1.
Engaging campuses in service to the community.
Ohio Campus Compact VISTA Impact Report 2010-2011:
Lorain County Community College
The Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps*VISTA program strategically connects college resources with
communities in need. Corps members gain valuable experience and educational awards. Campuses expand
their civic outreach. And community partners receive critical support.
HISTORY & BACKGROUND Poverty Alleviation Focus Area: Nonprofit capacity Building,
The Lorain County (LC) community is no stranger to community partnerships
the phrase “doing more with less”. With the LC VISTA Corps member: Julia Provoznik
unemployment rate of 7.5% (May 2011 - ODJFS), LC (440) 366-4104 • jprovozn@lorainccc.edu
food insecurity rate of 16.2% (2009 Feeding America), Site Supervisor: Marcia Jones
the LC persons below poverty rate of 14.4% (2009 (440) 366-4729 • mjones@lorainccc.edu
Census Bureau), and the $8 billion dollar State of Ohio Ohio Campus Compact VISTA Sr. Program Director:
deficit, times are challenging and local nonprofit Lesha Farias (740) 587-8571 • lfarias@ohiocampuscompact.org
organizations are citing an increase in needed services www.ohiocampuscompact.org
with a decrease in funding.
The Lorain County Community College has had the
assistance of Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps
VISTAs for the past two years in community engagement
efforts that not only address our local community needs,
but also help to civically engage students, improving their
academic success while providing them with real world
experiences. Service Learning is a newer initiative on
campus with its beginnings in 2006 that involves applying
student learning course objectives with meeting
community needs. In the past few years, research and
studies have proven that service learning is a win-win
situation for achieving desired results for both the
campus and community.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
The greatest thing our Lorain County
SUCCESSFUL
-­‐
COMPLETION.
This
is
where
we
want
to
community could do is educate future
see
our
students.
With
a
certificate
in
their
hand
and
a
generations to become civically engaged
smile
on
their
face.
Whether
it
be
completion
from
the
members of the community. By teaching students
M3C
Fellows
AmeriCorps
program
for
Frank
(above)
about diversity, the economy, and current social concerns
completing
300
hours
of
service
in
1
year
or
the
and engage them in the solution, we therefore begin to achievement
of
an
Associates,
Bachelors,
or
Masters
and
raise awareness, turn thoughts into action, and breed a beyond.
For
most,
colleges
are
the
pathway
to
a
bright
healthier community. This is what LCCC has been doing future.
Why
not
better
your
community
while
reaching
with this past year, 648 people engaged in various forms your
goals?
of service to the Lorain County community. The majority
of this population was students and through the efforts of “Community is one of LCCC’s four cornerstones and I am proud
these 648 people, ~114,846 community members were
impacted, 10,316 hours were served, and the monetary to see our students, staff and faculty recognized for their
impact upon the community totals around $191,254.00! dedication to community service and the positive impact it has
on Lorain County,” - LCCC President Dr. Roy A. Church

2. With LCCC’s community engagement, not only are short-term
community organizations needs met in the form of meals served, canned The VISTA Impact
foods collected, or free community health fairs provided, but those who
are a part of the community are learning to engage in long-term solutions by the numbers (10-11):
for a healthier and more aware community. Imagine a healthy community Civically
Engaged
Volunteers:
274
where each citizen is a part of the solution to its social issues! Service
Learning
Students:
352
We can see the immediate impact now and we see the long-term impact
AmeriCorps
Members
in the form of student reflections citing…
(M3C/SIS):
26
“As a result of this assignment to get involved in an event in the 10
Student
Scholarships:
$10,792
community and the overall happiness which it has brought me
Grants:
$1,200
personally, I have decided to get involved in other events…hopefully
by doing so, (I’ll be) making the community I live in just a little better Community
Organizations
place than it was before.” Outreach:
48
- Michael, Service Learning Student (BIOG 151 HIV/AIDS) Site
Visits:
31
Service
Learning
Courses
20
CAMPUS IMPACT Service
Learning
Faculty:
12
Giving, in the form of community service, is not a one way
street. Those who are involved in community engagement Total
Service
Hours:
10,316
activities, especially Service Learning, also harvest the Total
Community
benefits. There are pages upon pages of research data emerging to Members
Impacted:
114,846
explain why volunteering and Service Learning are beneficial to those who Total
Value
of
participate. If we focus strictly upon Service Learning’s student benefits, at Community
Engagement*:
$191,254
the top are: * 1 hour = $18.54 (Ohio Value of Volunteer –
Independent Sector)
• Higher grades
• Higher persistence rates
• Higher levels of academic engagement “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may
• Greater interaction with faculty remember. Involve me and I will learn."
• Greater tolerance and reduced stereotyping -Benjamin Franklin
• A predictor of increased student learning outcomes
** Data gathered from AACC, AACU, & LEAP studies About Ohio Campus Compact
AmeriCorps*VISTA
This year, 352 LCCC students participated in experiences that not only
helped them to understand their course material and apply it to a real Ohio Campus Compact is a statewide nonprofit
world project affecting the community, but also went through life changing coalition of colleges and university presidents and
experiences that helped to mold their future paths. Students have changed their campuses working to promote the civic
their majors or chosen to further their education due to an experience purposes of higher education. Ohio Campus
such as tutoring with the Early College High School. Compact provides resources, services &
The benefits do not stop with only the students. The instructors and the partnerships to help Ohio campuses deepen their
college as a whole benefit from the experience. Student Success and ability to educate students for civic and social
Retention is a major topic in the Higher Education world and LEAP responsibility and to improve community life.
(Liberal Education & America’s Promise) along with the AACU (American
Association of Colleges and Universities) have identified Service Learning AmeriCorps*VISTA is the national service program
as one of the “Five High-Impact Educational Practices on Learning designed specifically to fight poverty. Founded as
Outcomes, Completion, and Quality.” On a college campus, student Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 and
success = college success… and service learning is the incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of
answer. programs in 1993, VISTA has been on the front
lines in the fight against poverty in America for
KEEPING THE PARTNERSHIP STRONG: OPPORTUNITIES FOR more than 40 years.
THE FUTURE
The Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps*
To ensure the past 5 years of success continue and grow, it is imperative
VISTA Program places and supports VISTAs who
that the Lorain County Community College recognizes Service Learning’s
create and expand programs designed to bring
potential for increasing student success rates and merges it with current
individuals and communities out of poverty. VISTAs
initiatives and planning. The college also must show its support for faculty
serve in the poorest areas of their communities to
engagement in the program verbally and with possible incentives. Lastly,
tackle poverty-related problems such as hunger and
developing and maintaining community partnerships require personal
homelessness, financial literacy, veteran student
connections between organizations. The college must not lose the past
services, public health and college access. More
connections made and continue to provide support for program staff.
information at: www.ohiocampuscompact.org