Housed in the CU-Boulder听School of Education, the new听听offers a campuswide resource for initiatives that work听in partnership with local communities to address complex public challenges through research and coursework.
Led by Faculty Director听Ben Kirshner听and Associate Directors Roudy Hildreth and Leticia Sanchez, CU Engage expands upon the work of the former Institute for Ethical and Civic Engagement (IECE), and directs听, including CU Dialogues, INVST Community Studies, Public Achievement and Puksta Scholars. In addition, CU Engage is the home of the听, in collaboration with the Newton Chair in Leadership.
New Initiatives for Students and Faculty
CU Engage is hosting ongoing听Community Conversations听with members of the CU campus, Boulder County, and the Denver metro area that continue to inform the center鈥檚 strategic planning and campus leadership in developing mutually beneficial, ethical partnerships. In addition, the center is offering several new opportunities:
Faculty Fellows Program in Community-Based Learning.听Faculty members interested in developing academic courses that integrate student learning with community engagement are invited to join a cohort-based professional development opportunity that will focus on creating mutually beneficial partnerships among instructors, students, and community groups.痴颈蝉颈迟听听to learn more. Applications due Feb. 27.
Graduate Fellowship in Community-Based Research and Creative Work.听Doctoral students are invited to apply to this cohort-based fellowship to gain training, financial support, and access to professional networks in collaborative, community-based forms of research and creative work.听Interested doctoral students should email听ben.kirshner@colorado.edu听to be updated about the application instructions and deadline.
Undergraduate Participatory Action Research.听Supported by the听, CU Engage staff members work with undergraduate students to inquire and take action about issues relevant to their experiences and aspirations. On听Feb. 11th, a UROP project team presented findings on the experiences of students of color with community engagement opportunities on campus听to a standing-room-only audience of campus and community members.
Why CU Engage?
CU Engage offers one response to current challenges in higher education. In today鈥檚 workforce, employers are increasingly demanding that college graduates are prepared for the kinds of skills that can鈥檛 be measured on a traditional test: Can you work in teams? Do you persist after failure? Are you capable of participating in diverse cultural practices and groups?
Universities also play a central role in preparing students to become active participants in society who generate solutions to major public challenges, ranging from racial inequality to climate change. Learning how to participate in practices of a democracy, such as dialogue and group decision-making, and to engage in deliberation about evidence-based public policy are critical for human development and civic renewal.
To meet these demands, CU Engage aims to build a community of students, staff and faculty who integrate CU鈥檚 academic mission with community engagement, consistent with CU-Boulder鈥檚听.
The initiatives described above offer a starting point for the center鈥檚 work in forming equity-oriented partnerships, organizing opportunities for students to learn alongside community members, and supporting faculty and students in developing ethical and rigorous participatory research methods. To learn more, please visit听.
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Related Faculty: Ben Kirshner