Community partnerships serve as the foundation for UMR’s Service Learning Program. Effective partnerships offer opportunities for UMR students and the community to share resources and learn from each other. Recently, four community agencies signed Academic Service Learning Partnership Agreements with UMR. Those agencies are:
1. Phelps County Community Partnership
2. Phelps County Regional Medical Center
3. Ozark Rivers Chapter Audubon Society
4. Boys & Girls Town of Missouri

The service learning program will have a significant benefit for both UMR students and the community. In addition to enhancing student learning, the program will help the university build community partnerships and will provide our community partners with beneficial outcomes. The program will encourage life-long civic participation, improve students’ skills in the work place and enhance personal and professional development.
The university recently established a set of Guidelines for Academic Service Learning Courses at UMR. These guidelines are available online . The guidelines were established to help faculty identify courses through which service learning can be incorporated.
For more information about the UMR’s Service Learning Program, contact the office of undergraduate studies at 341-7276, visit http://ugs.mst.edu/servicelearning.html or email gillman@umr.edu.