Service-Learning for Graduate Students through a Student-Run Consulting Program

Abstract

Statistics in the Community (STATCOM) is a student-run statistical consulting program that has been serving its local community since 2001. Directed and staffed by graduate students from Purdue University's Department of Statistics, it provides professional consulting services to governmental and nonprofit groups free of charge. Students work in teams to help community clients address specific problems and needs. Past clients include school corporations, libraries, community assistance programs, and the city of West Lafayette. Participation in STATCOM allows students to apply statistical concepts and classroom material to solve real problems. It also develops skills in leadership, management, and written and oral communication of results to the general public. Though important for any future career in statistics, these skills are not typically emphasized in graduate courses, research, or the on-campus academic consulting service. The university and academic department also benefit through increased interaction and visibility in the local community. STATCOM can serve as a model for integrating service learning into graduate statistical education at other colleges and universities.

• Community service
• Graduate Education
• Service-learning

Acknowledgement

The athors would like to thank the Manager of the Statistical Consulting Service Regina Becker, Department Head Mary Ellen Bock, Professor George McCabe, staff member Teena Seele, and the other faculty and staff in the Department of Statistics at Purdue University for their support of the STATCOM program. They would also like to thank Thomas H. Short (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), Debra L. Hydorn (University of Mary Washington), Brian Jersky (Sonoma State University), and K. B. Boomer (The Pennsylvania State University) for their comments and contributions.

This paper was presented at the Joint Statistical Meetings 2005 at the invited session on “Service Learning in Undergraduate and Graduate Statistics Education,” sponsored by the Section on Statistical Education and organized and chaired by Thomas H. Short, Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The authors all served as directors of the Statistics in the Community (STATCOM) program at Purdue University.