FSEHD Community Service Requirement

Community Service Learning in the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development (FSEHD)   began in 1996 with the Alan Shawn Feinstein Endowment. Alan Shawn Feinstein is a renowned educator, journalist, and humanitarian who has dedicated his time, talents, and treasures to bettering the lives of others. The Endowment provided a gift of $1,000,000 to Rhode Island College and called for course work and community service as a mandatory graduation requirement for undergraduate students enrolled in the School of Education. In response, an FSEHD faculty committee, with approval by the Dean's Leadership Committee, enacted a community service requirement of 25 hours to be completed by initial certification teacher candidates one semester prior to student teaching. 

Alan Shawn Feinstein's commitment to the schools in the State of Rhode Island is legendary. He has dedicated millions of dollars to its elementary and secondary schools, and to its colleges and universities, to advance the importance of community service in education and the values of caring, compassion, and brotherhood. 

18 Hours in Providence Public Schools

18 hours are completed in FNED 246, where students perform a minimum of 18 hours of tutoring in a Providence public school. Every semester, upwards of 150 potential teacher candidates work one on one with students to improve their reading and writing.

7 Hours Dedicated to Equity, Diversity, Advocacy

The remaining 7 hours can be completed by volunteering in schools and community organizations that promote the values of equity, diversity, and social advocacy, and support those in underrepresented areas or groups (e.g., students of color, students in families experiencing economic hardship, students with disabilities, etc.). These hours must be completed outside of scheduled class hours. 

Acceptable Types of Community Service

• one-on-one tutoring, homework help groups, coaching
• volunteering at community centers, senior centers, nonprofit organizations, food pantries, etc. 

Please Note: Volunteer hours with religious or political intent, such as teaching religious education classes or fund raising for a candidate or political party, cannot be counted as FSEHD Community Service hours. However, sponsored events at a religious organization (such as a food pantry, community meals, or nonpartisan voter registration) can be counted. Also, school observations, visits, and teaching required in other courses (FNED 101, practicum, etc.) are not considered part of community service. 

• Obtain a BCI. Most volunteer positions require a BCI (Criminal Background Check).  See FSEHD RI Background Check for more information on obtaining your BCI. 
• Contact the organizations listed below to learn more about volunteer opportunities and requirements for participation.  
• Continue to volunteer with Inspiring Minds after completing the required 15 hours in FNED 246.
• Contact the RIC Career Development Center for additional volunteer opportunities that meet this FSEHD Community Service Learning requirement. 
• Additional Volunteer Opportunities: There are many volunteer opportunities in RI.  Students can pursue volunteer opportunities not on this list as long as they meet the FSEHD Community Service Learning objectives. Students should check with their academic advisors about these opportunities.

Volunteer Opportunities

• Inspiring Minds
• Get Involved - Federal Hill House
• Homework Help Providence Community Library
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
• Walking School Bus
• Get Involved: Donate or Volunteer - Westbay Community Action
• Providence ¡CityArts! for Youth
• Rhode Island Center Assisting Those In Need
• Charter Schools - Providence Public Charter Schools
• Volunteer - Office of Healthy Aging
• Providence Public Schools Volunteer
• RI Special Olympics
• RI School for the Deaf
• The Best Virtual Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteer from Anywhere | VolunteerMatch
• National Alliance on Mental Illness RI Volunteering
• Southern Rhode Island Volunteers
• RI Food Bank-Volunteer Your Time
• East Bay Community Action Program (Literacy Volunteers of East Bay)
• African Alliance of RI
• Refugee Dream Center
• Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket
• Woonsocket Harris Public Library
• Connecting for Children & Families
• Central Falls School District: Become a Volunteer
• Progreso Latino
• The Empowerment Factory
• Volunteering in Providence Public Schools
• Ronald McDonald House New England
• Riverzedge ARTS
• Star Kids Scholarship Program
• Boys and Girls Club of Newport County
• Girls on the Run Rhode Island

Other Opportunities

Students can pursue volunteer opportunities not on this list as long as the opportunity meets the FSEHD Community Service Learning objectives. Students should check with their academic advisors about these opportunities.

Use this video, Documenting Your Community Service Hours on Chalk and Wire, to learn how to document community service hours. A summary of the directions are also provided here:

1. Log into Chalk and Wire (Anthology), and open the Main Menu bar on the left hand side of the Dashboard page.
2. Select "Work" and then go to "Journals." This journal is used to document community service and also your clinical experience hours. 

First-Time Entry

If this is your first time logging community service hours you will:

1. Choose journal template: PreServiceHours Log_Clinical&Community_V2022. 
2. Name your journal  (Example - LastName_Preservice Hours)
3. Start the new journal  
4. New journal entry  
5. Select your program and enter community service hours
6. Save when finished

Additional Entries 

1. Log into Chalk and Wire (Anthology), and open the Main Menu bar on the left hand side of the Dashboard page.
2. Select "Work" and then go to "Journals."
3. See your PreServiceHours Log_Clinical&Community_V2022 (Template) journal with the name you created (Example: LastName_Preservice Hours)
4. Click on the journal and then Edit and select a new journal entry. 
5. Enter your community service hours and save when you are finished.