This collection presents essays on service-learning and its role in the education of first-year college students. Following a preface by John N. Gardner and an introduction by Edward Zlotkowski, the chapters of section 1, "Making the Case for Service-Learning in the First Year of College," are: (1) "High School Service-Learning and the Preparation of Students for College: An Overview of Research" (Andrew Furco); (2) "Service-Learning and the First-Year Experience: Outcomes Related to Learning and Persistence" (Lori J. Vogelsang, Elaine K. Ikeda, Shannon K. Gilmartin, and Jennifer R. Keup); and (3) "Service-Learning and the Introductory Course: Lessons from across the Disciplines" (Edward Zlotkowski). Section 2, "Looking at Today's Students," contains: (4) "Look Who's Coming to College: The Impact of High School Service-Learning on New College Students" (Marty Duckenfield) and (5) "A Matter of Experience; Service-Learning and the Adult Student" (Tom O'Connell). Section 3, "Learning from Practice," contains: (6) "The University of Rhode Island's New Culture for Learning" (Jayne Richmond); (7) "Institutional Strategies To Involve First-Year Students in Service" (Julie A. Hatcher, Robert G. Bringle, and Richard Muthiah); (8) "Inquiry as a Mode of Student Learning at Portland State University: Service-Learning Experiences in First-Year Curriculum" (Dilafruz Williams, Judy Patton, Richard Beyler, Martha Balshem, and Monica Halka); (9) "A Positive Impact on Their Lives: Service-Learning and First-Year Students at Le-Moyne Owen College" (Barbara Frankle and Femi I. Ajanaku); (10) "Service-Learning in a Learning Community: The Fullerton First-Year Program" (Kathy O'Byrne and Sylvia Alatorre Alva); and (11) "Writing as Students, Writing as Citizens: Service-Learning in First-Year Composition Courses" (Thomas Deans and Nora Bacon). The final section, "Summing Things Up," contains one essay: "What, So What, Now What: Reflections, Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations on Service-Learning and the First-Year Experience" (John N. Gardner). An appendix contains profiles of 4 additional programs. (SLD)