The Colin Powell Center Forges Alliance to Advance Service-Learning across the New York Metro Region

NYMAPS representatives from The East Harlem Tutorial Program and Marymount Manhattan College.

In January 2007, the Colin Powell Center was awarded a $163,000 grant from the New York/Pennsylvania Campus Compact Consortium, a sub-grantee of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to create and sustain a consortium dedicated to advancing service learning across the New York Metro Region.

The Metro Area Partnership for Service-Learning (NYMAPS)-- lead by the Colin Center for Policy Studies--is currently comprised of five institutions of higher education: CCNY, Lehman College (CUNY), Marymount Manhattan College, NYU and Wagner College in Staten Island.  Current community partner organizations include the East Harlem Tutorial Program and University Settlement/The Door on the Lower East Side.

By pioneering a new approach to service-learning, the Partnership hopes to have a significant impact on student learning.

CNCS funding provides financial and technical assistance for as many as 75 faculty to develop and and offer service learning courses across partner institutions.  Funds also support community partners in their efforts to engage service-learning students on an on-going basis.  By the end of the 32 month grant period, a minimum of 500 college students will have participated in service-learning, providing as many as 550 K-12 youth with tutoring or mentoring.

Ultimately, NYMAPS aims to become an enduring institution, serving as a support network for faculty, students, administrative leaders and other professionals in their efforts to engage in service-learning and to realize the civic mission of higher education.