Faculty and Student ABCS Resources

To support the creation and implementation of Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) courses, the Netter Center offers the following resources:

  • ABCS Course Development Step-by-Step Guide

  • Undergraduate or Graduate Work-Study Teaching Assistant

  • $10,000 ABCS Course Development Grants

  • Support connecting to community partners in West Philadelphia and Philadelphia, including schools, communities of faith, non-profits, Penn offices, and other local organizations. 

  • Access to partnerships with University-Assisted Community Schools (UACS) in West Philadelphia, which have programming during the school day, afterschool, evenings, weekends, and summers to support the holistic needs of students, families, and the local community. Netter Center site directors collaborate closely with each school and its community to determine activities that best serve their specific needs and interests.

  • Class visits and other ongoing support from Netter Center staff to prepare students for community engagement, collaboration, and reflection. Email abcscoordinator@sas.upenn.edu to schedule a class visit on ABCS, community engagement, logistics, and/or student placements sites, or submit a workshop request from a set of workshops offered by student Professional Development Associates and other centers at Penn.

  • Transportation (Van Service or SEPTA Tokens)

  • Clearances (background checks) for students working with minors

  • Recognition, awards, leadership, and publication opportunities for exemplary students involved in ABCS

  • Surveys evaluating the impact of the course on students' personal, professional, and civic development

  • Marketing and promotion of the course via listservs, newsletters, and social media

  • Opportunities for students to continue engaging with the course partnerships and projects after the course ends in work-study or volunteer capacities

  • Provost-Netter Center Faculty-Community Partnership Award

  • Additional readings and resources available on the following topics upon request: ABCS & Service Learning; Problem-Solving Learning and Participatory Action Research; Reflection; History of West Philadelphia/Penn; School District of Philadelphia; K-12 engagement; Questions of Race, Class and Privilege; Democracy, Community Schools and University-Community Partnership; Netter Center & Related Faculty Publications 

For more information, please contact:

If you are interested in creating a new ABCS course or adapting an existing course into ABCS, please reach out to Anna Balfanz at abcscoordinator@sas.upenn.edu to learn more.