The University of Missouri's new service learning program partnered with MU Extension and the Center for Leadership and Service.
This new program is intended to provide ideas for numerous service ideas and opportunities for students who participate.
"Over the past ten years, we've sent more than two-hundred trips," said Bryan Goers, MU Leadership and Service coordinator. "Only two of those have gone to places here in Missouri, so the new partnership with MU Extension is to sort of correct some of that and do a lot of the service that is in state and also expand our weekend opportunities at the same time."
There will be eight service projects that will begin starting in the fall in November.
Regions across the state will give the students a variety of anything from coming in and talking to kids about college to painting at a senior center.
"We give them a list," said Joy Millard, MU Extension interim assistant and vice provost. "Then we ask the students because its students led what speaks to them and what they have a passion for and then we hook them up with the people in the community to finish that project and budget and work on all the particulars."
This program gives students the ability to do a lot of brainstorming with staff and faculty. Aside from the eight projects taking place in fall, an additional eight projects are planned to be in spring to have the program complete at least one service project in all the counties in Missouri.
The program was announced on Thursday for MU Extensions 100-year anniversary which is on May 8.
