Academic Service Learning
Academic service-learning is a pedagogy that provides experiential opportunities for students for learning by engaging the students in structured, service activities. Academic service-learning benefits both the student and the community. It benefits the student because the service activity is designed so that it connects directly to the course objectives, thus becoming a hands-on learning experience. Academic service-learning benefits the community by providing service which addresses an identified need. Of course the entire university community benefits from the opportunity to strengthen its relationship with the surrounding community.
Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Linda Pierce
Faculty Liason for the Office of Community Service Learning
Founder of CLOI
Launched in 2007 by Dr. Linda M. Pierce, Assistant Professor of English, the Community Literacy Outreach Initiative (CLOI) was designed to expand the boundaries of town and gown by connecting the university with its surrounding community. The outreach initiative encourages English majors to recognize their membership in our local Hattiesburg community, and to embrace a service ethic as part of their comprehensive education by focusing on improving community literacy in specific areas of need throughout the city. Still in its early stages of development, CLOI currently focuses on the historic Mobile-Bouie district, site of much of the significant Freedom Summer activism in Hattiesburg from the 1960s, and neighboring Hawkins Elementary School located in East Hattiesburg, a mere 2.5 miles from Southern Miss' main campus.