Students are encouraged to participate in activities that broaden their academic experiences and share their knowledge with the community. Ivy Tech Community College Northwest strongly encourages students to contribute to our communities through service learning and volunteer opportunities.

What is the difference between service learning & volunteerism?

Well, both contribute to the community & provide a much needed service, but there is a difference. Let’s say you are a nursing student at Ivy Tech. A local non-profit clinic needs help from the community. You could gain either volunteer experience or service-learning at the agency. Perhaps the agency needs assistance filing paperwork or conducting some other form of clerical work - this would be volunteering. Perhaps this same clinic would like you, as a nursing student, to utilize your academic skills to help the clinic by providing free blood pressure screenings and giving injections to their patients - this would be service-learning. Likewise, maybe your education is in computers and a non-profit agency needs time donated to help set up a computer network - this too would be service-learning. Service-learning is experienced-based education in which both the provider (student) and the agency benefit. The agency receives much needed help and the student, as the provider of the service, learns something from the experience that further contributes to their education. The relationship between the provider and the agency is reciprocal.

In alignment with our commitment to service-learning for students, Ivy Tech Community College is now a member of Indiana Campus Compact. Please click the links below to learn more: Indiana Campus Compact http://www.indianacampuscompact.org/Home/tabid/1/Default.aspx Links for students http://www.indianacampuscompact.org/Students/tabid/45/Default.aspx Service-learning projects http://www.indianacampuscompact.org/Resources/
ServiceLearningProjects/tabid/139/Default.aspx

Below you will find links to local United Way offices. United Way provides the most comprehensive list of non-profit organizations in the area that are in need of assistance. Click on the following links to find opportunities in the area that match your interests & skills. Lake Area United Way http://www.lauw.org/volunteer%20opportunities.pdf Lake Net http://www.lakenetnwi.org/directory.asp United Way of Porter County http://www.unitedwaypc.org/