Early Service-Learning at UNCW

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington Generations Together Service-Learning Project integrated service-learning in a traditional undergraduate sociology of aging course. Thirty-five undergraduate students explored the goodness of fit between "text book" facts, theories, and methods with the needs of older adults in Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, and Pender Counties in North Carolina. Two graduate students, Wendy Exposito and Beth Richards, served as project liaisons assisting undergraduate students as they worked with local service providers and with older adults. In addition, two UNC Wilmington seniors, Amy Carroll and Kristen Collins, students in both sociology and gerontology, were assigned to this service-learning project as interns.

Coastal Carolina Long Term Care Olympics

List of Student Events/Projects for Generations Together Service-Learning Project 

• Class participated in local strategic planning and community action consortium in order to improve services for older adults. Our consortium consists of older adults, UNCW Gerontology faculty, the Cape Fear Council of Governments including the Cape Fear Area Agency on Aging, New Hanover County Department of Social Services, New Hanover County Department of Aging, several long-term care facilities, and now students.

• Receive training on needs of residents in long-term care facilities. Make friendly visits to long-term care residents.

• Receive training on needs of isolated elders and make friendly visits to isolated elders in Wilmington, North Carolina

• Create video life histories after establishing relationships with elderly flood victims. Present videos to older adults. Some will participate in the production of documentary on the impact of disasters on older adults.

• Class will prepare sociological biographies that will describe the impact of natural disasters on older adults.

• Conduct surveys of older adults regarding impact of disasters

• Some will participate in service-learning workshops for other students and academicians

• Attend a celebration event upon completing service-learning course.

Goals and Objectives for Generations Together Service-Learning Project:

• Thirty-five undergraduate students will learn to recognize measurable service objectives and to assess "action outcomes"

• Class scores on Palmore’s "Facts on Aging Quiz" will improve as a consequence of increased opportunities for intergenerational communication.

• Two graduate students will gain experience in reporting their work to professional audiences as they participate in service-learning workshops.

• UNC Wilmington will add a service-learning component to an existing sociology of aging course in accordance with UNC Wilmington service mission.

• UNC Wilmington Gerontology Program will help to strengthen a local consortium of older adults and service providers in their efforts to implement Project ROAR, a strategic planning/community action project to raise older adult rights.

• Thirty-five undergraduate students will develop relationships with older adults as they explore the value of the life history interview as a learning-tool.

• Students will provide local service providers with data to assist them in their efforts to reduce the negative impact of natural disasters on older adults.

Service-Learning Mini-Conference

Dr. Covan, UNCW service-learning partners, and two graduate students will be conducting a service-learning mini-conference at the annual meeting of the Southern Gerontological Society. They will discuss the benefits of service-learning courses for older adults, service providers, students and faculty. The mini-conference will take place in Raleigh, North Carolina on either March 31st or April 1st, 2000. More details on the mini-conference will appear on the web page as more information becomes available.

Historical Dates and Events

Academic Partners

UNC-Wilmington Leadership Center

UNC-Wilmington Center for Teaching Excellence