Benedict College Receives SC CHE 2016 Service Learning Award

COLUMBIA, SC — The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education presented Benedict College with its 2016 Service Learning Award at its monthly meeting on May 4, 2016. The B.C. Cares Flood Relief Project collected, organized, and distributed cleaning and personal care supplies, household goods, and clothing to more than 600 community members who were impacted by the devastating floods that hit Columbia in October.

Under the direction of Project Director Tondaleya Jackson, 55 students from Freshman Seminar I and II and 9 athletes worked with other campus offices and programs and community partners to collect donated goods and financial contributions for flood victims. Their efforts culminated in a massive one day give-away at Benedict College’s Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.

The B.C. Cares Flood Relief Project was coordinated through the Service-Learning and Leadership Development Program and implemented by freshman seminar instructors in the College’s Freshman Institute.

Service learning is college student learning at any level and in any situation that is linked in a direct, hands-on fashion to the resolution of a problem or concern in a target community outside the institution. The service learning activity must reinforce or apply what is learned in the classroom. As such, all projects must be related to a college course, with some type of reflection on the activity performed or feedback discussion.

Service learning projects at Tri-County Technical College and the College of Charleston were also recognized for their outstanding efforts.