Santa Clara University

The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll recognizes SCU.

Community-based learning (CBL) has become a cornerstone of the Santa Clara curriculum. By engaging with people off-campus through the Arrupe Partnerships, students gain real-world insight into ideas and concepts they study in class. The University’s rich CBL opportunities are part of the reason the Corporation for National and Community Service honored SCU by placing it on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the fifth year in a row.

Below is a sampling of the 50-plus community partnerships that more than 1200 undergraduates avail themselves of each year.

Alzheimer’s Activity Center

Primary population served: Persons with Alzheimer’s disease

SCU student focus: Interacting with clients during therapeutic and social activities

Buchser Middle School

Primary population served: Ethnically diverse 6th through 8th grade students, including those with special needs

SCU student focus: Working with middle school students to reinforce routine classroom lessons

Santa Clara Adult Education

Primary population served: Recent immigrants (ESL program) and stroke survivors (Skills Plus program)

SCU student focus: Engaging in conversation with adult learners and assisting them with their activities and exercises

Common concurrent SCU courses: Cognitive Psychology, Ignatian Spirituality, Victorian Literature, Intro to World Politics, Intercultural Communication

Julian Street Inn

Primary population served: People who are mentally ill and currently homeless

SCU student focus: conversing and interacting with shelter residents one-on-one or in structured group activities