Service Learning Resources

Faculty Engagement

Faculty engagement and connecting students with our community is not only an excellent academic practice, it is a wise strategy for the survival and viability of higher education. In the current economic and social environment it is critical for institutions of higher learning to show legislators, stakeholders, and taxpayers all of the benefits created by public investments that exist outside of the classroom.

Connecting course content with real-world application and direct experience by students creates the opportunity for deeper learning. The work students perform provides valuable material for their personal portfolios for employment or further study. A degree alone without a strong portfolio is just not enough for success these days. This good work should not exist only as a grade on a transcript or paper in a filing cabinet - it should be alive and pulsing with some aspect of the everyday life in our region.

Many times when faculty consider engaging they think it is too much additional work. Not so! Perhaps, in part at the beginning to establish a connection with CCE and potential partners; this is actually a way to work smarter, leveraging an existing workload with new outcomes that can "prime the pump" for much creativity in future semesters.Telling stories of engagement success is part of the work of the CCE. We are here to help you explore the feasibility and excitement of this effort.