Practicum
The Practicum is a two-semester course taken during the first year of the program concentrating on
teaching students how to effectively plan and implement a public service project, work as a team and
apply the Clinton School curriculum to the field. This course (2 credit hours in the fall and 3 credit
hours in the spring) requires approximately 300 hours of time per student.
The Practicum projects are completed by small teams of students and are selected by the Clinton School
from opportunities submitted by community partners. The projects begin with planning and research
conducted during September and October. During this time, students produce a project plan approved by
the Clinton School faculty and the community partner. Project plans are implemented from November through
March. Each student devotes approximately 150 hours of time to the Practicum project.
Of the three field projects, the Practicum requires the most structure. Students complete the projects
under supervision of the school and community partner. During the first year of the program, students
balance the Practicum project with a heavy course load. Ideal Practicum projects accommodate the timeline
of the academic calendar and require no more than a two-hour drive from Little Rock.
During the 2010-2011 academic year, the Clinton School Practicum projects include:
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas
This team is engaging the diverse community of Southeast Arkansas in the development of a new strategic
plan for the center through needs assessments, surveys, interviews and focus groups.
Delta Garden Study
The Delta Garden Study is examining the impact of school gardens on childhood obesity risk factors in
middle school youth in the Delta region of Arkansas. This team is creating a sustainability resource
manual designed to support school gardens after their year in the research study is completed.
Girl Scouts – Diamonds Council
The Girl Scouts – Diamonds Council is seeking to make the Girl Scout program accessible to all girls
within the region. This team is studying and making recommendations on how the council can better serve
the growing Hispanic community.
Injury Prevention Center at Arkansas Children’s Hospital
The center is partnering with Arkansas Department of Health to assist with injury prevention components
of the statewide trauma system under development in Arkansas. This team is conducting a needs assessment
of current injury prevention activities and resources of the potential trauma centers throughout the
state. The data will allow the center to disseminate appropriate resources in the future to the trauma centers.
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
Phillips Community College is implementing programs to eliminate class and race barriers to education
for its students. This team is continuing this work by planning and implementing a small-group
dialogue-to-action project around the issue of race.
Pine Bluff Area Community Foundation
This team is evaluating the grant proposal process (RFP) to maximize the beneficial effect of the
foundation’s $70,000 in discretionary grantable income. Methods include conducting best practices
research and the development of community partnerships.
Safe Places
This team is assisting in the continuing work of the Safe Places Training Institute and in the development
of an alliance to coordinate a county-wide response to violence.
Sustainable Business Network of Central Arkansas
This team is helping pilot and launch the Sustainable Business Certification Program to increase the
number of Central Arkansas businesses that conserve energy, water and paper resources, promote social
justice and improve economic conditions in the communities they serve.