Mentoring interdisciplinary service learning projects

The University Institute for Community Development (UICD) at the University of Puerto Rico- Mayagiiez (UPRM) has been involved in service learning projects with communities in Puerto Rico since 2002. Every semester, over 200 students from over 20 disciplines work in partnerships with community leaders to address and further the communities´ work agendas. Faculty mentors are a key component in the IUDC. They provide guidance in both technical and non-technical issues related to each project. They supervise the progress of students and communicate with community leaders throughout the semester. Student mentoring can occur at different levels: discipline, sub-group and larger group. This three- pronged approach is essential to mentor interdisciplinary teams. This paper presents an overview of the UICD its service philosophy, and the mentoring process involved. It also presents an example of a course and a project where service learning was integrated, and some of the challenges in mentoring an interdisciplinary team of students.