Meet the President - Rockhurst University

Rock Report 4 4 4 4 4 4Lessons Learned From ServiceStretch Far Beyond the ClassroomAcademic researchcan teachstudents manythings abouthomelessness, but workingside by side with homelesschildren and discoveringthat entire families arehomeless can fuel a desireto go beyond merely learningabout the problem.A group of Rockhurststudents examined theproblem of homelessnessin Kansas City, then developedand implemented anart program for children atreStart, a local organizationthat provides resources andsupport for the homeless.“It has taught me a lot,”said Blair Ballard, a freshmanvolunteer. “Everyonesees homeless people andhas an automatic assumptionabout them and theircircumstances. Now it’sharder for me to prejudgepeople based on theircurrent situations.”The project grew outof Rockhurst’s effort toincrease faculty interest inservice learning, a teachingmethodology that extendslearning beyond the classroomand into the communitythrough relevant andmeaningful experiencethat meets a real communityneed.For example, Rockhurstbiology students study theimportance of preservinglocal native wild lands byrolling up their sleevesand cutting back invasivespecies. Students in AmyAnthony Ishmael, ’09, tutored children at the Troost Midtown Boysand Girls Club as part of a service learning course this spring.Mulligan’s volunteer managementclass organizeevents to encourage GirlScouts from the inner city,many of whom have neverconsidered college or setfoot on a campus, to worktoward this goal.As you’d imagine, theseclasses call for more thanjust logging a few volunteerhours. They get studentsinvolved, sometimes inprojects that are outsidetheir comfort zone.Several students in anEnglish composition classtaught by Dan Martin,Ph.D., volunteer theirtime to engage in pastoralconversations with patientsat Truman Medical Center.Last semester, two freshmenspent their Fridaynights managing a shift atSt. James Place soup kitchen.“All these sites have largersocial issues connectedwith them,” said Martin,assistant professor of English.“Service alone isn’t asolution. You can go outand serve people and feelgood about it, but if youcouple that with research,then you’re going to bemuch more aware of themagnitude of the problem.Then it becomes a questionof whether our world isjust, and how do we makeit more just.”Do You HearWhat I Hear?Effective listeningskills are crucial tosuccess in a widerange of fields from religionto health care. Listeningis often a factor inhiring and promotion decisionsand is tied to effectiveleadership. It is critical toacademic success. It is evena significant predictor ofpatient satisfaction. However,most people receivevery little formal training inthis important communicationskill.So where can you learnmore about listening? Thisfall, Rockhurst Universitywill co-host the InternationalListening Association’sFall Listening Forum,“Measuring the Effects ofListening on Learning,Earning and Healing.”The forum, which willbe held Oct. 19–21, willbring together 100 peoplefrom a variety of fields,including business, education,health care, religionand research, to set thelistening research agendafor the next five years.Spaces are availablefor Rockhurst alumni andfriends. If you are interestedin learning more about listeningor about the forum,please call Laura Janusik,Ph.D., assistant professor ofcommunication, at (816)501-3186 or e-mail her atlaura.janusik@rockhurst.edu. Rockhurst4spring 2006