Transforming Lives and Social Justice: Educational Psychology Students Working with At-Risk Youth

Abstract

This study connected a service learning project with the mission of the university by examining how students described the concepts of “transforming lives” and “social justice.” Twenty-one undergraduate students worked as mentors with at-risk children and youth. The roles of the students and the community partner had an impact on transform- ing the lives of the children and youth, as well as personal transformation. Social justice was discussed in terms of observed inequities and how the community partner was addressing the inequalities. Results suggest that this type of reflection component can be used to enhance students’ ability to explicitly connect with the mission of the university and the values it articulates.