How it differs from volunteering
A service-learning course ties community service directly to stated learning objectives and requires structured reflection connecting the experience back to course material; a grade reflects that connection, not just hours logged.
Finding a service-learning course
Sections are flagged in the course catalog and schedule; a student who wants the format can filter for it directly rather than discovering it was embedded in a course after the fact.
In and around Porter Falls
Research at Porter is applied and partner-driven: a Valley Health quality project, a DNR study on the Porter River, a manufacturing-process fix for a county employer. The Office of Research & Sponsored Programs handles the review and paperwork so the work can start on time.
The practical details
Format: Built into a specific course, graded on reflection and outcomes. Hours: Vary by course, typically 15–30 over a term. Partners: Nonprofits, schools and agencies across the Valley. Anything time-sensitive — an accommodation, a booking, a deadline — is worth confirming directly before you rely on it, because the specifics here can change from term to term.
If you have a question
The office behind this is Office of Research & Sponsored Programs (Millwright Hall, Room 340). Call (715) 555–0230 or email research@uwporterfalls.edu during the fall and spring terms, or sign in to MyPorter to send a message or book a time. If it turns out another office owns the question, they will route it rather than send you back to the start.
Fictional information
UW–Porter Falls is a work of parody. Every office, person, building, phone number and statistic on this page is invented; nothing here describes a real institution or a service you can actually contact.