The Impact of Domestic and International Immersion Experiences on Students

Service for Social Action Center

Tom WeinandyAmeriCorps VISTA

SSAC Coordinator: Adrienne Greene

Service Immersions

Experiences Each immersion is unique to its own geographical location,

population demographics and community dimensions. Learning

Immersions allow students to recognize the difficulties of many other environments, many of which parallel the same issues that we see in Wheeling.

Reflection The SSAC encourages students to continually develop and

challenge themselves in the service world. Action

Students are challenged to bring back the skills and understanding they received on the immersion to better serve the Wheeling Community.

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Service Immersions 2009-2012

Where do we go? Nashville, TN El Paso, TX Washington, DC Camden, NJ New Orleans, LA Mingo County, WV Kopperston, WV El Salvador East Wheeling, WV

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East Wheeling

Survey Overview

Pre-post surveys 5 point Likert scale

Strongly Disagree (1), Somewhat disagree (2), Neither Disagree nor Agree (3), Somewhat Agree (4), Strongly Agree (5)

SPSS! Paired Samples T-test

Confidence interval: 95% (p<.05)

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Survey Data 2009-4/2012

Data compiled from all usable surveys 9 Destinations 18 Immersion Trips 170 Participants 10,000+ Data Points

(Wow) Largest comprehensive

analysis of immersion

trips program New Orleans, LA

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Frequency Tables

100170Total

25.343New Orleans, LA

4.17Nashville, TN

4.17Mingo County, WV

4.17Kopperston, WV

5.39East Wheeling

33.557El Salvador

4.17El Paso, TX

6.511Washington DC

12.922Camden, NJ

PercentFrequencyDestination

100129Total

0.8110

0.819

3.148

1.627

4.766

12.4165

794

12.4163

10.9142

21.7281

24.8320

PercentFrequencyPrevious

Trips

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Frequency Tables continued

100110Total

39.1434

24.5273

18.2202

18.2201

PercentFrequencyAcademic

Year

10054Total

14.88yes

85.246no

PercentFrequencyPreviousLeader

El Salvador

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Results

00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

44.5

5

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

I feel connected to thepeople of ______.

I have very little incommon with ______.

I like to be outside mycomfort zone.

• Overall, I felt this experience has had a profound impact on me: 4.78

• I grew stronger relationships with my fellow Arrupes throughout this week: 4.79

• I would recommend this trip to a friend: 4.83

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Results

• I feel like I learned a lot about social justice issues while on the trip: 4.40

• I learned a lot about myself during this trip: 4.41

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00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

44.5

5

Pre Post

I am more knowledgeable, since this trip, aboutsocial justice issues surrounding _______.

Results

• This trip has given me a new perspective on my career choices: 4.14

• I got a lot of reflections done throughout this trip: 4.27

• Reflections helped me to process my trip better: 4.40

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0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

I try to place myself in the place ofothers in trying to access their

current situation.

I truly understand w hat it means tosee God in the poor. / I am able tosee God in the faces of the poor.

How people live in _______ doesnot impact my life directly.

Results

• I am interested in doing more service trips: 4.83

• I feel more motivated to serve my Wheeling Jesuit community: 4.51

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00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

44.5

5

Pre Post Pre Post

I feel I can make a positiveimpact on the world.

In the future, I plan to serve in acommunity service organization.

Conclusions & Recommendations

The surveys show that after an immersion trip, participants self-report increased rates of experiences, learning, reflection and call to action.

Future recommendations for SSAC Maintain standard survey format Create stated, measureable goals for the

immersion trips program Compare future surveys with these of new goals.

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Questions?

Presentation also available online at www.slideshare.com/tomweinandy

The End

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