Brad McCorkle, MArch

Adjunct Visiting Professor, School of Architecture,
College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs

Service Learning Course(s):

• Design Studio: Architecture III (ARCH 4556)
• Design Studio (ARCH 5670) 

“Service Learning Teaches Students that design doesn’t stop. You’re Constantly making decisions. It helps students get used to that environment."

Professor Brad McCorkle has always enjoyed teaching students how to make things. He was offered a teaching positing shortly after receiving his Master’s degree from UTA. As an alumni and two time graduate of UTA, he feels like service learning is a very important aspect to incorporate in the classroom in order to engage with the community. Professor McCorkle currently works with The Housing Channel, a nonprofit organization that believes in building wealth through home ownership. For this service learning project, Professor McCorkle’s students build or renovate houses. The Housing Channel can then sell these houses at 80 percent market value, facilitate down payment assistance, and even cover closing costs, sometimes saving families up to $3,000-$5,000. This helps young families as well as low income families become homeowners in a way that would have otherwise been impossible. He hopes that service learning projects such as this one will inspire students to think about applying their abilities to help people in communities that need it, and inspire them to continue being engaged with partners in the community to give back.

Professor McCorkle advises faculty hesitant about service learning to just do it. Getting students engaged in something that they wouldn’t typically do in their daily lives is good.