Between earning her master’s and beginning her doctorate in cultural anthropology, former anthropology professor Susan Hyatt, Ph.D., worked as a community organizer from 1981 to 1989 in neighborhoods across southwest Chicago, tackling redlining, gang violence, and the long neglect of abandoned buildings.
“I often hosted students who were interested in community work,” she said. “I realized pretty early that having volunteers is actually a lot of work.”
That awareness became foundational to her teaching philosophy and her approach to service learning. It became an educational model that blends academic study with community engagement. Today, Hyatt is professor emerita of anthropology at Indiana University Indianapolis, where she has spent nearly two decades advocating for high-impact practices that connect students with public life beyond the classroom. “Even the flashiest site can fall into disuse,” Hyatt said. “Technology is a tool, but not a substitute for thoughtful planning.”
When Hyatt joined the university in 2005, it was known as IUPUI. She had already earned tenure at another urban institution, one that, she said, “merely tolerated” her community-focused work. IU’s reputation for civic engagement was what drew her to Indianapolis.
Still, Hyatt is quick to clarify that this kind of teaching is very demanding. “It can be exhausting, emotionally and physically, especially at the present political moment,” she said.
For those new to service learning, Hyatt offers a tempered perspective. First: manage expectations.
“We all start with high hopes and ambitious plans,” she said, “but community work doesn’t always align neatly with the academic calendar.”
In her experience, students often struggle to balance classroom obligations with off-site commitments, especially when those activities fall outside the typical schedule. That mismatch can complicate even the most well-intentioned efforts. “Whatever’s left unfinished lands on your plate,” she said.
Hyatt also advises faculty to be cautious in what they promise to community partners. “They tend to be more realistic than we are,” she said. “What they often value most is the energy and enthusiasm that students bring.”
Lastly, Hyatt stresses the importance of sustainability, especially for digital projects. One semester, her students created detailed story maps for a local nonprofit. Several months later, the links were broken, and access was lost. “I hadn’t gotten the login information before the semester ended,” Hyatt said. “It was a good lesson. Digital tools require long-term planning.”
Hyatt sees service learning as more than a pedagogical trend. It’s part of a national—and increasingly global—shift toward public-facing work in higher education.
With rising skepticism toward higher education, Hyatt believes initiatives like these are more vital than ever. “The attacks on universities in recent years have made it imperative that we invest in the public good,” she said. “And service learning is one very visible, very effective way to do that.”
Although she notes some progress in how service learning is valued in the tenure and promotion process, Hyatt believes more work is needed to fully recognize the scope and impact of this kind of engagement.
In the end, Hyatt’s reasons for continuing this work are as personal as they are professional. “I wanted to keep working in neighborhoods,” she said. “I still do. Because it’s rewarding. Because it matters.”
