Center for Community Service & Service Learning

The Center for Community Service and Service-learning (CCSSL), located on the first floor of Alfieri Hall, fosters social and civic responsibility to meet community needs, while it promotes and encourages diversity along racial, gender, ethnic, cultural and economic lines. The goal of the Center is to create and cultivate a culture of community service at Seton Hall University in partnership with the greater Newark Area that results in the cooperative creation of sustainable programs within the community. Various community service and service-learning activities are the vehicles which allow the Center to achieve this goal. The quality of its service culture is enhanced through the continuous professional development of students, faculty, administrators, and community partners. Interactive workshops, lectures, seminars, and conferences are conducted by staff members, consultants, and state experts provided by the New Jersey Commission for Community Service, a federally funded community service initiative. The Center is a resource base for the Community Scholars Program, Higher Education Service-learning Program, and Childhood Literacy Programs.

The purpose of community service is to create a culture of service, foster in each student a commitment to social change and civic responsibility, impart or reinforce the requisite skills and behaviors to provide quality community service, and to provide structured opportunities for students to provide service to the Greater Newark Area.

Objectives:

  1. To provide high quality, structured service offerings that meet  needs articulated by partner community service agencies/institutions/groups.

  2. To link students and community clients in mentorship and/or educational enrichment activities.

  3. To develop in students the virtues of generosity, compassion, sharing, giving and wisdom.

  4. To empower students to create positive change as individuals and with others.

  5. To foster an understanding of public policy issues and processes and the need to advocate for others less fortunate.

  6. To create an awareness of the world and the relationship of students to the world community.

  7. To develop in students leadership skills, maturity and personal responsibility.

  8. To provide an opportunity to network with other students and professionals.

  9. To create an opportunity for career and/or employment enhancement.

  10. To provide an opportunity for application of skills and resources from Seton Hall to community initiatives.