"Thinking Outside the Classroom"

Professor Richard Couto

4/26/12

Professor Richard Couto, a renowned advocate of community service as an integral part of the liberal arts curriculum, will present “Thinking Outside the Classroom: Community Service, Civic Engagement and the Liberal Arts” at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 in the Multi-purpose Room in Andrews Hall. This event is free and open to the public.

Couto’s presentation will address the intrinsic value of community-based education for students, faculty and the general public. Additionally, he will explain how to integrate experiential learning as a substantive academic component through co-learning with community partners. Consistent with Couto’s pedagogy, there will be ample time for discussion and questions.

R-MC Sociology Professor Reber Dunkel, the coordinator of SERVE (Students Engaged in Responsible Volunteer Experiences), looks forward to Couto’s presentation.

“This is an excellent opportunity for everyone to learn more about community-based education,” says Dunkel. “In order to foster and maintain the essence of a liberal arts education, we must understand how important it is to incorporate experiential learning into our daily lives. Community-based education is an integral part of the college’s mission to prepare our students to flourish in the global economy.”

Couto, a distinguished senior scholar at the Union Institute and University Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, earned his B.A. Marist College, his M.A. Boston College and his Ph.D. at the University of Kentucky.

This event is sponsored by the SERVE program and the Office of Student Life.

For more information, contact Sociology Professor Reber Dunkel at (804) 752-3105 or ddunkel@rmc.edu.


Through SERVE, students celebrate the college’s tradition of service to others.
 
In 2010-11, R-MC students collectively amassed almost 8,000 volunteer hours. Nearly 50 students spent an alternative Spring Break in Florida for a combined 950 hours with Habitat for Humanity and 130 hours for a Haiti Relief project. Students in R-MC’s Greek organizations contributed more than 4,500 hours of collective service to the community, collected 550 pounds of canned food, donated 60 inches of hair to Locks of Love, 21 toys to Toys for Tots and generous funds to various organizations. In addition, money was raised on campus and donated to the Red Cross & Partners in Health for the Haiti Earthquake Relief. The SERVE program, in the Office of Student Life, is an integral part of Randolph-Macon’s Leadership Development and Service Initiative.