Service Learning

The service learning component of the Kansas Asia Scholars program is intended to share the benefits of this grant-funded program with a community beyond the university. All Kansas Asia Scholars participants are required to spend at least 20 hours on a service learning project. The projects vary and are tailored to individual students’ interests. Some students give talks to K-12 classes. Others design web pages or use other media to teach others about Asia. Business students may work on projects designed to facilitate business with Asia. In the Korea program, which is designated for social welfare students, the students engage in practicum experiences or other projects related to their professional education in social welfare.

We encourage the Kansas Asia Scholars to be creative in developing service learning projects and to connect the theme of the project to personal, academic, or professional goals.. For many students, this is as an opportunity to “teach” an audience about an aspect of East Asia that the student finds exciting and important. Some students use a lecture format while others have developed presentations in a variety of media. The process of developing a service learning project is intended to help each student clarify his or her own understanding of East Asia as well as to contribute to our society.

For an example of a web-based presentation, see Kansas/Asia Scholar Jillian Bauhs' webpages on food and nutrition in China.

Thank you letter from a third grader in Eudora, Kansas to a Kansas Asia Scholar for a presentation on China.	Title page for talk on Traditional Chinese Medicine presented by a Kansas Asia Scholar to community groups and medical professionals.
In addition to completing service learning projects, Kansas Asia Scholars volunteer for other activities. Here, Kansas Asia Scholars represent KU and the KAS program at KU in the Capitol Day at the state capitol building in Topeka, March 2004.	KAS students volunteer to share information on Japan at international festival in Johnson County, Kansas.