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During my first year at Gettysburg College, I was overjoyed to learn about the numerous opportunities offered at the school. The first time I heard about the organization was from my Residents Assistant, Lisa Droege ’09, who was the current Program Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters. I will always remember her saying, “If I’m not here, I’ll be in the CPS office.” The infamous quote always resonated in my mind. How could someone enjoy being in an office and working for so long? As an eager freshman, I began to learn about the Center for Public Service and the programs that were offered, such as e-Race and Immersion Projects. The opportunities and people involved were incredible. It seemed like the ideal place where a diverse group of students to come together and grow, both personally and professionally through their experiences inside and outside of the community.
My experience of working with the Center for Public Service has taught me many valuable skills. I have held two positions over the past two semesters. The responsibilities and goals of each position were very different and have shaped me as a person. I have become more flexible and professional. After working for CPS, I am now able to firmly recognize my strengths and weaknesses in a positive way along by using reflection as a tool to overcome these obstacles. Previous to working at CPS, I underestimated the power of reflection. Over the past year, I have come to grasp the idea that taking action against a social justice issue is as important as dialogue. Today, I enjoy talking about pressing issues with my family, friends, co-workers, and students. The verbal and professional skills that I have acquired over the past year have been extremely beneficial in my academic work. In the past, I enjoyed large classes with few discussion opportunities. Currently, I am enrolled in mostly smaller classes that give each student a chance to talk and discuss the material. I have started to build up the confidence to probe issues and discuss topics openly. The only way you are going to get the most out of your education is by conversing. In regards to my future plans, I have not chosen a specific path to follow. There are numerous experiences that lie ahead at the Center for Public Service and within Adams County that I know will help me narrow down my future decisions even more.
Currently, I am the Program Coordinator of the Lincoln Intermediate Unite - #12 Migrant Education Program. The LIU agency works with local schools in Adams County to educate Latino Migrant Students. The program takes place twice a week on the Gettysburg College campus. My responsibilities are to recruit college students to volunteer, plan/oversee each tutoring session, and work closely with the LIU on special events. For example, this year we held an all-day Conference located at Gettysburg College that exposed high school students to the numerous opportunities offered by the school.
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Community partnerships, the core of Center for Public Service programs, strive to be mutually beneficial – fulfilling both a community-identified goals and providing a learning experience for students. Program coordinators serve as liaisons between the Adams County and campus communities to ensure a solid partnership.
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EXPERIENCE
My experience with community partnership has been very valuable. Last fall, I was given the unique opportunity to work with several community partners from the area. The community partners are very professional and personal. While working on Special Projects, my co-worker and I were responsible for organizing many events on campus. We formulated goals and constantly communicated with our community partners and were able to create just the right environment to work effectively and plan successful events. The chance to work with the Lincoln Intermediate Unit in the fall made my transition to becoming Program Coordinator of the LIU Mentor Program very smooth. The employees at the LIU and previous Program Coordinator were extremely reliable, as were the students. In general, I have enjoyed every moment of working these agencies
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LEARNING
Based on my experiences, I have learned the true definition of a “community partner.” The definition, in my mind, consisted of the words written on paper. Now, I understand that the idea of “community partner” includes more than just the agency employees and the Program Coordinator. Community partners consist of employees, co-workers, and volunteers. The program(s) here at the Center for Public Service would not exist without the input of everyone, explaining why building strong relationship is so important. After working with a few community partners for the past year, I have learned about and witnessed the unique relationship between the Center for Public Service and it’s agencies. In addition, I have noticed the importance of creating a strong relationship between the tutors and their students. A program can have a great administration that works well together with a bad relationship between the college student and their tutee. Their relationship must be mutual, or else the program is unsuccessful. My experience with community partners has been a significant part of my academic and professional experience here at Gettysburg College.
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Learning Circles aim to bring people from diverse backgrounds together to develop trust, understand each other's experiences, explore social issues and work together for long-term change. For 2008-2009, there are two groups focused on race and class. Claire focused on race and participated in eRace: Gettysburg College for Campus Unity.
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EXPERIENCE
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LEARNING
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Through the Center for Public Service, Program Coordinators support student volunteers through education, training, reflection, communication, logistical coordination and the fostering of community/campus partnerships.
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EXPERIENCE
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LEARNING
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Through experiences with the Center for Public Service, Program Coordinators have the opportunity to connect with community, develop professional skills, and find a supportive environment to discover their voice in social change.
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EXPERIENCE
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LEARNING
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300 North Washington Street · Gettysburg, PA 17325