To kick off our 50 Stories for 50 Years of JEP Project, we interviewed Susan Harris, the USC Joint Educational Project’s current Executive Director! (Edited for length and clarity.
Thank you so much for sitting down with me to share your story as the first of fifty stories that discuss the history, present, and future of JEP! To get started, can you tell me more about your history with JEP? How did you get started?
No, thank you! I am very honored to be featured as the first story. When I was an undergraduate student, I was involved with a few different volunteering opportunities that were eye-opening experiences for me. When I volunteered with SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) for example, I noticed so many inequities in the healthcare fields and realized the critical importance of programs like JEP. Later, when I wrote about my experience for a class paper, I realized how reflecting on service and putting your own experiences into larger societal contexts is so essential to understanding social justice issues and working toward broader impacts.
Luckily, when I came to USC for my graduate program, JEP had an open position during my second year. The position was for a graduate student and focused on developing curricula for sociology students which was very interesting to me, given my undergraduate experience. After I got the position, JEP soon became my home away from home–which I know is an experience many of us share. I was also so fortunate to be mentored by our then-director [and “pioneer” in the service-learning field], Dick Cone, who also was very passionate about the academic side of service learning and always wanted to improve the student experience. Together, we wrote a paper that outlines the theoretical framework for JEP’s approach to reflection . I also learned from the person who would soon become the next director of JEP, Tammy Anderson. She was phenomenal at advocating for JEP, fundraising, and bringing attention to the great work we do.
Oh wow I did not know that yet, so basically, you created the heart of our JEP assignments, the reflection piece before you even became our director. Was that your main focus when you transitioned into your full-time, and then later executive director position, as well?
Actually I focused a lot on spreading the word about JEP to our USC faculty. I feel like my strengths lie in helping academic audiences understand the value of what we do. Once I had support from our USC faculty and had built new collaborations within USC I really wanted to bring national academic attention to JEP. In that way, as Director of JEP, I’ve tried to combine and build upon what both Dick and Tammy did so well – that is, participating in national (and international) conversations about service-learning and community engagement while also building strong relationships right her in LA and on campus. Another goal of mine is to expand JEP’s impact to graduate students, as well, and while we have already made great progress in this area, I am especially excited to advocate for new graduate programming as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. I see the many undergraduate alumni from our programs sharing their stories this year and I hope that during the next big anniversary we have many stories of graduate JEP alumni to share, as well.
That would be awesome! I oftentimes think it must be so stressful and complicated to be the executive director of a place that offers so many opportunities for so many different groups of people already, but you seem to do it so passionately and effortlessly, even advocating for more opportunities. What is your secret?
Thank you. I don’t always feel like it’s always looking effortless on my part but I appreciate your kind words. I really love being able to work with so many different kinds of people–from community partners, to students, to faculty, to people who support our programs with their work or financially. It’s such a great job, actually more than just a job, it’s a vocation. I honestly feel so grateful that I get to do it every day. When there is so much stuff going on in the world, especially right now, it’s wonderful to be at a place that stays very focused on its mission and find joy in the important and meaningful work we do.
I totally agree. I often find motivation in hearing stories from our alumni and JEP partners, as well. Can you potentially share a story that stands out to you from your history with JEP? I always feel so mean asking that question, since I know everyone has so many great stories, but maybe you can just give me one that comes to mind?
That is indeed a tricky question as I have so many amazing memories with JEP. I think one that always stands out is about a former student who reached out to us to share his own story. When he was a child, he had received tutoring from a USC student through JEP. Later, as an adult, he reached out to express his gratitude and to share how this tutoring experience affected not only his own learning but also his approach to parenting in that he tried to incorporate some encouraging practices with his own children that he had learned from his JEP tutor. And he took the time to reach out to JEP to thank us for the part we played in his life! It can be easy feel like our individual impact is so incredibly small. This story, however, reminds me that even if the impact of one volunteer is small in the grand scheme of things, the impact on an individual’s life might not always be as small as we think.
That’s really true. Speaking of fathers passing on the JEP spirit to their children – I know that your son Ben just officially joined the Trojan Family last semester and even completed his first JEP assignment. What was that experience like for you?
I have always considered the JEP House to be kind of an intergenerational house, seeing how former JEP students regularly return to the House to reconnect as their children start their own USC and JEP journey. Also, seeing the kids of my fellow staff members grow up and have their own children has always emphasized to me how much history and growth has happened since JEP first started — not only for the organization but also individually for all of our JEP Family members. Seeing Ben now come into the House as a PA is very special because I know that he will establish relationships will most likely last for a lifetime. I have seen that happen year after year for generations of JEP students. It’s also nice that I get to share my world with him through chats about our curriculum and social issues. I hope that this is an experience many of our students have with their families or friends, that their JEP assignments open a conversation beyond just the classroom and inspire a long-lasting commitment to the issues we are working on.
I know it certainly has for me. Now, looking to the future during our 50th anniversary year, you’ve already elaborated on some of your visions for the future and I know there are many initiatives you are working on – but is there anything you would like to especially emphasize that you hope for, for the next fifty years of JEP?
Beyond all the programs and opportunities that we’d love to expand or start, I really want to work on maintaining what I believe to be the heart of JEP: valuing everyone’s voice and full participation and empowering people to be who they are. I know Dick and Tammy did a great job of helping people feel connected and dedicated to their work and I am hopeful that we will maintain that core for at least the next fifty years.
Thank you so much, Susan, I believe you are 100% right!