News Article

Students in a Gonzaga University service-learning course held Saturdays at East Valley Presbyterian Church in Otis Orchards ( 5305 N. Harvard Rd. ) are growing future donations to the Spokane Valley Food Bank. The students will have the rare treat of hearing from the author of the course textbook from 8 a.m.-noon, Saturday, June 23.

The course is titled “Growing Leadership in the Garden,” and uses Debra J. Slover’s book titled, “Unique: Growing the Leader Within” (2006; Leader Garden Press). Slover will share her insights with the GU Bachelor of General Studies program students in the course and those students enrolled through GU Continuing Education. The community garden promises to yield produce to donate to the food bank.

The course began June 2 and ends July 21. Instructor Mark Beattie leads the course. Service-learning is a collaborative activity that builds on the resources, skills, expertise, mission and knowledge of a campus to improve a community’s quality of life and commitment to social justice.

This course provides study on a personal, local, and global level. Students gain personal insights guided through an eight-week structured journaling exercise.

Global issues in the areas of poverty, water scarcity, genetic modification, food safety, and sustainable economics are addressed. Experts in various topics related to the course will speak each week to the class. Students will leave the course with greater appreciation of global food issues, connections that make a difference locally, and leadership insights that provide a call to action.

Later on June 23, Slover will read from her book and hold a signing session at Auntie’s Bookstore in downtown Spokane from 2-4 p.m.

For more information, contact Melissa Lowdon, director of the BGS program at GU, at (509) 323-3568 or via e-mail. For more information about the author or her book, contact Donna Barnard at (541) 258-6275 or (541) 730-0108. For more information about the course, contact Instructor Mark Beattie at (509) 230-6917.