Saint Louis University’s new universal core curriculum invites innovation and collaboration in the development of its wide range of required courses. Foundational to this new curriculum is the Eloquentia Perfecta sequence of courses, within which the Department of English’s Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research (ENGL-1900) course is one of few explicitly required in the curriculum. This project proposes an innovative design for ENGL-1900 that incorporates service learning to further the distinctive pedagogical aims of the course. This service would be made possible through collaboration with SLU’s Labre Ministry with the Homeless. Labre, a student-run organization, provides not only weekly service opportunities with St. Louis’ unhoused community but also a rich collection of past volunteers’ research and writing that can inform these ENGL-1900 students’ projects. The proposed course would synthesize its aims of developing skills in rhetoric and composition and promoting contribution to the common good by moving students to reflect on their service experiences as material for rhetorical invention. Using their service experiences and other course readings, students will be asked to produce expository prose and written and visual advocacy projects with careful attention to audience. These projects will push students to articulate with clarity and vigor the perspectives which they encounter in their service, including those from relevant course readings, civic and community leaders, and members of St. Louis’ unhoused community.

Dr. Huffman played a significant role in imagining the structure of this course’s collaboration, but his influence stretches well beyond this project. As Labre’s faculty mentor, Tim has helped shape Andrew’s research interests and community service for the past four years, and he has modeled the radical, joyful approach to teaching and community engagement that Andrew hopes to put into practice with this course. Dr. Huffman also helped shape Andrew’s interests in rhetoric tied to homelessness through Labre, which were the foundation of this project and many other parts of Andrew’s academic work over the past four years.