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Service Learning and General Education Course Development Stipend Applications Open

UNO faculty can now apply for a new grant opportunity to enhance their general education courses through service learning. Applications are due March 31.

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The recently announced UNO Completion Imperative refocuses attention on new and existing initiatives to increase retention and graduation rates of our students. At UNO, we know that students taking a service learning course are retained or graduate the next semester at 10% higher rates than those who do not.

To provide opportunities for every UNO student to access these high impact courses, it is important to incorporate service learning experiences for all students as early as possible. Incorporating a service learning component into General Education courses helps to reinforce general education student learning outcomes, and connects students with the content from these important courses to real challenges and opportunities in our community.

About the Grant Application

The purpose of these course development grants is to encourage the incorporation of service learning as a method of teaching within existing general education courses. This grant offers additional support for applications that include a research project related to the course.

Expectations of Applicants:
  • Applicants are full or part-time faculty members teaching at UNO
  • Applicants can teach in-person, online or hybrid courses
  • Applicants will teach a course in Spring or Fall 2021 with the service learning component
  • Applicants attend the Service Learning Seminar, July 13-17, 2020
  • The course identified is an existing general education course that is not currently being taught with a service learning component*
*Note: selection preference is for existing courses, but new courses may be considered. Please contact Julie Dierberger at jdierberger@unomaha.edu or 402.554.3268 to discuss.

Option A

Successful applications will receive a $2000 course development stipend as funds are available. Selection will be made by Matthew Tracy, Director of General Education and Dual Enrollment, and Julie Dierberger, Paul Sather Distinguished Director of the Service Learning Academy.

Option B

Applicants are encouraged to include a research component connected to the course that examines: 1) student learning outcomes, 2) community impact, 3) student retention, or 4) civic engagement. Research would likely include IRB and/or community partner approval. Successful applications that include a research project can receive an additional $500. All stipends will be received at the beginning of the semester the course is taught directly to the faculty member.

Application Materials:

  • Letter from the applicant should include:
    • Course description
    • Rationale for service learning
    • Faculty member’s experience teaching both general education and service learning courses
    • Faculty member’s professional goals for the course
    • Course student learning goals
    • Implementation timeline (for both course and research)
    • Potential community partners
  • Letter of support from the department chair
  • Course outline/syllabus provided to students
  • Description of research project to include:
    • Research question
    • Research methods
    • Ethical considerations for research (IRB, community partners, etc)

Application materials should be emailed to unosla@unomaha.edu by 11:59 PM on March 31, 2020. Please direct questions to Julie Dierberger at jdierberger@unomaha.edu or Matthew Tracy at mtracy@unomaha.edu.

Download the Grant Application

The UNO Service Learning Academy is an academic unit whose mission is to facilitate university and community-wide partnerships, develop and collaborate on community-based research, and support rigorous service learning courses in pursuit of UNO’s metropolitan mission to transform and improve the quality of life locally, nationally and globally. The Service Learning Academy team will be available to assist and support. Accepted proposals will have assistance from the Service Learning Academy in the development of their service learning course.