time students and offers 63 bachelor's and 51 master's degrees. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley and the third largest in the 23-campus CSU system. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges recently said CSUN "stands as a model to other public urban institutions of higher education…"