About

Mission

The office of Citizenship & Service-Learning (CASL) connects students to community opportunities where they can earn course credit. CASL also supports faculty who want to teach service-learning and community organization who seek a partnership with Missouri State University. 


8,579

Total number of students enrolled in one or more service-learning courses (2020-2021).


93%

Average retention rate of students enrolled overall in service-learning courses.


$2,711,937

Value to the community at $28.54/hour based on Independent Sector (2020-2021).

A group of student set out from Plaster Student Union wearing green Walkable Springfield project shirts

Locally-recognized Walkable Springfield Project in action  | Photo - Theresa Bettmann

Impact

  • 8,579 students participated in one or more service-learning courses
  • 104,466 hours were provided to the community
  • $2,711,937 of total service value in the last academic year (independentsector.org)
  • 752 available service-learning courses 
  • 93% overall average retention rate semester-to-semester

The following graph illustrates the increase in the number of students completing service-learning courses over the years (by acadmic year: "AY").

Graph of total number of service-learning students over the years

The service-learning office is now able to look at the retention rates, associated with the completion of service-learning courses, for a variety of demographics including students who identified as first-generation students.

During the 2019–2020 academic year, 1,839 students (non-duplicated) who identified as first-generation students completed an academic service-learning course. Of those 1,839 students, 1,662 students (undergrad) re-enrolled in coursework for the following semester. This represents a 90% semester-to-semester retention rate for First-generation students.

The types of service-learning

Annual Report Archive

Springfield community "Red Flag" issues

Community Focus 2017: A report for Springfield and Greene CountyMissouri State University Service-Learning students continue to work addressing problems and issues in our communities through a variety of signature projects. This year the Citizenship and Service-Learning Office added three new signature partner programs while continuing another year with our ongoing signature projects. Those partner programs included the Nixa Alternative Court Project, the Women’s Medical Respite Program, and Springfield Welcome Home.

Visit the Springfield Community Focus home and our Featured Area Initiatives page for more info about the good our students do around town.