During the 2012 NAFSA Conference and Expo, the GoAbroad Team was pleased to announce the winners of the 2012 Innovation Awards. As part of a continued effort to recognize the hard work and dedication this year’s nominees, GoAbroad will be sharing individual features of the 2012 GoAbroad Innovation Awards finalists over the coming weeks. This week, we are thrilled to bring you the Innovative New Program, Volunteer Abroad Award finalists!
Please join us in congratulating the following Finalist of the Innovative New Program, Volunteer Abroad Award:
CEA Global Education
“International Service Learning – Society, Inequality & Social Exclusion”
When the CEA Global Education Campus in Dublin was developing its courses and programs it did so with its commercial hat firmly in place, but once the centre found its feet and its mainstream courses were well populated, it decided to do something different; develop a course that would make a difference. So, through blood, sweat and volunteers, “International Service Learning – Society, Inequality & Social Exclusion” was born.
Under the direction of Dr. Darren Kelly, one of Ireland’s leading Social Geographers, this course is firmly rooted in current academic best practices. Students not only identify class theories, concepts and models as discussed in a community setting, but they also recognize the valuable contribution that they make to the people with which they work. Service Learning started in Dublin as a small course with a big heart and now, on top of having had such a meaningful impact on its students and to the local community, it has two further accolades. Firstly, it is the model being used to introduce a service learning course at CEA in Barcelona. Secondly, a full service learning program is currently under development in Dublin to enable students to immerse themselves in this exciting, developmental and frequently moving area of study.