Student Information

Congratulations to the Recipients of the 2022 MiraCosta Presidential Service Award & 2022 MiraCosta Volunteer Service Award!

This year 18 students earned the Presidential Service Award (100+ volunteer hours) and 17 students earned the Volunteer Service Award (50+ volunteer hours). Collectively, those students served 3586.55 volunteer hours!

Additionally, congratulations to all the MiraCosta students who participated in the Service Learning and Volunteer Program throughout the 2021-2022 school year! Despite the many challenges this year, students found the time to give back to their campus and community.

MiraCosta students completed 8677.8 service learning hours and 4216.3 volunteer hours from Summer 2021 through Spring 2022!

Frequently Asked Questions for Students

How does service learning work?

Each semester certain courses offer a service learning component. The guidelines for the service project are determined by the course instructor. This includes the length of service, the types of placements, and the reflection activities. Students are placed in non-profit organizations and public schools where they engage in activities that are connected to classroom learning. Students benefit through hands-on experiences while the community benefits from student support.

How do I know which courses offer a service component?

We currently do not have a formal list of courses offering service learning. However, if a student is enrolled in a course that does not offer service learning, we encourage the student to communicate with the class professor to see if they would be willing to offer service learning as an extra credit assignment or in a future course.

What types of service opportunities are available?

There are numerous activities available. Students can choose pre-approved organizations that best fit the learning objectives of their course. At this time, students may only participate in virtual service learning opportunities. To view a list of available community partners, visit the "Community Partner" webpage.

What are the benefits of service learning?

Students can discover connections between classroom and community, learn through applied experiences, explore career choices, earn hours that can be used towards scholarships, learn skills that can be applied in their future career, increase their cultural capital & social capital, adding service experience to a resume, network with local leaders and become more actively involved in the community.

According to the CSUSM website, "80% of [their] alumni stay in their local community." What better way to prepare for your future career, than to volunteer in your community!

How does the service learning program differ from volunteerism?

Service learning is a teaching method that incorporates community-based activities into the curricula. Unlike volunteers, service learning students are required to connect service experiences to course content through reading, writing, and dialog.

Students interested in the Volunteer Program, are encouraged to visit the "Volunteer Program" webpage of the website to learn more about the program, download a volunteer booklet, and read about the service awards. Any student can participate in the volunteer program and can complete their service hours virtually or in person at their discretion.

Can students with busy schedules participate in service learning?

Most students have busy schedules with work, school, family, and other obligations. Even so, there are plenty of opportunities to serve. Due to the pandemic, many organizations have shifted to offering in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities, which allows for more flexibility and accessibility for students. If students need assistance getting connected to a community partner, contact servicelearning@miracosta.edu

How do I learn more about the program?

To learn about the program visit the "About Service Learning" page on our website, www.miracosta.edu/serve. You can also email us at servicelearning@miracosta.edu or call us at 760-795-6616. The staff will be happy to assist students with their questions, service projects, and getting connected to a community partner!

Check out our Service Learning Orientation Videos!

To learn more about the Service Learning Program, benefits of service learning, how to complete the service learning paperwork, and more...watch the videos below!

Service Learning Orientation Video 1

Service Learning Orientation Video 2...coming soon!

What are some ideas for service learning projects?

To review a list of ideas, CLICK HERE