with Linda Gonzalez
Linda Gonzalez
Born and raised:
Washington Township, N.J.
Currently resides:
Emerson
Education:
B.A., business, M.A., anthropology, Montclair State University
Community involvement:
Reading tutor for the Literacy Volunteers of America
Family:
Husband, Jimmie; Children, Ashley, 17, and Paul, 15
Hobbies:
Baking, long walks, gardening and yoga
What Linda Gonzalez, coordinator of the Service Learning Program, most
enjoys about her job is watching students learn to embrace diversity.
"The students move from respecting people's differences to really
learning to value these differences," she said.
Linda oversees all aspects of the Service Learning Program, which serves
more than 500 students each year. "I work with students to ensure
that they have a rewarding learning experience," she said. "This
program gives them the opportunity to improve their citizenship skills
and grow on a personal level. It's a real character builder."
The program, now in its sixth year, is part of the Center for Community-Based
Learning. Coordinator of the program for two years, Linda works with faculty
to set up courses and with community partners to define service projects
that will benefit the population they serve, while providing students
with a positive learning experience. Students work with agencies that
are involved with literacy, aging and at-risk youths--young children vulnerable
to societal pressures.
Before assuming a leadership role in the program, Linda took undergraduate
and graduate classes in service-learning. "It was the first time
I had the opportunity to apply my knowledge to improving the quality of
life for people in society," she recalled.
Her interest in community service was further reinforced while working
on a master's degree in anthropology at Montclair State. "Studying
anthropology exposed me to the idea of the served and underserved people
in our population," Linda said. "I realized that we all have
a responsibility to the people in our community. Having been a service-learning
student myself, I appreciated the rewards and challenges of working with
the community. When students visit me to discuss the demands of juggling
school, family, work and service-learning projects, we share stories.
I haven't forgotten how difficult it can get, and that's important to
them."
Linda wants to help the program grow while maintaining its integrity
by increasing awareness and strengthening community partnerships. "Our
primary focus is on long-term, sustained partnerships," she said.
"We want to develop new partnerships within the community and continue
to strengthen existing ones." She encourages faculty to participate
in the Service-Learning Faculty Fellows Program and to teach service-learning
courses so the program can offer more opportunities to students.
"The real joy of this job comes toward the end of each semester when
students tell me they're glad they stuck it out because they had a great
experience, learned something new about themselves or felt they made a
difference in someone's life," she said.