Community Voices Section
Submission Date: March 19, 2025; Acceptance Date: March 25, 2025; Early Access: March 28, 2025
Title: Academic Service-Learning at Utah Valley University
Author: Summer B. Valente, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover, Utah Valley University
Abstract: Utah Valley University's Academic Service-Learning program represents a highly effective high-impact educational practice that delivers significant benefits to students, faculty, and the community. During 2023-2024, the program engaged over 9,000 students across 450 course sections, involving 375 faculty members and 1,000 community partners. Research demonstrates that service-learning participants experience enhanced learning outcomes, improved faculty interactions, higher degree completion rates (30% more likely), and greater semester-to-semester persistence (84% higher). The program generated over 180,000 service hours with an estimated $6 million economic impact, representing approximately $188 in community value for every dollar invested. With its proven record of enhancing student diversity, academic achievement, and career readiness while serving community needs, UVU's service-learning initiative stands as a cost-effective model for engaged learning that advances the university's educational mission.
Keywords: Academic Service-Learning, High-Impact Practices, Student Persistence, Retention, Economic Impact, Community Engagement, Experiential Learning, Higher Education, Student Success, Career Readiness, Faculty Development, Institutional Commitment, Diversity, Utah Valley University, Engaged Learning
Suggested Citation:
Valente, Summer, B. & Westover, J. H. (2025). Academic service-learning at Utah Valley University. Transformative Social Impact: A Journal of Community-Based Teaching and Research, 1(1). doi.org/10.70175/socialimpactjournal.2025.1.1.3
