Here ye, here ye: service learning @ orientation

Today Campbell hosted 500 incoming freshman and 1,000 of their parents at the summer's first orientation session. As part of the Campus Ministry presentation, I spoke (a million miles a minute) about the service learning program and how it will benefit the incoming freshman. Below is what I prepared to write and stuck to mostly.

Good morning, tired and overheated parents. I’m going to tell you a little bit about myself and then give you some details about a new Campus Ministries program your child will be hearing a lot about in the coming months and years.

I spent the first 18 years of life in rural Massachusetts before ending up at Campbell thanks to a fruitful Google search. I graduated in May with a degree in Communication Studies, and how I ended up staying at Campbell is a story for another day.

So, down to business. This freshman class has arrived in Buies Creek at a pivotal time in Campbell history. While the physical landscape of Campbell is more obviously changing, behind the scenes is a brand new program designed to give your young adult the opportunity to serve the community while participating in hands-on application of his or her studies.

Service learning at Campbell is a result of years of various members of the Campbell community reaching out to Harnett County. Serving others in combination with excellence in education is an inherent Campbell characteristic, so much so that it’s in our mission statement. I’d like to give you an example from Scripture that fuels my heart for service and passion for the fledgling service learning program.

As I read from Mark 10, keep in mind the ideas of service and note what we can learn from this passage.

The Request of James and John



Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."


"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.

They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

There are two big lessons here, the more obvious and more common being that we should exemplify Jesus’ message of servant leadership. In looking at James and John, however, we can see that they wanted to benefit from their association with Jesus. Instead they should have looked to benefit others through their association with Jesus.

So, what does this millennia-old conversation have to do with Campbell’s new service learning program? Later this afternoon I’m going to offer a challenge to your children that they seek to serve others through their association with Campbell instead of serving just themselves. Your child is here to receive an education that someone is paying for your child to appreciate and take advantage of. That education, however, can be more than text books, exams, and developing an addiction to coffee. It can include your son or daughter reaching out to the Campbell community to use their gifts to leave Harnett County better than when they arrived here today.

To learn more about the service learning program, you can speak with me or check out whereserviceexcels.blogspot.com. Thank you for your time and I’ll be seeing you around!

After today's activities I'm reflecting on how to most efficiently "orient" someone to the concept of and ideas behind service learning. Its purpose is simple but its history and how we accomplish it successfuly are intricate. Then again, so are all the other great ideas I can think of. Recycling, salvation, baking bread-- all accomplish a to-the-point result but require an advanced understanding of the process.

Above, some of the 500 students help pack meals for Stop Hunger Now. Over two hours, the students packed a total of 20,00 meals. Picture by Tyler Cashwell.