SLATES: A COLLABORATIVE SERVICE-LEARNING PROGRAM FOR TWO-YEAR AND FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THE EL PASO, TEXAS REGION

SLATES (Service Learning Activities Targeting the Earth Sciences) is a project to diversify service learning opportunities for undergraduates at the Hispanic serving University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and El Paso Community College (EPCC). A series of short-term activities (< 10 hrs/semester) were developed to target students in introductory geoscience courses to help increase the number of geoscience majors, as well as long-term (>10 hrs/semester) activities for majors to apply their knowledge and skills outside the classroom. In the first year of SLATES we focused primarily on short-term activities while laying the groundwork for longer-term activities and encouraged students to assist in designing new activities. EPCC students chose to focus on water and sustainability projects, including serving as tour guides for the El Paso Water Utilities’ TecH2O Center and desalination facility, and developing lesson plans on El Paso’s groundwater for 4^th grade students. These activities involved over 170 students (K-14), parents and teachers. Students at UTEP focused on tutoring lower division majors in key classes (e.g. mineralogy, petrology) and K-12 outreach (involving over 40 students). We also offered a variety field trips that highlighted local geology (Geo-Ventures) for students, family and friends. A total of 242 participants (35% non-science majors) attended or assisted with Geo-Ventures.