’05: ARC’s Creation!

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In recent years, colleges and universities across the country have recognized the value of community service in the academic curriculum. Illinois Wesleyan University is an institution solidly grounded in the liberal arts. However, until recently, the benefits of participatory action research and academically-based service learning have been ignored. Community involvement has been classified as an extracurricular activity rather than as an academic necessity. Professor Jim Sikora and Professor Jim Simeone started the Action Research Center, offering their first seminar in the fall of 2003 Together with Assistant Dean Clark, Graduate Assistant in the Office of Student Activities Danielle Kuglin, and Professor Sikora, Hannah Giunta and Jeff Scott formed a partnership to investigate the possibility of creating a volunteer center at Illinois Wesleyan. To this day, the Action Research Center continues to develop and provide the impetus for further inquiry into community service on campus. It is now headed by Deborah Halperin!