Spotlight on Service Learning: Laura Bittner & Barbara Young

Laura Bittner and Barbara Young, both professors in Purdue University’s Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance, have been instrumental in integrating service-learning and community engagement into their teaching practices.

With more than three decades of experience at Purdue, Bittner and Young prioritize incorporating real-life needs into their teaching philosophy. They believe in exposing students to community projects, showcasing how interior design can address these needs. Young emphasizes the importance of approaching projects with empathy, open-mindedness, and a commitment to learning and understanding.

Collaborating on service-learning projects funded by the Purdue Office of Engagement, Bittner and Young combined their classes to provide students with opportunities for professional growth and collaboration. By working on projects in Gary, IN and Lafayette, IN, students gained valuable hands-on experience and saw firsthand the impact of their solutions on communities.

Bittner and Young have a history of involvement in engagement projects predating institutional support. Their initiative to combine studios for joint service-learning projects preceded formal funding, demonstrating their commitment to community engagement.

As Service-Learning Fellows, Bittner and Young found personal reflections from students to be invaluable for assessing the impact of service-learning experiences. They also benefited from the amalgamation of skill sets and collaborative networks fostered by the Office of Engagement.

Their advice for others interested in similar endeavors is to adopt a design perspective and incorporate service-learning methods, as it opens new avenues for teaching and learning. Their collaborative approach exemplifies the power of interdisciplinary teamwork in addressing real-world challenges.