Students in Moraine Valley Community College’s Honors Introduction to Psychology course are gaining more than academic insight this semester. They are learning empathy, community engagement and the real-world meaning of psychological concepts. Under the guidance of professor Nick Shizas, the class is taking part in a semester-long service-learning project that provides meals for individuals experiencing homelessness through a partnership with BEDS Plus Care.
The initiative, which connects classroom lessons to community action, has been a part of Shizas’ teaching for more than 15 years. It began in 2009 as a simple volunteer reflection assignment and has since grown into a structured service-learning experience that brings students face-to-face with people in need.
“Throughout my education, I was involved in several hands-on learning experiences that helped me better understand the material I was learning,” Shizas said. “Once I became an educator myself, I knew it was something I wanted to start integrating into my own classes. With service learning, my students become actively involved and engaged in their communities but also develop a more profound understanding of psychological concepts.”
Shizas began working with BEDS Plus in 2013, and the organization has remained central to his honors course ever since. This year, about a dozen students are participating in the project. Twice a semester, they gather supplies donated by students, Shizas and Moraine Valley faculty and staff and assemble 60 lunches with sandwiches, chips, granola bars and fruit cups.
“On packing nights, students create an assembly line to pack lunches, which I deliver to the BEDS Plus Summit Service Center,” Shizas said. “Later this semester, we’ll serve chicken dinners donated by The Patio restaurant in Bridgeview, where students will interact with residents and participate in a bingo game. Each student plays on behalf of a resident, giving them twice the chance of winning donated gift cards.”
The project goes beyond meal packing. At the end of the semester, students give presentations reflecting on how the experience has deepened their understanding of concepts like empathy, altruism, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
“Students who participate in the service-learning project see multiple benefits,” Shizas said. “They’re performing valuable acts of service and becoming actively involved in their communities, but they’re also learning things that can’t be found in a textbook. Most importantly, they see challenges in our community, like individuals facing homelessness, and want to do something about it.”
Michael Hayes of Beverly said the experience has inspired him to continue giving back. “Volunteering definitely is something I want to continue doing,” he said. “It’s nice to give back to the community. For those who are on the fence, I encourage you to volunteer. It’s a fun group activity and helps so many people.”
First-year student Laura Galindo of Burbank said she initially enrolled in the course to learn more about herself but found the project to be eye-opening. “It’s a very humanizing experience, learning that we’re all human and that we can interact with each other, no matter the circumstances,” she said.
Another student, Anahi Fernandez of Burbank, said her perspective on homelessness changed through the experience. “I personally have never met people that have experienced homelessness before this course,” she said. “A lot of people are unaware as to how difficult others’ lives are, and I don’t want to be ignorant to that. I want to help.”
Shizas said seeing his students grow through the process is what makes it worthwhile. “I love doing the service-learning project because everyone benefits from the experience,” he said. “Students leave with a better understanding of psychological concepts, and we help BEDS Plus in providing lunches and dinners. They can learn about Maslow’s theory in class, but when I see them interacting with individuals facing homelessness and I see it click in their heads, there’s no better feeling as a professor. I’m proud of my students for the dedication and willingness they’ve shown to help the less fortunate.”
