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Integrating Service-Learning into Community Health and Education Bachelor of Applied Science Capstone Experiences in a Community College Setting

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Title: Integrating Service-Learning into Community Health and Education Bachelor of Applied Science Capstone Experiences in a Community College Setting
Language: English
Authors: Janet Hinson, Patricia Russell, Patti Gorman
Source: New Directions for Community Colleges. 2025 (211):39-46.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 8
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Two Year Colleges
Descriptors: Service Learning, Public Health, Community Health Services, Health Education, Bachelors Degrees, Technology, Capstone Experiences, Community Colleges, Integrated Curriculum, Professional Education, Program Descriptions
Geographic Terms: Washington (Seattle)
DOI: 10.1002/cc.20662
ISSN: 0194-3081
1536-0733
Abstract: Service-learning is a recognized high-impact approach in higher education that provides an accessible and valuable form of field experience for learners. A curricular framework integrating service-learning into a senior culminating experience was adapted and contextualized at a community college in Seattle to respond to needs among students who have been underserved in education in a burgeoning Community Health and Education (CHED) Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) program. The addition of service-learning in the creation of a capstone portfolio reflects principles of Knowles' theory of andragogy and upholds community cultural wealth, yielding promising results for developing practice. The purpose of this article is to describe and recommend the integration of service-learning into capstone experiences for comparable programs in community college learning environments.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1489456
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0189392539;0yg01sep.25;2025Nov20.05:10;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0189392539-1">Integrating Service‐Learning Into Community Health and Education Bachelor of Applied Science Capstone Experiences in a Community College Setting </title> <p>Service‐learning is a recognized high‐impact approach in higher education that provides an accessible and valuable form of field experience for learners. A curricular framework integrating service‐learning into a senior culminating experience was adapted and contextualized at a community college in Seattle to respond to needs among students who have been underserved in education in a burgeoning Community Health and Education (CHED) Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) program. The addition of service‐learning in the creation of a capstone portfolio reflects principles of Knowles' theory of andragogy and upholds community cultural wealth, yielding promising results for developing practice. The purpose of this article is to describe and recommend the integration of service‐learning into capstone experiences for comparable programs in community college learning environments.</p> <p>Keywords: andragogy; capstone; community college; community cultural wealth; community health and education; service‐learning</p> <hd id="AN0189392539-2">Introduction</hd> <p>Integrating service‐learning into a public health capstone is "ideal for students, academia, and community" (Mackenzie et al. [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref1">6</reflink>], 1), and this principle framed our capstone approach within a burgeoning Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree program in Community Health and Education (CHED) at Seattle Central College (SCC). Inspiration for our capstone changes was drawn from an initiative done internally in a sibling BAS degree program at the college and informed externally by framework provided by Mackenzie et al. ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref2">6</reflink>]). As bachelor's degree programs are on the rise in community colleges (Community College Baccalaureate Association Bragg & Associates [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref3">1</reflink>]) and considering positive outcomes during our pilot phase of using a contextualized approach to service‐learning in our CHED capstone that integrated service‐learning, our experience provides a template for innovating curricula in comparable learning environments.</p> <hd id="AN0189392539-3">Background and Rationale</hd> <p>The CHED program was established at Seattle Central College in 2015. Community health is the branch of public health that focuses on empowering communities, often addressing social determinants to promote positive health outcomes (Maraccini et al. [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref4">7</reflink>]) and is therefore aligned with the strategic vision of our community college to transform lives, promote equity, and enrich the community (SCC [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref5">10</reflink>]). CHED was created as a part‐time program alongside complementary bachelor's degree pathways in the Division of Healthcare and Human Services (HHS). The intention was to meet adult students with a passion for this discipline where they are, while usually working full‐time.</p> <p>To provide CHED students with meaningful culminating senior learning experiences, inspiration was first found in the curriculum of a proximal established BAS program in the HHS division, Applied Behavioral Sciences (ABS). Hackett and Russell ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref6">3</reflink>]) conducted a "social change project" (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref7">1</reflink>) to involve classroom students in exploration and implementation of an initiative conducive to social change for social and human service populations and to create awareness of the impact that the students (as future social service providers) have on communities. Because community health acknowledges how exposures to social determinants connect with community‐driven initiatives, the "social change project" illuminated opportunity for CHED students to likewise take a path of exploration in the development of a project that would promote action to advance community health. All CHED program curricular concepts could be integrated into the creation of a portfolio containing multiple deliverables within the scope of the capstone project that recommends an actionable contribution to empower communities toward health progress. Adding an accessible form of field experience was crucial to bring this portfolio to life.</p> <p>However, the CHED program faced several challenges in its infancy. As a community college, not a research institution, there is no infrastructure to support continual student research. Also, being a new program, we lacked community relationships specific to our area of community health. Further, with a student base of primarily full‐time working adults, extensive field experience would impose barriers because an internship requires a minimum of 30 h of field work (Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref8">13</reflink>]).</p> <p>Although Mackenzie et al. ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref9">6</reflink>]) adroitly articulated how service‐learning is harmonious with public health, our educational setting differed. We modified the framework to our context to uphold our students' needs around access. Service‐learning requires 16 hours of time in the field (Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref10">13</reflink>]) and activities supervised by agency partners present a unique opportunity to deepen learning, build community relationships, and gain field experience—without displacing students from their regular sources of income during their studies.</p> <hd id="AN0189392539-4">Theoretical Framework</hd> <p>Engaging adult students in the creation of purpose and responsibility as a reflection of andragogy (Sharp and Marchetti [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref11">12</reflink>]) anchors our philosophical focus on this innovation. Andragogy refers to adult learning, emphasizing that students' interests should be prioritized based on Malcom Knowles' hypothesis that adult learners are independent, self‐directed, experienced, ready to learn, problem‐centered, and internally motivated (Knowles 1968, as cited in Huda [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref12">5</reflink>], 66). Since andragogy has been applied in health profession education (Huda [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref13">5</reflink>], 66) and service‐learning is both learner and community‐centered, a senior culminating learning experience in a CHED BAS degree program for adult learners involving service‐learning proved a natural fit.</p> <p>Service‐learning endures as a high‐impact practice (HIP) (Hill et al. [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref14">4</reflink>]) that promotes a student‐ and community‐centered approach to a field experience format that deepens learning (SERC [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref15">11</reflink>]), responds to community need, and develops practical skills. It philosophically aligns with public health as it involves reflection (Daudelin [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref16">2</reflink>]), enhances formative and summative assessment, and fosters connections between classroom and community (SERC [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref17">11</reflink>]).</p> <p>Further, service‐learning embraces lived experiences and therefore upholds community cultural wealth (Yosso [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref18">14</reflink>]) among students who have been historically underserved in education. Service‐learning invokes "strengths and knowledge present in the community" (Mackenzie et al. [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref19">6</reflink>], 2), validating diverse ways of knowing as features of education. In this view, this form of field experience creates customized, purposeful learning material and empowers students. Finally, service‐learning is relevant to our degree program outcomes as it supports our institutional mission to "prepare each student for success in life and work, fostering a diverse, engaged, and dynamic community" (SCC 2025) through college‐wide learning outcomes to think, communicate, collaborate, connect, and continue learning. Combined, these concepts present a path for discovering action in the realm of community health and education, distinguishing itself at our college through integration of service‐learning into the development of a capstone portfolio. This capstone is contextualized for our students as volunteer work that serves the mission and falls under the purview of a community‐facing nonprofit agency while addressing learning outcomes, with a universal aim to uplift communities toward the advancement of health.</p> <hd id="AN0189392539-5">Program Learning Environment</hd> <p>CHED is a hybrid BAS degree program at SCC, which is an urban community college with an approximate ratio of 1 faculty to 15 adult students. A capstone is required for completion of the degree and is a 5‐credit series of three consecutive courses, spanning the academic year: Fall, Winter, and Spring. Remote options were adopted during the COVID‐19 pandemic, and the program returned to a hybrid modality post‐pandemic. While all students are adults, exact demographics vary from year to year. When viewed over time, our students identify with a broad range of racial/ethnic diversity, and they commute to SCC from a vast geographic radius within the state of Washington. Students are often low income and tend to be full‐time working adults who are balancing obligations of life with school. In sum, CHED is considered a part‐time program.</p> <p>Students typically begin the program in the Fall, yet program starts can occur throughout the year. CHED offers a quasi‐cohort model to promote access by offering students opportunity to take up to three core classes per quarter. In the interest of reducing barriers, students may be at varying points of degree completion upon arrival to the capstone series and have fluctuating schedules to contend with. Because capstone serves primarily full‐time working adults, the course series is largely independent study combined with regular advising from the instructor and roughly 10 class gatherings spread over the academic year. Sixteen hours for individualized service‐learning are integrated directly into the courses to provide customized learning materials. While the college structures service‐learning by defining roles and responsibilities for the participating student and site supervisor, students initiate their own arrangements.</p> <p>Tasks that students undertake are coordinated with the nonprofit agency where each student fulfills their hours. The site supervisor ensures that all policies and procedures are ethical and within the appropriate scope for a student, addressing and not exceeding CHED program learning outcomes (PLOs). This structure allows our students to volunteer for agencies who are active in communities while retaining the integrity of service‐learning through reflective connections to the curriculum.</p> <p>Learning outcomes across all capstone activities are aligned between the course(s), program, and wider college goals. These outcomes are consistent with those required for potential Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credentialing (NCHEC [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref20">8</reflink>].). Program and college‐wide learning outcomes (CWLOs) to think, communicate, connect, collaborate, and continue learning are mapped in Table 1.</p> <p>1 TABLE Alignment between CHED Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and College‐Wide Learning Outcomes (CWLOs).</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><th>Program Learning Outcome (PLO)</th><th>Think</th><th>Communicate</th><th>Connect</th><th>Collaborate</th><th>Continue learning</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>PLO 1. Evaluate individual, community, and institutional needs for health education and training.</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td></tr><tr><td>PLO 2. Assess behavioral and cultural factors that impact health communications and healthcare delivery.</td><td /><td>X</td><td /><td>X</td><td>X</td></tr><tr><td>PLO 3. Plan and implement health communications interventions, educational strategies and behavior change programs for individuals, groups, communities, and institutions.</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>PLO 4. Serve as a community health and education resource person.</td><td /><td /><td>X</td><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>PLO 5. Communicate and advocate for health and health education.</td><td /><td>X</td><td /><td>X</td><td /></tr><tr><td>PLO 6. Evaluate research and design program evaluation to assess health education and community health programs.</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td /><td /></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>Capstone Course Learning Objectives (CLOs) are to:</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> Create a project proposal (PLO 5).</item> <p></p> <item> Inform the project using available research and data (PLOs 1, 2, and 6).</item> <p></p> <item> Implement the project (PLOs 2, 3, 4, and 5).</item> <p></p> <item> Evaluate the results of the project (PLOs 1 and 6).</item> <p></p> <item> Present the project (PLO 5).</item> <p></p> <item> Reflect on the project's impact on the learner and the profession (CWLO Continue Learning).</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0189392539-6">Academics</hd> <p>Capstone portfolio features are distributed across the academic year. Assignments are based on learning activities introduced by Mackenzie et al. ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref21">6</reflink>]) which were adapted and added into portfolio components that are completed through a combination of asynchronous and in‐person participation. Live class sessions create opportunities for discussion and guided support, connecting peers who learn from each other. Activities are summarized in Table 2. How they occur over each quarter is described in the following sections.</p> <p>2 TABLE Capstone Portfolio Components, adapted from Mackenzie et al. (2019) and added to.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><th>Activity</th><th>Format</th><th>Objective</th><th>Program Level Outcome(s) (PLO)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Define the topic</td><td>Discussion forum</td><td>Illustrate background, relevant health indicator, issues, access, and social determinants</td><td>1, 2, 5, and 6</td></tr><tr><td>Describe the community</td><td>Discussion forum</td><td>Explain community cultural assets</td><td>1, 2, 5, and 6</td></tr><tr><td>Agency overview</td><td>Discussion forum</td><td>Analyze the work of agencies engaging with the topic and community in focus</td><td>1, 2, and 6</td></tr><tr><td>Introduction chapter</td><td>1‐page paper</td><td>Articulate focus of portfolio</td><td>1, 2, and 6</td></tr><tr><td>Annotated bibliography</td><td>Discussion forum</td><td>Assemble foundation of relevant literature</td><td>1, 2, and 6</td></tr><tr><td>Best practices</td><td>Discussion forum</td><td>Analyze and compare approaches to the topic/uplifting community in focus</td><td>1, 2, and 6</td></tr><tr><td>Literature review</td><td>5‐ to 8‐page paper</td><td>Investigate literature addressing key themes: theory, topic, community cultural assets, and access pertaining to health</td><td>1, 2, and 6</td></tr><tr><td>Service‐learning</td><td>16 h</td><td>Fulfill individual service to community non‐profit organization</td><td>2, 3, 4, and 5</td></tr><tr><td>Mentor interview</td><td>Practice interview</td><td>Build context‐based anecdotal knowledge</td><td>1, 2, and 6</td></tr><tr><td>Reflective journal</td><td>Conversational journal entries</td><td>Deepen knowledge and convey purpose with lived experiences</td><td>2, 3, 4, and 5</td></tr><tr><td>Analysis</td><td>Infographic</td><td>Illustrate relationships graphically</td><td>1, 2, and 6</td></tr><tr><td>Discussion chapter</td><td>3‐ to 5‐page paper</td><td>Synthesize actionable contribution</td><td>1, 2, and 6</td></tr><tr><td>Presentation</td><td>Academic poster, webcast, and discussion forum</td><td>Present findings, lead discussion, and reflect on the portfolio and CHED program learning outcomes.</td><td>All 6 PLOs</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0189392539-7">Fall Quarter: Propose</hd> <p>In the Fall, students explore. Each senior selects a health indicator, describes the community in focus, and gathers resources. During this time, they are responsible for securing their service‐learning placement. Students coordinate their schedule with the site supervisor at the welcoming agency however suits both parties: remote, in‐person, or hybrid. To facilitate this, the campus service‐learning coordinator collaborates with the capstone instructor, providing support both in terms of brainstorming opportunities with students as well as managing paperwork. Specific processes involved in service‐learning on our campus are described in more detail in Table 3.</p> <p>3 TABLE SCC service‐Learning structure.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><th>Task</th><th>Description</th><th>Timeline</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Promotion</td><td>Demonstrate value of service‐learning to campus/community</td><td>Ongoing</td></tr><tr><td>Relationship development</td><td>Develop and maintain relationships with community partners in the non‐profit sector</td><td>Ongoing</td></tr><tr><td>Class orientation</td><td>Acquaint students with process and provision of registration paperwork</td><td>Onset</td></tr><tr><td>Agency listing</td><td>Update/maintain agency descriptions/contact information for non‐profit agencies who welcome service‐learning</td><td>Ongoing</td></tr><tr><td>Support</td><td>Advise/assist students with outreach to coordinate individualized placement with agencies</td><td>First quarter of capstone</td></tr><tr><td>Check‐in</td><td>Communicate with site supervisors to evaluate participation</td><td>During service fulfillment (Second quarter of capstone)</td></tr><tr><td>Evaluation</td><td>Analyze student feedback</td><td>Upon completion of service‐learning (Third quarter of capstone)</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>The service‐learning coordinator provides students with an orientation. The capstone instructor and service‐learning coordinator host a service‐learning fair where community nonprofit representatives introduce each of their agency's work to help students consider options to fulfil their hours. This service‐learning fair started in 2022, as initially the program relied on relationships established by the broader college community and maintained by the service‐learning coordinator. Together, the service‐learning coordinator and capstone instructor support student‐initiated communication with representatives of ever‐evolving nonprofit agencies invested in community‐responsive work.</p> <p>While student‐driven placement meets guidelines upheld by the service‐learning office, in practice we have learned that the focus area of the agency does not need to match the topic of their capstone portfolio. Students continually discover through reflection during service‐learning that the work of any non‐profit agency addressing social determinants has relevance to any health indicator. As a result, any placement provides for customizable service‐learning during creation of the capstone portfolio. This realization was especially valuable during the COVID pandemic when capacity for service positions was limited in the field. In addition to attaining service‐learning placement, students complete the following deliverables and propose their portfolio:</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> Define the Topic and Describe the Community. Adapted from Mackenzie et al. ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref22">6</reflink>]), students identify a health indicator relevant to a chosen topic and connect it to the community in focus between these two initial assignments. In these two discussion boards, students exchange insights to understand what is happening in the community and articulate cultural assets to uphold. These activities are completed as asynchronous discussion forums utilizing conversational speech and outline formats, posted in our class shell on the Canvas learning platform.</item> <p></p> <item> Agency Overview. In this asynchronous discussion forum, this modified assignment from Mackenzie et al. ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref23">6</reflink>]) asks students to identify agencies at the national, state, and local level that address their areas of focus: both in terms of the topic itself and the community experiencing burden pertaining to their chosen health indicator. Students share their perspectives to guide one another's exploration of agencies.</item> <p></p> <item> Introduction Chapter. Students integrate findings from the first three learning activities to articulate the focus of their portfolio in this short paper.</item> <p></p> <item> Annotated Bibliography. The Annotated Bibliography builds a foundation of sources for the Literature Review of the capstone that is written in Winter Quarter. Students are required a minimum of five valid and reliable sources that delve into key themes required for their literature reviews including: background information and rationale, cultural assets, theory, systems, social determinants, and access to health. Students are encouraged to work with campus librarians through research appointments to carefully select the best sources to discuss their topics. A noted limitation is that, as a non‐research institution, our databases are limited. Luckily, our research librarians are available to assist students, and we have not encountered a situation where a student could not build an applicable annotated bibliography, regardless of their chosen topic.</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0189392539-8">Winter Quarter: Engage</hd> <p>During the winter quarter, two main things happen: service‐learning hours are fulfilled, and the capstone project begins to take shape. The learning activities for this quarter include:</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> Best Practices. This asynchronous discussion forum is an online adaptation from [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref24">6</reflink>]) assignments that compare recommendations for ways to address the topic with what is within the reach of agencies in view. The purpose of this assignment is to gain insight into where gaps exist between the literature and real life.</item> <p></p> <item> Literature Review: This is a formal ∼5‐page written paper that, like the Mackenzie et al. ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref25">6</reflink>]) activity, investigates, and analyzes literature addressing all interrelating themes to inform the project.</item> <p></p> <item> Service Hours. Sixteen hours of service are integrated directly into the course syllabus as custom learning material and are completed by each individual student through the supervision of their respective non‐profit agencies. Schedule, hours, and tasks of service are coordinated between the student and site supervisor. This flexibility optimizes accessibility for our working students. Service‐Learning support is summarized in Table 2.</item> <p></p> <item> Mentor Interview. Inspired by Mackenzie et al. ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref26">6</reflink>]), each student conducts a practice interview to learn more about their topics from experienced community agents. Typically, this is with the site supervisor and is restricted to a person who is not a member of a vulnerable group. Findings from this interview are not quoted in any written assignments. Rather, this activity provides students with the opportunity to develop communication skills and receive guidance to inform their perceptions of progress and limitations, consider potential initiatives to further progress, and illuminate complexities involved in each specific context.</item> <p></p> <item> Reflection. Students each develop a reflective journal, written in conversational speech, throughout their service hours. A series of questions provides structure to guide journal entries through observations in the field and reinforcement of core curricular themes as they arise. Student experiences provide learning material conducive to developing connections between community health and advocacy, health communication, behavior, culture, conditions across the ecology, research, and what it means to thrive. As discussed by Mackenzie et al. [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref27">6</reflink>] , 4), reflection builds a student's awareness and invites them to apply and deepen knowledge and communicate responses to their encounters in real time. This process also informs discernment of a call to action that they will develop later in the portfolio. While reflective activity is required as a cornerstone of service‐learning's impact potential, journal entries are not graded for content.</item> <p></p> <item> Analysis Infographic: As winter concludes, students create an Infographic to convey data‐informed relationships, paving the way for a call to action. This step involves application of analytical skills, implementing the project through focused mediated communication which is crucial for contemporary health promotion activity.</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0189392539-9">Spring Quarter: Synthesize</hd> <p>In the spring quarter, each student evaluates the sum of their work and presents their portfolio. This cultivates a community of continued learning where each portfolio educates the collective while generating actionable contributions to carry into the field upon graduation. Assignments include the Discussion Chapter, Poster Presentation, and Self‐Evaluation.</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> Discussion Chapter. This ∼5‐page formal paper asks the student to synthesize one actionable contribution to advance community health in relation to their topic. The same key themes from the literature review are considered in their proposed action. Recommendations in this chapter utilize an asset‐lens to promote health while addressing outcomes, strategies, sustainability, viability, cultural responsiveness, and potential limitations.</item> <p></p> <item> Poster Presentation. Each student presents their portfolio to the class community. This includes the creation of an academic poster, a live presentation, and a recorded webcast from which an asynchronous student‐led discussion follows online. Completion of these components reinforces the iterative process of education as well as empowers students in their capacity to serve as a health resource person in the field.</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0189392539-10">Outcomes After Implementation of Service‐Learning Change</hd> <p>Students who completed service‐learning in this BAS degree capstone were invited to share their perspectives (consenting to publication/presentation of their responses) in a survey questionnaire. Considering our service‐learning integration began in 2019 and was interrupted by the COVID‐19 pandemic, service‐learning was initially optional due to public health restrictions and limited field capacity, reducing the number of participants in the initial evaluation feedback, and became a requirement in 2024 as we completed our 5‐year pilot phase. A total of 12 responses were received out of the 68 students who participated in this initial rollout of service‐learning in the capstone project. While our response rate does not provide for a true statistical sample, favorable outcomes from this pilot phase include the following:</p> <p>"How was your service‐learning experience?"</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> "Service learning was an excellent tool for my learning experience in the CHED program. The agency I worked for gave me insights into different viewpoints and ideas toward my focus."</item> <p></p> <item> "I was able to connect with a vulnerable group of people and learn skills that I use in my work now."</item> <p></p> <item> "Some of my best thoughts and ideas for my presentation came to me while doing service‐learning. It helped me link concepts I wanted to discuss by (experiencing) practical applications."</item> <p></p> <item> "I became more knowledgeable about the community and agency where I completed my service‐learning hours."</item> </ulist> <p>"How did your service‐learning experience prepare you to continue your work in this field"</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> "(Service‐learning) allowed me to see specific adversities (faced) by (community members) with various socioeconomic statuses when accessing healthcare. This (remains) in the back of my mind when discussing treatment options with my current patients (having now completed an advanced credential as a medical provider)."</item> <p></p> <item> "I (developed) communication skills and other strategies that are useful in engaging vulnerable groups."</item> <p></p> <item> "Service‐learning improved my advocacy skills as a future provider and strengthened my communication and public speaking skills."</item> <p></p> <item> "I entered a master's in public health (after graduating)"</item> <p></p> <item> "It prepared me not only for my capstone but for my future career as a non‐profit director."</item> <p></p> <item> "Service‐learning gave me a head start to understand what to expect when working with (agencies) and community (members)."</item> <p></p> <item> "Any opportunity to be in the field and have a better understanding of what's actually happening will allow future students the opportunity to apply that understanding (when they graduate)."</item> </ulist> <p>Based on these responses, we posit that service‐learning during the CHED capstone provided valuable opportunities for adults to gain insight into what work in the field looks like, build relationships in the community to expand professional networks, sharpen skills for advanced jobs and degrees, and apply their learning in a fully customized experience, conducive to building purpose and meaningful reflection which aligns with our andragogical perspective.</p> <p>Further, descriptive statistics from institutional records reveal most students who finished their capstone series within one year and received their BAS degrees did include service‐learning during their capstone. However, data are not conclusive. Of the 68 students who completed capstone during the 5‐year pilot phase, 65 received their BAS degrees. A total of 40 of the 68 (59%) fulfilled service‐learning during their capstone and completed the course series in one continuous academic year while 23 (34%) did not include service‐learning and still completed their capstone in one year. One student who did service‐learning did not complete their capstone in 1 year (1%), meanwhile four did not do service‐learning and did not complete capstone in one academic year (6%). Of the three students who did not complete their BAS degree, one opted for service‐learning during capstone while two did not. Whether there is a connection between service‐learning and metrics such as retention or completion cannot currently be posited because we are anecdotally aware of multiple factors (which could compromise anonymity) that contribute to or inhibit students from completing a capstone in one academic year or completing their degree. Moving forward, an exit survey will be offered for future students to evaluate their experiences with service‐learning during capstone and may consider possible links between service‐learning and completion‐related outcomes.</p> <p>Beyond these data, relationships between non‐profit agencies specific to the CHED program have steadily been building since our approach to capstone began in 2019. We now find ourselves in the joyous position of witnessing students engage in service‐learning with agencies where our alumni become employed upon attainment of their BAS degrees, illustrating community development as a productive outcome. Our students polish their skills by serving community agencies then emerge from the program capable of contributing to their communities. Service‐learning has been received positively by students and communities and is the continued approach for our program.</p> <hd id="AN0189392539-11">Discussion</hd> <p>Anecdotally, current survey responses indicate that service‐learning has been a highlight of the CHED capstone portfolio. This form of field experience has become fully integrated into the syllabus and upheld as personalized learning material that informs creation of purpose and responsibility as a reflection of andragogy (Sharp and Marchetti [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref28">12</reflink>]). When initiated in 2019, participating in service‐learning in the CHED capstone was optional prior to establishing program‐specific community partnerships. Additionally, during the COVID‐19 pandemic, many agencies who had previously invited volunteers lost the capacity to provide positions. We chose patience and encouraged flexible scheduling to develop outreach skills and maximize access for our students with service‐learning opportunities. Each new placement slowly helps cultivate our network. In addition, alumni now return to us and invite current students to fulfil service‐learning with their organizations. The longer we integrate service‐learning into the capstone, the more reach we gain into the community, expanding opportunities for our students to gain meaningful experiences and for agencies to benefit from service. In 2024, the service‐learning component of the CHED capstone became a requirement.</p> <p>Because service‐learning does not involve menial tasks, immersing in community‐driven service efficiently caps all program and college‐wide learning outcomes in our learning environment. Students emerge from their service‐learning experiences perceiving potential in oneself to contribute positively to the field.</p> <p>While our approach to service‐learning is still evolving in the CHED program, the insight gained from this form of field experience provides a chance for students to apply what they are learning in classes to their practice. In a discipline where we recognize that there is no singular solution regarding health issues that reach a community level, students contribute viable ways to address relevant concerns and advance community health, set in real‐world context.</p> <hd id="AN0189392539-12">Limitations</hd> <p>Feedback reported in this curricular analysis is limited to perceptions volunteered by the subset of students/alumni who opted for service‐learning and were reachable post‐graduation. We could only contact those who had volunteered email when leaving our institution. This small number prevents our ability to generate statistical significance. However, because we uphold the value of our students' lived experiences through a lens of community cultural wealth (Yosso [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref29">14</reflink>]), we believe that the positive feedback about service‐learning in a capstone portfolio is worth sharing with educators in community colleges who are seeking to create meaningful learning opportunities, especially for institutions who share similarities with the context of our learning environment.</p> <hd id="AN0189392539-13">Conclusion</hd> <p>Service‐learning has been an important feature of the senior culminating learning experience in our bachelor's degree program, leading this form of field experience to become fully integrated into the syllabus for all students. It addresses our challenges by (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref30">1</reflink>) responding to students' employment/financial obligations through field experiences that meet with state requirements while demanding fewer hours than an internship, (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref31">2</reflink>) invoking principles of andragogy (Knowles 1968, as cited in Huda [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref32">5</reflink>], 66) and community cultural wealth (Yosso [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref33">14</reflink>]), (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref34">3</reflink>) providing sustainable structure between the college and community organizations, and (<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref35">4</reflink>) building relationships specific to our discipline area to expand opportunities. Service‐learning in capstone creates access to a meaningful field experience where participants become co‐creators of customized learning material.</p> <p>As inspiration for this approach to capstone initially grew from the "social change project" from the ABS curriculum in conjunction with activities introduced in the curricular piece from Mackenzie et al. ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref36">6</reflink>]) that centered on a different learning environment outside of SCC, the CHED program is now collaborating internally with ABS. Both distinct bachelor's degree programs in allied health share value for service‐learning as a form of field experience well suited to adult learners in each of our capstone paths. Through a unified vision to enhance learning, instructors are working toward the inauguration of a combined forum, envisioned as a celebration for continued learning and building our communities of practice. Further, we recognize a call for research to investigate connection between service‐learning and outcomes such as retention and completion. Integrating service‐learning into the CHED capstone reflects principles of andragogy (Knowles 1968, as cited in Huda [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref37">5</reflink>], 66) and upholds community cultural wealth (Yosso [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref38">14</reflink>]), yielding promising results for comparable programs in community college learning environments to build on.</p> <hd id="AN0189392539-14">Acknowledgments</hd> <p>The authors wish to acknowledge the insight and feedback from community partners and students over the past 6 years.</p> <hd id="AN0189392539-15">Conflicts of Interest</hd> <p>The authors declare no conflicts of interest.</p> <ref id="AN0189392539-16"> <title> Footnotes </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref3" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Janet Hinson, MS, Patricia Russell, PsyD, and Patti Gorman, MSW, are dedicated to uplifting marginalized communities through belonging and empowerment.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <ref id="AN0189392539-17"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibtext> Community College Baccalaureate Association Bragg & Associates, Inc. 2024. (rep.). Watch Them Grow: The Evolution of Community College Baccalaureate Degrees in the United States. https://<ulink href="http://www.accbd.org/wp‐content/uploads/2024/04/Watch‐Them‐Grow‐4.22.24.pdf">www.accbd.org/wp‐content/uploads/2024/04/Watch‐Them‐Grow‐4.22.24.pdf</ulink>.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref16" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Daudelin, M. W. 1996. " Learning From Experience Through Reflection." Organizational Dynamics 24, no. 3 : 36 – 48. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0090‐2616(96)90004‐2.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib3" idref="ref6" type="bt">3</bibl> <bibtext> Hackett, W., and P. J. Russell. 2018. ABS 415 ‐ Cross‐Cultural Competency in Human Services. Seattle Central College.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib4" idref="ref14" type="bt">4</bibl> <bibtext> Hill, E., C. A. Zajchowski, H.‐P. Plag, and T. Lobova. 2023. " The Role of Triple Loop Learning in Fostering Future Conservation Leaders: Assessing High‐Impact Practices." Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership 15, no. 1 : 111. https://doi.org/10.18666/jorel‐2023‐11394.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib5" idref="ref12" type="bt">5</bibl> <bibtext> Huda, N. 2014. " Adult Learning Principles and Its Application." Journal of Bahria University Medical and Dental College 4, no. 2 : 66. https://<ulink href="http://www.researchgate.net/publication/305810394">www.researchgate.net/publication/305810394</ulink>.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib6" idref="ref1" type="bt">6</bibl> <bibtext> Mackenzie, S. L., D. M. Hinchey, and K. P. Cornforth. 2019. " A Public Health Service‐Learning Capstone: Ideal for Students, Academia and Community." Frontiers in Public Health 7 : 1 – 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00010.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib7" idref="ref4" type="bt">7</bibl> <bibtext> Maraccini, A. M., P. Galiatsatos, M. Harper, and A. D. Slonim. 2017. " Creating Clarity: Distinguishing Between Community and Population Health." American Journal of Accountable Care 5, no. 2 : 32. https://<ulink href="http://www.ajmc.com/view/creating‐clarity‐distinguishing‐between‐community‐and‐population‐health">www.ajmc.com/view/creating‐clarity‐distinguishing‐between‐community‐and‐population‐health</ulink>.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib8" idref="ref20" type="bt">8</bibl> <bibtext> NCHEC. n.d. Health Education Specialist Certification—CHES, MCHES. NCHEC. https://<ulink href="http://www.nchec.org/">www.nchec.org/</ulink>.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib9" type="bt">9</bibl> <bibtext> Seattle Central College. n.d. " Learning Outcomes." https://seattlecentral.edu/about/who‐we‐are/learning‐outcomes.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Seattle Central College. 2025. Mission, Vision, Values. Seattle Central College. https://seattlecentral.edu/about/who‐we‐are/mission‐vision‐values.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> SERC (Science Education Resource Center). 2024. Promotes a Deep Approach to Learning. Service‐Learning, February 28. https://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/service/deep_learn.html.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Sharp, G. F., and J. J. Marchetti. 2020. " Playing in the Sandbox: A Reflective Journey on the Development and Implementation of a Leadership Development Program Within a Doctoral Program." In Maturing Leadership: How Adult Development Impacts Leadership, edited by J. Reams, 249 – 250. Emerald Publishing Limited. https://gla.global/wp‐content/uploads/2020/07/Maturing‐Leadership‐The‐Art‐Science‐of‐Vertical‐Leadership_Chapter‐3‐002.pdf.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. 2024. SBCTC Policy Manual Chapter 5: Enrollment Reporting and Tuition and Fees. SBCTC, January 30. https://<ulink href="http://www.sbctc.edu/colleges‐staff/policies‐rules/policy‐manual/chapter‐5">www.sbctc.edu/colleges‐staff/policies‐rules/policy‐manual/chapter‐5</ulink>.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Yosso, T. J. 2005. " Whose Culture Has Capital? A Critical Race Theory Discussion of Community Cultural Wealth." Race Ethnicity and Education 8, no. 1 : 69 – 91. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361332052000341006.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Janet Hinson; Patricia Russell and Patti Gorman</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author; Author</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib10" firstref="ref5"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref8"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref11"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib11" firstref="ref15"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref18"></nolink>
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  Data: Service-learning is a recognized high-impact approach in higher education that provides an accessible and valuable form of field experience for learners. A curricular framework integrating service-learning into a senior culminating experience was adapted and contextualized at a community college in Seattle to respond to needs among students who have been underserved in education in a burgeoning Community Health and Education (CHED) Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) program. The addition of service-learning in the creation of a capstone portfolio reflects principles of Knowles' theory of andragogy and upholds community cultural wealth, yielding promising results for developing practice. The purpose of this article is to describe and recommend the integration of service-learning into capstone experiences for comparable programs in community college learning environments.
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