More than 1,100 students completed service-learning projects for the 2025-26 academic year.
Approximately 1,160 Wayne State College students enrolled in 38 projects and events across numerous disciplines finished their projects in Wayne State’s Service-Learning Program for the 2025-26 academic year.
This translates to 9,715 hours of service with 50 community partners. Each year, hundreds of Wayne State students make a difference in the community by participating in service-learning projects, contributing nearly $250,000 to the region in community service.
During each academic year, Wayne State service-learning students are enrolled in areas such as art, business, communications, education, family and consumer sciences, history, human service counseling, math, music, social sciences, and public and global health.
Lisa Nelson, director of the Service-Learning Program at Wayne State, said the semester’s schedule of projects was a team effort.
“As always, a big thank you goes out to the faculty, students, and community partners who choose to participate in service-learning projects and events each semester,” said Nelson. “I love reading all the post-service surveys where students express their gratitude for the hands-on opportunity to apply their academic skills to meet a community need. They also communicate how pleased they are to work with community leaders, teachers, and children. This really helps them feel like part of the Wayne community.”
“I am happy to say that the Service-Learning Program at Wayne State succeeds in fulfilling the college’s vision,” added Nelson.
Nelson, who is retiring from Wayne State in June, said service-learning has given her the opportunity to interact with a diverse group of faculty, staff, and community members over the years.
“The pedagogy has helped many students affirm career plans, better understand class curriculum, fulfilled the college’s service mission, and made some long-standing impacts in Wayne and nearby communities,” said Nelson. “Since my first day as a graduate assistant in the Service-Learning Program, it has been an honor and pleasure to work as a liaison to faculty and community members. Watching the program grow over the years to include scholarships and awards has been very gratifying. I hope the good work continues. My life has been forever changed and enriched by 21 years of service-learning experiences.”
The benefits of service-learning are numerous. They include engaging in career affirming experiences; research and conference opportunities; developing relationships with peers, community partners, and faculty; enhancing communication skills and an increased understanding of subject matter; and an increased sense of belonging.
Many Wayne State service-learning students served as instructors and mentors for the numerous projects they were involved in throughout the semester.
Addison Linn, a Wayne State sophomore majoring in Elementary Education with an English as a Second Language endorsement, said service-learning projects have been vital for her as she prepares for a career as a teacher. Linn has been involved in six service-learning projects at Wayne State.
“As an education major, a lot of my service-learning projects have been education-based, and it has really shown me how I, as an educator, can serve the community outside of the regular classroom setting,” said Linn, who is a native of Stromsburg, Neb. “As a college student, it has helped me get connected to the community as well as parents, as we interact with more than just children at most of these events.”
“Most of the time, children take home two things,” continued Linn. “First, we hope they gain some sort of learning skill. Whether it's something math-related, reading, or art-related, we hope they can learn something from the content areas we are focusing on. Along with that, they are making something that they can take home with them. This can be a fun reminder of the skills they learned, how they can apply it to everyday life, and hopefully they can spread that knowledge to others.”
For five consecutive years, Wayne State was recognized as a member of the national President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. In 2014, Wayne State was one of only three higher education institutions in Nebraska to receive the Honor Roll with Distinction in the General Community Service category.
Each spring semester, the Service-Learning Program concludes with the Dr. Ron Holt Civic Engagement Award recognition dinner. The award provides a $1,000 gift, trophy, and graduation recognition to a graduating senior who, while in college, has served as an exemplary role model and contributed to the service ethos of the college campus and community at large.
Participation in service and leadership activities and at least one service-learning project, placement, or event, academic or co-curricular project, must be included.
Wayne State’s Service-Learning Program began in 1999.