An integral part of more than 60 UWM courses, service learning brings students into communities to help address needs that also connect to coursework. UWM also offers service-focused programs like Nonprof-IT, which gives students valuable hands-on experience while also helping local nonprofits with an established need.

Service learning is an excellent opportunity for students to take what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it in a hands-on way within a neighborhood or community while earning college credit. Students also reflect on their service activity to gain a deeper understanding of the course content and a broader appreciation of their discipline, as well as an enhanced sense of civic responsibility and connection to the world around them.

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UWM students in a conservation and environmental science course participate in a park cleanup as part of their service-learning experience.

How to Get Involved in
Service Learning at UWM

Service learning is built into a wide range of courses at UWM, including film, geography, English, social work and more, so it’s easy to find a service-learning course that fits your interests and degree requirements.

To view UWM’s service-learning courses, browse the UWM Course Catalog and select “Service Learning” in the Advanced Search section in the sidebar. Current students can also use the My Service-Learning Portal or contact Ben Trager at bwtrager@uwm.edu.

Nonprof-IT

UWM’s long-running Nonprof-IT program pairs teams of UWM students with local nonprofits that need IT solutions and tech support. Nonprof-IT projects often include website creation or redesign, social media and online marketing, database and network improvements, and technology assessment. Students gain hands-on experience and strengthen practical skills, all while serving nonprofits within the community.

Although the Nonprof-IT program is hosted by UWM’s School of Information Studies, students from all majors are welcome to take part.

Working on project teams, students in the UW-Milwaukee School of Information Studies’ Nonprof-IT program provide information technology solutions and resources to Milwaukee area nonprofits.