ENGAGE COMMUNITIES * SUPPORT SOCIAL CHANGE * EARN ACADEMIC CREDIT
Service learning takes place both in the classroom and in community-based settings giving you the chance to connect your academic passions with community engagement and work towards equity and social justice. Through Civic Engagement & Service-Learning (CESL), you can choose to pursue a single course (one semester), a program (several consecutive semesters), or the Certificate in Civic Engagement and Public Service (6 courses and capstone project).
To learn more and explore the Community Engagement & Service-Learning Programs, contact the CESL Academic Advisor at @email.
PROGRAM |
STUDENT TIMING |
COMMITMENT |
RIGOR/INTENSITY |
Foundations |
Any students |
1 semester |
Single 4-credit course (DU & SB) with Service-Learning (SL) component |
IMPACT |
First-year students |
2 consecutive semesters |
RAP; 4-credit (Fall) & 3-credit (Spring) courses with SL component |
The Boltwood ProjectTM |
Any students |
1 semester (repeatable); varied leadership opportunities as additional semester(s) |
Single 2-credit course; Boltwood leaders and/or supervisors take 4-credit classes |
Big Brothers Big Sisters |
Ideally second- or third-year students; mature/experienced first year students |
3 consecutive semester mentoring commitment |
4-credit class (DU & SB) your first semester as a mentor; option to continue coursework via practica |
Community Scholars Program |
Second- or third-year students |
4 consecutive semesters |
Four 4-credit classes designed to build upon one another in sequence; develop deep relationships w/ cohort of peers & a community partner |
Certificate in Civic Engagement & Public Service |
The sooner the better |
6 courses (all the above core programs contribute towards the certificate plus a variety of other courses) |
6 courses plus a capstone project; 2 SL courses; 1 Foundations course; 5 content areas |
SRVCLRNG 293 Learning Through Community Engagement: What constitutes meaningful, effective, and justice-oriented community service? This course provides an introduction to service-learning and includes weekly engagement with a local organization so that students can synthesize course material with hands-on experience in the community. With an emphasis on self-reflection, empathy, and critical service-learning, students work with existing community assets to address social issues of inequality, injustice, and anti-democratic structures. Fulfills DU and SB gen. ed. requirements.
SRVCLRNG 499C/D Community Action for Social Change: This two-semester, honors thesis seminar is designed for upper division Commonwealth Honors College students with current experience in service-learning and/or community engagement who wish to deepen their praxis – the combination of theory and practice – as regards their chosen area of community work. Throughout the Fall and Spring semesters, students work both in the classroom and with a selected community partner to develop a collaborative civic/community engagement project that is presented through a portfolio format.
The Certificate in Civic Engagement and Public Service provides students with an interdisciplinary space to connect their academic work to outside-the-classroom community engagement. Students are encouraged to develop knowledge about social issues and community/political organizing in order to concretely work for equity and justice with local organizations.