Having presented what I consider compelling evidence in the students' own words that the CSL is a robust example of the existence of learning centeredness at Mason, I am left with eternal question "so what?" Sure, the CSL was a nice project, but how many faculty have the opportunity, time, energy, or even interest to pursue something similar? Does that mean, then, that faculty interested in pursuing a more learning-centered approach are restricted to the CSL model? And just how many principles have to be met before a teacher can make any claim toward creating a learning-centered environment for their students?

While the definitive responses to these questions are outside my purview, I would venture two applicable adages for faculty and staff to consider as they try to make Mason more learning-centered.

"Bloom where you are planted": Each of us is in a unique place within the Mason community. Consequently, we each have the potential to make Mason more learning-centered in whatever capacity we engage with students.

"Do what you can with what you have right where you are": We may not be able to enact a learning-centered environment such as the CSL, and yet we can consider one or more of the principles as we set up our interactions with Mason students. If all ten seem too daunting, we could choose the one that seems to resonate the most with our current teaching/learning philosophy and implement it, moving on to others as our comfort level permits.

And I think that we have to recognize the learning-centeredness is not an "either/or" or a "one-time" happening. We work toward aspects of it each time we interact with a student one-on-one or in a classroom.

As I have done my own reflection of this four-year experience, I am reminded of the comment made by a compositionist named David Bartholomae who noted in 1985 that "I am continually impressed by the patience and goodwill of our students" (reprinted in Villanueva, 1999, 590). And while he was referring to the process for placing student writers into appropriate composition classes, his word ring true in my experiences with the students in the Community Service Link. Over the course of a nine-week period, they engaged with their students and rose to challenges that none of us expected.

Natalie's final comment in her reflective essay summed up the sense of the CSL students over the four years:

Overall, I enjoyed coming to Clara Barton. I met a lot of new people and made a couple of friendships along the way. Finally, I realized what I will be bringing back with me from this experience and it is that making a difference in someone else's life gives you satisfaction in your own. Thank you for the opportunity, Dr. Fischer.

To which I replied "My pleasure!"