SLS-7d2.2 iProv at Brown University

Brown University is one of the 8 prestigious “Ivy League” universities, with a long history of social activism and social justice. In 1986, Brown President Howard Swearer was at the forefront of a revolution in higher education when he founded one of the first public service centers in USA, now named for him — the Swearer Center for Public Service. Swearer Center is a community of scholars, students, practitioners and community members that work together to build on community strengths and address community challenge. Their motto is to connect students, faculty and community partners through community engagement, engaged scholarship and social innovation. Today, Swearer Center works with more than 1,200 Brown students, through and with 80+ community partners — more than half of which are in the Greater Providence area.

The iProv Summer Fellowship Program is one of the programmes supervised by the Swearer Center. It aims to provide undergraduate students with valuable experience to work full-time in 8-10 week internships from June to August with NGOs based in the vicinity. Purpose-designed training is provided to enhance the educational experience of students and encourage them to make connections between their academic work and their career aspirations. iProv students participate in regular workshops and meetings with other fellows. The iProv workshops focus on topics such as critical reflection, cultural humility, civic engagement, and effective leadership and action.

We send a highly selective, very small number (2) of students to the iProv Summer Fellowship Program. Over there, PolyU students take part in the regular workshops and meetings with other Brown fellows. And work full-time in 8-10 week internships with NGOs in the local community.  The workshops cover topics such as critical versus traditional SL, identifying social needs, social change model, field trip to study slavery in the state of Rhode Island (in which Providence is located), reflection, wrapping up the iProv experience.  Exercises that the students have to undertake include (1) setting goals and a workplace for the internship, (2) interviewing the supervisor and learning about the NGO’s vision and drive, and purpose, and (3) explaining and sharing about a typical work day, in the format of writing a letter to someone special (a teacher, friend or family) as a way to share the internship experience.  

One student, Christie, worked as an intern at a community  organization, where she worked with a group of children in a public park.  Another student, Cherie, interned at an organization promoting organic food in the local community.  In July, Dr. Grace Ngai and Dr. Stephen Chan were able to visit Christie and Cherie and observe their service.  Both of them were active in community service upon returning from abroad.  Christie actually worked for the OSL/SLLO in two separate stints, using her design skills on a wide range of projects communicating and supporting SL projects.  

Providence, founded in 1636, is one of the oldest cities in the USA. Providence was one of the first cities in the country to industrialise and became noted form its textile manufacturing and subsequent machine tool, jewellery, and silverware industries.  By the early 1900s, Providence was one of the wealthiest cities in the USA.  Manufacturing, however, declined throughout the century.  By the early 21st century, poverty remains an entrenched problem.  Approximately 27.9% of the city population is living below the poverty line.