Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Joint Educational Project

Executive Director: Tammara Anderson

The Joint Educational Project (JEP) is one of the oldest and largest service-learning programs in the United States. Established in 1972, JEP places university students in supervised community service assignments as a part of their academic course work. JEP partners with more than 50 local organizations — including neighborhood schools, non-profit organizations, hospitals and health clinics and government agencies — to design service-learning projects that complement students’ course work and address a community-identified need. Students serve in many capacities through JEP, such as tutor, mentor, teaching assistant, translator, research assistant or guide. JEP also houses two volunteer programs for pre-law and pre-med students — the Pre-Law Project and Trojan Health Volunteers — that give USC students practical experience in a legal or medical context. In the process, JEP students learn how to develop and apply knowledge, work in diverse social settings, become engaged in civic affairs, explore possible career paths and make professional contacts. “JEP” following a section number indicates that the professor will offer JEP as a course option.

JEP also houses the USC Readers^PLUS work-study program. “Readers” assist K-9 children in USC’s “Family of Schools” in the areas of math and reading, allowing the USC students the opportunity to serve in the community while gaining work experience in an urban school environment.

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