Potential student-athletes at Defiance College sometimes are surprised to learn that community service at the school is a given. In fact, it's part of the curriculum.

Defiance, a Division III private college in northwest Ohio, has community service woven into the entire college experience -- from classrooms to athletics to student organizations.

The school was one of the first colleges in the United States to institute a comprehensive service-learning requirement -- a hands-on experience that ties civic and social responsibility to the overall goals of education.

As a practical matter, that means the Defiance football team spent a recent fall afternoon on the playground instead of on the practice field. The team members' goal that day? Giving a facelift to the community playground they helped build three years ago.

Greg Pscodna, head football coach at Defiance, sees the service projects as a matter of giving something back to the community.

"It will help these guys see that they're not just football players, they're part of the community," Pscodna said. "It's important to take a few hours out of their schedule to do this. We helped build the playground, and now we can help maintain it. Someday (the football players) can take their kids out there and say, 'I helped build this.' There's some pride in ownership."

Football is just one of the 18 teams sports at Defiance and all of the teams participate in service learning, according to Athletics Director Richard Kaiser. While the service projects run the gamut from raking leaves to trash pickup to visiting nursing homes, Kaiser said the projects that are most successful are the ones in which students interact with others.

"If they get a chance to mix with the community and see how much it's appreciated, they get some real positive feedback," Kaiser said.

One weekday morning recently, 96-year-old Christine Partee had four Defiance freshmen at her house to wash her windows and rake the yard.

"It was a blessing and a big help to me," said Partee, who still lives in her own home. When the students were finished with their work, she invited them in for milk and cookies.

"We talked about family and school," she said. "Don't you think they feel good to help someone old?"

Defiance has had the service-learning program since 1995, shortly after the arrival of current school President James Harris. He introduced and spearheaded the program, which includes a Presidential Service Leadership Award. This half-tuition scholarship is awarded each year to up to 20 incoming freshmen who previously have demonstrated a commitment to service.

Mariah O'Shea, a senior volleyball student-athlete at Defiance, was a recipient of the Presidential Service Leadership Award. O'Shea came to the school to integrate its commitment to service with her academics and athletics. She already can see the benefits.

"Now as I'm getting ready to graduate, I'm looking at nonprofit organizations as my career," she said. "It's gone so smoothly here that I'm thinking about continuing in the field."

Now in her final year, O'Shea has seen her role move from participant in service projects to that of leader, permitting her to share her expertise with others.

In addition to her volleyball and academic commitments, O'Shea has worked in the American Cancer Society office, planned a "Relay for Life," planned a tailgate party just for senior citizens and also worked to register voters. In May, O'Shea will join other Defiance seniors on a service trip to Jamaica.

Faculty members at Defiance integrate service into many of their courses with the idea that by the time a student graduates, he or she will have had at least four courses with a service component. Staff members and coaches also are encouraged to take part.

"Coaches realize the bonding that takes place in a service project," said Craig Rutter, former head baseball coach and now director of service learning at the school.

"Service is good for team-building as well as community-building. Athletes make great servants just because of the ideals they have to possess to be part of a winning program -- patience, persistence, willingness to help others achieve their goals, team unity, character and the ability to think of others before yourself," Rutter said.

"Through that (service) we find out about ourselves and that builds self-esteem. If I feel good about myself, I have a better chance of being productive, being a productive part of the team and the community."