CHRISTIAN SERVICE
About the Christian Service Program
The two components that create the Christian Service Program are community service
and service-learning activities. Community service and service-learning explicitly
ties to your academics. You will find ways to incorporate all the things you are learning
into practical projects that serve our community. To learn more about the requirements,
please take a minute to read through the program summary.
This program offers you opportunities to connect what you are learning in the classroom to address community needs. As a construction management major, you could be building houses in the mission field or with Habitat for Humanity. In Mrs. Wiygul's World Geography class, you might do research on food scarcity and help with a food drive on campus for the Chattanooga Food Bank. As a nursing student, you might enjoy putting those assessment skills to the test with a refugee family in Chattanooga in Mrs. Wills' Transcultural Nursing course.
Every semester, there are dozens of community service opportunities to participate in. These opportunities can be identified on the Serves website and at the Campus Ministries office. It is important to remember that any community service or service-learning activities must be approved prior to completion to count for service credit.
If you would like to participate in an activity that has not already been approved, encourage whomever is sponsoring the event to submit their project to our office for approval. This could be the volunteer coordinator at the organization you are serving or your club sponsor. They can find the applicable forms under the faculty or partners page.
This program offers you opportunities to connect what you are learning in the classroom to address community needs. As a construction management major, you could be building houses in the mission field or with Habitat for Humanity. In Mrs. Wiygul's World Geography class, you might do research on food scarcity and help with a food drive on campus for the Chattanooga Food Bank. As a nursing student, you might enjoy putting those assessment skills to the test with a refugee family in Chattanooga in Mrs. Wills' Transcultural Nursing course.
Every semester, there are dozens of community service opportunities to participate in. These opportunities can be identified on the Serves website and at the Campus Ministries office. It is important to remember that any community service or service-learning activities must be approved prior to completion to count for service credit.
If you would like to participate in an activity that has not already been approved, encourage whomever is sponsoring the event to submit their project to our office for approval. This could be the volunteer coordinator at the organization you are serving or your club sponsor. They can find the applicable forms under the faculty or partners page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find SERV-2 course options?
Service-Learning courses for the current and upcoming semester may be viewed on the
Academics Course Schedule page. (Under Filter Options, filter by General Education Requirements and scroll down
to SERV2 Christian Service)
I participated in a community service activity at home / church / other organization. Can those hours count toward the community service graduation requirement?
We are grateful for your service. All community service must be pre-approved by the
Christian Service Program in order to count toward graduation requirements. Please
reach out to us with any questions.
Where can I sign up for a Community Service activity?
Where can I go to meet with someone about a Student Initiated Service-Learning Project?
The Christian Service Office is in the Bietz Center for Student Life, Suite 2602,
across from the top of the slide. You may also schedule an appointment to meet with us.
What is Southern's definition of "community"?
Southern’s focus for community service is in partnering with nonprofits in the local area within an hour’s drive of campus. Exceptions must be pre-approved by emailing serve@southern.edu
Are there any exceptions to the community service guidelines?
- On campus service exceptions (must be pre-approved)
- Service must be outward facing to the community
- Service must be connected with a nonprofit community partner
- Service must includes some type of meeting with the non-profit served
- e.g. graphic design students provide designs for domestic violence emphasis month, and include a zoom visit with Family Justice Center representative to learn of the organization and the connection between their service and those served
- Church / Traditional University, Seventh-day Adventist Circles Allowed
- Service includes community-focused programming and engagement
- e.g. health seminars, Dinner with the Doctor, ministry to the homeless, ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, SonRise
- Service includes community-focused programming and engagement
- Church / Traditional University, SDA Circles not Allowed
- Church worship service
- e.g. praise team, greeting, teaching Sabbath School, evangelistic series, spiritual seminars/conferences, Pathfinders
- Service to Adventist Societies
- e.g. Hyve Conference, Adventist Historians Conference, etc.
- Church worship service
- Miscellaneous not Allowed
- Disaster response trips (can count for Service-learning)
- Student missions service abroad (can count for service-learning)
- Events primarily for students, employees, or alumni
- e.g. music performances on campus in which community members are invited, and Homecoming events