The Community Service Office connects direct service with education by providing resources to faculty who wish to integrate community-based learning into their curriculum, as well as those who wish to make connections with their service work outside the scope of an academic course. Students involved with service contribute to a community-defined need while also learning about social issues and the value of community involvement. Further, valuable skills - such as problem solving, critical thinking, community, working with others, planning and implementation - are developed in the process.