Course Details

There is no “right way” to do community service. For every individual, involvement in and service to community has some unique intention, meaning, or expression. This seminar will allow students to explore the idea of “service,” as well as closely related topics of community, philanthropy, and citizenship, through short readings, class discussion, and an outside service project. Building on historic questions of engagement with civil society, we will also explore the relevance and meaning of service for university students. What is the difference between resume-building volunteering and character-building service and commitment to one’s passions? How does service fit into a student’s larger university experience and personal development? Does the privilege of a college education create a responsibility to give back to our communities?

Our discussions of service will allow us build upon conceptions of community from the local to the global. Student projects will range from involvement on the UW campus and in the Seattle community, to internationally oriented projects. The seminar will culminate in creative projects designed to share individual service experiences with the class, and perhaps the larger Honors community.