Focus EMU Online, Weekly Issue

Distinguished Faculty: EMU's Stacey has passion, energy for service-learning

In 2005, Kathy Stacey was invited to teach faculty at 13 South African universities how to build service-learning into their classes. The EMU model was well-received, Stacey said, partly because service learning can be really enriching without costing a lot of money.

"It doesn't take much, just energy," said Stacey, a co-recipient of the 2008 Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty Award for Service to the University. "Anyone who does service-learning will tell you that's what it takes — energy and passion."

AT YOUR SERVICE: Kathleen Stacey, director of EMU's
Office of Academic Service-Learning and a professor of
communication and theatre arts, makes a point
during her "Gender Communication" class, which
she team teaches with Dennis Patrick, professor of
communication and theatre arts. Stacey was co-
recipient of the 2008 Ronald W. Collins Distinguished
Faculty Award for Service to the University.

And anyone who knows Stacey, director of EMU's Office of Academic Service-Learning, will tell you that explains a lot.

"She just radiates energy," said Claudia Petrescu, interim head of the political science department. "She's just like fire. If you touch her, you get contaminated with energy."

A busy mother of four children, Stacey explained that there just isn't time to wear down. As she often tells graduate student Meriah Sage, "We're never bored."

Each fall and winter semester, Stacey works with a group of six faculty, teaching them how to build community relationships that support service-learning and how to incorporate service-learning experiences into their courses. Each leaves the seminar with a revised syllabus and a promise to do service-learning the following semester.