In addition to coursework, applied knowledge is an important part of the learning process. For this reason many of Columbia's professional schools can provide services performed by graduate students available to the surrounding community as a part of their professional training. These services range from counseling, teacher training, student mentoring, and free professional services such as medical, dental and legal assistance.

The Mandatory Pro Bono Program: Columbia Law School requires every student to perform a minimum of 40 hours of Pro Bono work. These hours must be spent serving low-income clients on issues ranging from basic civil and human rights to child advocacy, housing, immigration and prison issues. The students must work under the supervision of lawyers expert in the field. As a result most projects work through established law offices and can not accept requests for help from individuals. Website: http://www.law.columbia.edu/publicinterest/probono.htm

The Human Rights Internship Program: Columbia Law School offers approximately 100 Human Rights Interns and Public Service Fellows the opportunity to provide greatly needed legal assistance in the United States and about 40 other countries annually. The 10-week program gives interns and fellows direct experience in human rights and public interest law issues such as international law, civil rights, civil liberties, economic and social rights and criminal justice. Website: http://www.law.columbia.edu/publicinterest/hrip.htm

The Harlem Tutorial Program: This is a joint project between the Business School and the Law School that links students from these schools with junior high students from New York Prep, a public school in East Harlem. The tutor-student pairs meet one to three afternoons per week on the Columbia campus.

Teachers College Teaching Internships in New York City Schools: Teachers College provides internships for graduate students in 400 schools in New York City. Two clinics run by Teachers College provide free, low-cost professional services to the public: MYSAK Laboratory (678-3409) assists people with hearing or speech impediments and the Center for Educational and Psychological Services (678-3262) provides low-cost counseling performed by graduate students.

Social Services: The School of Social Work incorporates many social and public service opportunities into its curriculum. A heavy emphasis is placed on involvement with Columbia's surrounding communities of Harlem, Washington Heights and the South Bronx.

Medical Services for Community: Columbia University's Health Science Division at Columbia-Presbyterian Medial Center is a major center for teaching and research. The center is also an important provider of programs that reach out to the Washington Heights/Inwood, Harlem communities and neighborhoods throughout New York City. The Center sponsors staff dental clinics in many public schools, provides extensive primary care services in elementary and high schools and furnishs students and staff to teach science in many junior high and high schools in these under-served communities. For more information on various programs, call the Health Science's Office of External Relations at 305-6359.