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Frequently Asked Questions about
Urban Service Experience (USE)

If you are thinking about enrolling in Urban Service Experience, you may have a lot of questions! If these FAQs don’t answer them, please feel free to email Jennifer Bean (jbean@psu.edu) or Tammi Richard (tyr1@psu.edu), or call Shaver's Creek Environmental Center at 814-863-2000. We look forward to responding to your inquiries!

What are the 2 credits for?
 RPTM 297C counts as elective credits, and will be listed on your fall course schedule.

Where will we be staying? Chamounix Mansion Youth Hostel in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. It is an old mansion converted into dormitory-style housing, with bunk bed-filled rooms. (Note: this is NOT a hotel.) Males and females will sleep in separate rooms. The participants are asked to bring bed sheets. Please do not bring a sleeping bag.

What will we be doing during USE? The service projects will vary throughout the week and depend on the session that you are enrolled. Typical projects include outdoor work in Fairmount Park such as planting trees, building/repairing trails, removing invasive plant species, building fences, or controlling erosion. Other projects include working at a senior center in the city, the Boys & Girls Club, and becoming involved in a community revitalization project.

How many students participate in the program? There are twenty students per session, broken into two groups of ten. There are two leaders per group. The leaders are typically Penn State undergraduate and graduate students, who will share their insights about life at Penn State as well as supervise your six-day program experience.

What is the meeting time and location? The meeting time is 3:30 p.m. at the Chamounix Mansion Youth Hostel. A leader will meet you at the hostel. Please do not be late.

May I drive on my own to Philadelphia? Yes, you may drive on your own to Philadelphia; however, you will not be permitted to drive your car during the week of the course. Parking is available at the hostel for your car—but at your own risk.

If I live in Philadelphia, may I leave the group to go home during the week? No. Once you arrive for the first day of the program, you are considered to be “in class.” Leaving for any reason will result with your being dropped from the course.

Do I need to bring extra money? All food will be provided, and the cost of activities will be covered. The only meal that isn’t covered is our night out when we get Philly cheesesteaks. Please bring extra money for that evening and in case you decide to buy something extra. We suggest bringing no more than $25.

What clothing and gear should I bring? A gear list is provided in the welcome packet, which you can download from the USE Welcome Packet page. Be sure to bring everything on the list.

What about the First-Year Seminar? Penn State encourages first-year students to take a 1-credit First Year Seminar. If you enjoyed your ORION experience and want to continue it, we have a First Year Seminar offered exclusively for ORION and USE participants (RPTM 397S). Topics include outdoor adventure, opportunities on campus, stress management, library skills, learning about health services, campus recreation, and more. Only ORION participants will be in the classroom.

What is Shaver’s Creek? Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center was founded by Penn State in 1976 as an outdoor classroom for students to get hands-on experience teaching in, and about, the natural world. Since then, “Penn State’s Nature Center” has expanded to offer more than 60 credit courses a year, including our ORION and USE first-year student orientation programs, environmental interpretation courses, adventure and leadership courses, and our capstone integrated “Discovery” block semester.
     
Opportunities for Penn State students at Shaver’s Creek go well beyond the classroom. The center is open to the public seven days a week from mid-February through mid-December, free of admission. Students can enjoy miles of hiking trails through Penn State’s 7,000 acre Stone Valley Forest, as well as visit the Shaver’s Creek Raptor Center, to get an up-close look at many of our region’s bird of prey species, including eagles, hawks, and owls.
 
Many students get involved in other ways at Shaver’s Creek, too, whether through volunteering to help in the Raptor Center or to maintain trails, earning income through a Penn State work-study position, or by joining the Shaver’s Creek Society, our official Penn State student club. Navigate around our website to learn more about our programs and courses.

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