This literature review examines the service learning (SL) and self-authorship bodies of literature to frame them as mutually supportive within the context of college student development. This review is a section of the Chapter 2 of the researcher's dissertation, which guided by the following research question: "How do college students make meaning of their SL experiences?" This research question seeks to address the problem of research and practice, which is a lack of understanding of how students process their SL experiences. This review reveals that the service learning body of literature is heavily student-outcome-oriented, and suggests that students generally experience positive personal, academic, and social development as a result of SL participation. Given the recent shortage of SL theories, self-authorship is presented as a theory that provides a nuanced understanding of how students may make meaning of SL, by framing SL as an opportunity for students to encounter developmentally effective experiences. Implications for research include continuing to explore the relationship between self-authorship and SL.