Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Sylvania’s Harley Hauer has service learning on the mind

Photos and story by James Hill

Doing your homework, as any student knows, pays off. And in Harley Hauer’s case, it did.

Hauer is an accounting student at the Sylvania Campus who plans to transfer to Portland State University next year. He fulfilled one of his academic requirements by enrolling in Doris Werkman’s Speech III class, Public Speaking, in fall 2008. The course incorporated service learning where students land volunteer positions at community agencies within Portland.

In Werkman’s class, students presented speeches to their classmates throughout the term about the organizations at which they served. The final was a persuasion speech focused on looking at a social issue connected to a service-learning partner.

“Service-learning allows students to connect what they are learning in the classroom to the real world,” Werkman said. “They learn about social issues and make a difference in the community as a part of their coursework – it’s a win-win.”

Hauer was given the opportunity to fulfill his service-learning requirement at the American Red Cross, where he volunteered in the donor-scheduling department. Werkman’s class required students to serve at their agencies for at least 10 hours for the term. Hauer, who volunteered eight hours each week, quickly met the requirement and kept at it for nearly a year, well after the class ended a year ago.

“I enjoy volunteering,” said Hauer, who has offered his time for a handful of other organizations over the years. For example, he’s been part of the Safety Safari at OMSI, teaching safety tips to children.

At the time Hauer began his service-learning project, he had been looking for work – either part-time or full-time – to help pay the bills. Partly because of the service-learning requirement, he put his job search on hold, focusing instead on school and helping out at the Red Cross. It was that dedication that paid off in the end when the Red Cross offered him a full-time position last September. Hauer works in the same department at the Red Cross, but now as a data analyst and continues to attend college through the distance learning option at PCC.

“For students on the fence about getting involved with service learning or volunteering: Be open to the opportunity,” Hauer said. “It’s rewarding and doors can open for you that you can’t possibly anticipate.”

For more information about PCC’s service-learning program, visit: www.pcc.edu/resources/service-learning