Nearly 1,000 students stepped out of the classroom and into West Philadelphia last semester to tackle health problems, educational issues and more through Academically-Based Community Service classes.
ABCS courses, supported by the Center for Community Partnerships, make use of the University's urban location.
This school year, 44 undergraduate and 16 graduate ABCS courses were offered by the University.
Professor Elaine Wright is teaching two such courses this semester on tobacco use and the asthma epidemic. She said she believes community service classes "give Penn students an opportunity to learn about the community."
"ABCS courses enhance learning because students have the traditional course requirements -- lectures, readings, research -- combined with application to the real world. They have to apply their learnings as they teach others," she said.
In History professor Michael Zuckerman's "American National Character" class, students take turns in groups of three teaching the class every other week. The class also visits University City High School. Zuckerman said many of his students "have come out of it convinced that they want to be a teacher."
Some students take these courses because of a desire to be continually involved in the community.
College freshman Yasmin Radjy took the ABCS course "Race and Popular Cinema" last semester. The class spent time discussing race and gender in the media with students at Shaw Middle School.
This spring Radjy decided to enroll in another ABCS course -- "Urban Education."
"Community service is a central part of my life," Radjy said, adding that she's interested in pursuing a career in social work.
The Center for Community Partnerships Student Advisory Board helps decide how to better incorporate ABCS courses into the University curriculum.
CCPSAB co-Chairman Gabriel Mandujano has taken two ABCS courses in which he said he learned "how universities can engage in responsible service to their communities."
The Wharton and College senior and his class came up with a proposal for a living-learning residential program centered around community service last semester. "This experience taught me a lot about community engagement," Mandujano said.
Zuckerman echoed Mandujano's sentiments.
"It's important to connect with the community where we live," he added. "It's important to give instead of just taking."
