What is Academic Community Engagement?

… intentional efforts within courses to engage students in planned and purposeful learning related to service experiences within the community to impact student learning outcomes

Examples of PACE Course Partnerships and Projects by Discipline

Examples of Academic Community Engagement

Students in a first-year English composition course may visit with a local nonprofit organization, collect information on their programs and events, and produce a pamphlet or other written materials that may be useful to the organization in their marketing efforts.
Students in a capstone community health course may commit time during the course of a semester to developing an educational series on healthy eating to be delivered at areas schools and/or the campus student population.
Students in a junior-level ecology course may partner with a local conservation group to research the importance of water table preservation and maintenance of proper microbial balance in the surrounding soil and develop a conservation plan; they may also create instructional materials for area schools.
Students in a junior-level accounting course may assist community members with the preparation of their tax returns.
Students in a sophomore-level human services course may work with a local assisted living facility to create and deliver an enrichment program for its residents.
Students from psychology, criminal justice, and education courses may work together to create and facilitate bullying prevention programs for a local middle school.

What these all have in common is a mixture of community service and academic links – in each case students are presented with the opportunity to concretely use concepts and skills emphasized by the course in ways that benefit a local organization or group. And in each case the community project is tied specifically to course requirements and learning objectives.

Questions?

Contact Dr. Lisa Holland-Davis