Viewpoint

James Shields '00 with Megan Snider '11 and Laura Pates '11 Photo by Julie Knight

 

As Guilford’s director of community learning, James Shields ’00 coordinates the work of 60 Bonner Scholars and other students at more than a dozen off-campus dedicated service sites. At the President’s Dinner, held in early October, Shields shared a vision for what organized community service at Guilford can and should be.

 

Guilford has a long and storied tradition of concern for the wider community. This is evident not only in the community service our students perform, but also in our academic principles. These principles underscore the belief that knowledge is to be used to make the world a better place. It is our hope and goal to graduate students prepared to lead lives committed to that end.

In the last decade, our goal at the Bonner Center for Community Learning has been to develop a program worthy of our highly motivated students and our Quaker traditions of tolerance and social justice. We want all of our students to have access to resources that support their work in the community; this includes assisting with service placement and transportation; a service tie-in to academics; and opportunities to relate one’s service to a consideration of larger social issues.

We call ourselves the Bonner Center for Community Service, instead of community learning. We respect the notion of service, but it can easily imply charity and helping the less privileged with services delivered at the convenience of the privileged. We prefer community learning because it is emblematic of a rich, dynamic partnership that includes students, faculty, staff, nonprofit agencies, businesses and the residents of our community. As we respond to the community’s needs, we recognize our partners as our teachers and co-learners.

Our community learning program has become a model for other schools, and – while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery – the Guilford student cannot be duplicated or cloned. There is something very special about the way Guilford serves and learns from the community. This country needs higher education to define a new role for itself in society. Higher education must be a partner, a participant and a member of the community, one that is connected at the local, county, state and national levels.

Guilford is nationally recognized as a leader in this regard, but we can do more, we can be more effective, we can continue to grow this culture of service. But we need the Guilford community to support us and share in this vision. Together we can set higher standards for our program. If Guilford has one constant theme throughout history and across every aspect of our institution, it is a commitment to excellence. We must continue our efforts to be visionary, creative and bold.

We must embrace our current culture of service before we can develop it further. We need to have standards, goals, targets and something, some kind of passion mixed with competition that propels us to excellence and builds things we never thought possible. This new standard should be based on the principles that every student should be challenged and supported to be involved in service activities.

In addition to our seven core values, I believe there is a spiritual core value that drives our work. Working for an inclusive society is a spiritual discipline. We are here to practice a different type of spirituality. Working to alleviate suffering or social injustice is a different way to practice faith and celebrate spirit.

Every act we perform builds on spirit of the human family. It doesn’t matter if we are successful in changing the condition immediately. What’s important is the kindling of the fire of compassion that is the root of all change. Success is kindling the fire in ourselves that can help make a better life for others. Success means working in the community as though you are a part of it, not apart from it. Success means becoming conscious of and faithful to your values and your soul. I invite all of you to work with us as we strive for success, as we work to transform the lives of young people, as well as our community.