Service Learning and Community Engagement

Service Learning-Community Engagement (SLCE) is an educational experience and process by which community groups and individuals build sustained relationships, applying collective vision for the benefit of the community. Through this form of experiential education, students and faculty learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully-organized service experiences that meet actual community needs and that are coordinated in collaboration with the office of Experiential Learning.

SLCE creates a connection between St. Mark’s School and the community, where the community is invited as co-educators to facilitate cross-sector collaboration and shared resources that help to enhance society's well-being and guide students in their journey of growth to become leaders in society.

SLCE takes place across both SM Saturdays and Lion Term programs. At the very heart of an experiential education is the need to foster an understanding of the interrelatedness of our lives and pursuits and thus must be addressed explicitly by designing to grow student recognition about how interrelated and dependent their lives are to this community and those around us. This in turn furthers St. Mark's mission, and develops community-minded agents with the necessary abilities to navigate 21st century citizenship.