LCCC Student Project Embarks on Service Learning Initiative

The CIS 180 Introduction to Project Management course at Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) has been engaged in an ambitious class project this semester. As part of the college’s Service Learning initiative, the students have been developing a website for The Shelter House Society, a local non-profit organization based in Emmaus, Pa.

A formal exhibition for the project will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. in the Lisa Scheller-Wayne Woodman Community Services Center at LCCC’s Schnecksville Campus. At this event, the completed website will be showcased. Members of The Shelter House Society, as well as LCCC’s campus community are invited.

Julian Costa, adjunct lecturer in the Computer Science Division at LCCC, felt that this project would provide students with a real-world forum to apply the theoretical aspects of project management while helping them to develop content for their resumes and portfolios. “I wanted this course to be as beneficial as possible for the students in helping them to cultivate a professional presence within their community while learning the principles of effectively managing a project.”

The students were divided into several “managerial” units, each with its own area of responsibility, such as time management, quality assurance, human resource management and scope coordination. “The students coordinated much of these efforts on their own; I rarely had to step in and make decisions for them,” says Costa. Additionally, many students took on the creative and technical responsibilities of designing the website. “Since this is not a web design course I did not require the students to do any creative work, but many of them enthusiastically jumped at the challenge,” added Costa.

LCCC freshman Charles DeWeese, from Center Valley, and sophomore Isaias Sanchez, from Allentown, both majoring in Game Design and Simulation Development, assumed the role of lead project managers for the project. “I’ve learned that this is what it’s like when you go out and do projects for a business,” says DeWeese. “It’s a real work experience and something that you will actually apply later on in life. It’s one of those things that no matter what field you go into, it is going to be useful.” Sanchez found the experience of working collaboratively to be a special one. “I love working with the other students in this class, they are great people and have a lot of knowledge.”

The project team also includes Miguel Alvarez, a freshman majoring in digital arts from Allentown; Jenny Argothy, a sophomore majoring in computer programming from Allentown; Ryan DeSantis, a sophomore majoring in digital arts from Schnecksville; Cristina Hernandez, a freshman majoring in computer programming from Allentown; Christine Jacoby, a sophomore majoring in web design and development from Allentown; Joshua Klase, a freshman majoring in digital arts from Orefield; Bryce Knoll, a freshman majoring in computer programming from Catasauqua; Manuel Lajara, a sophomore majoring in computer programming from Allentown; Conor Lydon, a freshman majoring in computer programming from Allentown; Dylan Moyer, a freshman majoring in digital arts from Orefield; Josh Pense, a freshman majoring in computer programming from Catasauqua; Justin Ortwein, a freshman majoring in computer programming from Allentown; Sean Maurice Perkins, a sophomore majoring in computer programming from Weatherly; Jesse Stone, a freshman majoring in computer programming from Kutztown; and Brandon Zack, a freshman majoring in digital arts from Jim Thorpe.

Costa says he is proud of the student effort. “It takes a special group of students to succeed at such a project. I am consistently impressed with their professionalism and enthusiasm, especially considering that many of these students are in their first semester of college.”

As an additional exercise in professionalism, a formal exhibition for the project will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. in the Lisa Scheller-Wayne Woodman Community Services Center at LCCC’s Schnecksville Campus. At this event, the completed website will be showcased. Members of The Shelter House Society, as well as LCCC’s campus community are invited.

For more information about this event, please contact Costa at jcosta2@lccc.edu. For more information on LCCC’s programs, please visit www.lccc.edu.