Service-Learning at Stanford

Stanford University is, of course, one of the best research universities in the world.  It produced the largest number of Nobel prizewinners (7) in this century.  On the other hand, Stanford psychology professor Carol Dweck was named a recipient of the inaugural Yidan Prize (worth US$4 million) in recognition of her innovative contributions to education.  Her research on the grow6th mindset, the belief that intellectual abilities are not fixed but can be nurtured, has long had far-reaching impact, and has long been a core component of my own beliefs. 

Stanford is also a leader in public service.  It’s president calls their university a “purposeful” university, meaning a university that promotes and celebrates excellence not as an end in itself, but rather as a means to multiply its beneficial impact on society.  Stanford established the Haas Centre for Public Service more than three decades ago.  The building which houses the Haas Centre is not particularly remarkable.  What is remarkable is the work this is going-on. 

As Stanford celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2016, teh university lunched Cardinal Service, a campus-wide initiative to renew their commitment to public service.  It encourage students to take cardinal courses - which apply classroom knowledge to address real world societal and environmental problems.  Courses such as Perspectives on Assistive Technology (ENGR100), Ending Poverty with Technology, (SOC 157), where students can design their solutions at the Poverty and Technology Lab, and Sustainable Cities (URBANST 164).   There are more than 150 Cardinal courses offered across 39 departments.

Student can pursue cardinal quarters - a full time summer or quarter-long public service experience, to integrate classroom knowledge with field experience.  For example, work at a refugee camp in Greece, help to construct an adult community centre and facilitate educational programs for adults, unaccompanied minors and children at the camp.  492 students completed a Cardinal Quarter in summer 2016.  

Students can make a Cardinal Commitment - declare a major, join a student-led organization, etc..  270 students tutored and mentored local youth through signature Education Partnership programs in 2016-17. Students are encouraged to pursue a Cardinal Career - seek jobs in the public interest or integrate service into a career.  

Stanford is admirable in many ways.  

Gamble’s Photos of China

Sidney Gamble was grandson of James Gamble, who co-founded Procter and Gamble.  He worked and researched in China in the early 1900s, when China was making the difficult transition from the collapsing Qing Dynasty to the construction of a modern republic.  He took many photographs, some of which were recently published in a new book.  It is quite fascinating and thought provoking, even today.  

In 1919, students protested in the Tiananmen Square in the May 4 Movement.  Many students were arrested.  Many more protests had taken place in Tiananmen and elsewhere in China since then.  Today it is impossible to protest in Tiananmen Square, or almost anywhere else in China.  Perhaps with the exception in Hong Kong.  And even in Hong Kong, the control is getting tighter.  Is this progress? 

In 1925, a wounded, protesting student was sent home from the hospital in a horse-drawn carriage by a businessman.  It looks like the protesting students received support from businessmen.  Would that happen today?  Would businessmen today dare to go against the establishment?

100 years ago, people as well as cargo were still commonly carried around in single-wheel wheelbarrows, which didn’t seem to have changed much for more than a thousand years.  China is proud of its long history.  But there is much that has not progressed for a long long time.  

Boys worked almost completely naked in coal mines.  That does not seem to happen anymore - at least not so publicly.  In that, and many other areas, there has been progress.  

There are many many more fascinating photos.  

The book is a really good read, and very good investment. 

Books and Food

I have only been in the USA 5 days and it is the second time I eat in a place that look like a library.  The first one was Umami Burgers near Stanford University.  This one is Busboys and Poets near University of Maryland.  The name is based on the story of a poet who worked as a busboy before he became successful.  

My plate of oven roasted chicken was very good.  It was juicy and tasty, with French beans and finger potatoes.  I finished it in no time.   Too bad we were in a hurry and I didn’t have time to explore the books.  I would love to come back.  It is wonderful to have two of my favourite things in one place.  When I have to eat by myself, I always eat with a book, and take a long time.  

We are here for service-learning, of course.  Tomorrow we have meetings all day.  On the one hand, we have to work out the details of a joint course that we are running for the second time, between PolyU and Maryland.  This time we are taking on Royal University of Phnom Penh as well.  Some classes will be run through video-conferencing in Spring.  Then the 3 teams will meet in Phnom Penh in June, for further training and then to build a community learning centre in Kampong Speu.  We are excited about the great challenge.  On the other hand, we hope to develop other ways to collaborate.  

Campus

Our small delegation came here to learn about service-learning, build collaboration and explore learning opportunities for our students.  One big reward that I should have expected but did not is reminders of what a university campus can look like. 

I ate delicious “Impossible” burger in a burger place which looked more like a library, near Stanford. 

There is the Mission Santa Clara de Asia on the campus of Santa Clara University, a Catholic mission church originally set up by the Franciscan Order in 1777, and later handed over to the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).  

At the quaint Bancroft Hotel near Berkeley, I found myself sleeping in a bed facing a real book shelf, and under the gaze of J. R. R. Tolkien (author of Lord of the Rings) on the wall above my bed. 

 At UCLA, we walked among elegant buildings among even more elegant trees. 

We ended the day at University of Southern California, at the JEP House.  It is a historical house which was renovated by elevating the whole house and expanding the crawl space underneath the house into a full size basement work space for the students associated with the Joint Education Project. 

In Hong Kong, the house would have been torn down and replaced by a concrete and glass high rise.  I am constantly reminded of what a campus can look like. 

Service-Learning USA

This is the third delegation from PolyU to come to the USA to liaise with the universities here for Service-Learning.  In 6 days, we are visiting 6 universities: University of Santa Clara, UC Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA, University of Southern California, University of Maryland and Brown.  We hope to learn from their experiences, and develop collaboration with some of them.  

In California, I was struck by signs of the social divide in American society. Near the Golden Gate Bridge, tourists watched enviably while fashionable paddle-boarders glided over the water.  

In the Bay area, a two bedroom apartment can sell for two million US dollars.  

However, next to posh hotels and office buildings in San Jose, homeless people sleep in the open in the park. 

On Sunday morning, a long line formed for free food.  

Sunday evening, at the edge of Berkeley, homeless people slept on the side walk.  On Monday morning, one was found under the national, state, and university flags flying at half-staff, presumably in remembrance of the people massacred in a church in Texas on Sunday.  

The USA is rich.  But not necessarily at peace.