Field-based experiential service learning gives Reaud Honors College students the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom toward creating activities and solving problems within the community.
Service-oriented leadership empowers Reaud Honors College students to discover successful teamwork strategies by working with diverse members who share common goals. You have the opportunity to gain on-the-job leadership experience, develop community relationships and identify causes meaningful to you. The service-oriented leadership skill sets that will help you stand out from your competitors include:
Through Stepping Up (est. Spring 2017), the Reaud Honors College partners with local nonprofit organizations to offer you a unique service learning opportunity. Outside of providing for your own transportation to participate in the program, the Reaud Honors College offers this experiential learning opportunity at zero monetary cost to you.
As a Stepping Up leader, you will serve during the academic year as a non-voting member on the board of a local nonprofit, which gives you an insider's look at the nonprofit sector, helps you develop networking, leadership and organizational skills and offers board activities where you can contribute to community development. You will document your participation by posting journal entries in your ePortfolio.
Spring Workshop: Every Spring semester, RHC students have the opportunity to participate in a leadership workshop that will teach you the basic roles and responsibilities of nonprofit board members as well as resume tips to introduce yourself to nonprofit organizations. To develop the best match between students and nonprofits, the college will host a mixer where students interact with nonprofit representatives.
Service learning combines a service project or activity with appropriate reading and written reflection. As a vehicle for giving back to the community, service learning is excellent preparation for civic leadership.
You may design a unique project on your own or in collaboration with other Honors students, for which you may be eligible for a grant from the Reaud Honors College. Please contact the Reaud Honors College dean with your proposal for consideration.
You may also develop your service learning leadership by serving a term as an officer on the Executive Committee of Â鶹ÊÓƵ's Student Government Association (SGA) as president, vice president or secretary-treasurer.
Through our community partnership with the Southeast Texas Nonprofit Development Center, Reaud Honors civic leaders have served on the boards of the following nonprofits:
STEPPING UP DREAM COME TRUE
Inaugural Chick-fil-A Community Scholar Tiffany Tran won $25,000, bolstered by her community endorsements that included Seafarers' Center of Beaumont Executive Director Ivan Mobley. Tiffany began her board service with Seafarers as a Stepping Up Civic Leader in 2019, serving two years as a non-voting member until she became an official board member. She served until she graduated from Â鶹ÊÓƵ in 2022 and headed to dental school in Houston.
Jeri Wolfe (Class of 2023) – Augusta’s Angels
Tiffany Tran (Class of 2022) – Seafarers’ Center of Beaumont
Casey Smith (Class of 2020) – Beaumont Heritage Society
Carlos Caballero (Class of 2019) – Building Bridges of Hope
"The Stepping Up program is an invaluable program and resource for both nonprofits and Reaud Honors College students. When Legacy Community Health participated in this, our student offered a fresh perspective, and I hope the student gained as much from the program as we did. We as a nonprofit benefitted from the student's perspective as a college student."
- JOSHUA DAVIS (Class of 2011), VP - Development East Region at Legacy Community Health