Public Engagement

Resources

As we bridge connections between our campus and the wider community, it’s important to us that we best serve those we collaborate with providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed, move their passions into action, and make the world a better place!

For our Students: 

You can now access CELSA (Community Engaged Learning Student Ambassador) positions as well as other opportunities on HireSU! HireSU now offers students like you access to browse and get involved in volunteer opportunities, alongside what has been available for jobs and internships!

See how you can get involved in local organizations, non-profits, social impact businesses and programs to make a substantial difference in issues that matter to you! Visit HireSU and search using the “volunteer” filter to find the right fit for you and your interests.

For our Faculty: 

Please reach out to Manda (wittebora@southwestern.edu) for access to our Faculty Resources database and more! Once we know you’re interested in Public Engagement, we’ll add you to our faculty listerv and keep you up to date on all things PE!

For our Community Partners: 

Thank you so much for showing interest in collaborating with the Office of Public Engagement and Southwestern’s wider campus community! By filling out our interest form and survey, we can learn how best we can foster a connection and co-create with the Georgetown community and beyond. By completing the form above, we’ll be able to determine what your interests and needs are and how best we might approach working together.

 

Fundamentals of Community Engaged Learning (CEL)

In 2015, the Civic Engagement Advisory Board identified the following fundamental elements of CEL. These elements balance the integrative and academic student learning goals with the mutually beneficial and long-term community goals. 

 

Community Driven: 

The course involves engagement in the life of a community beyond the classroom, and ideally outside of the academic community, on a problem/project/challenge identified as important by the community and/or a community partner agency.

 

Reflection: 

The course involves structured reflection that provides students with the opportunity to explore the academic, personal, and civic value of the community engagement experience. Best practice in structured reflection includes the use of critical reflection, analytic reflection, and integrative reflection assignments.

 

Sustainability: 

The course involves some examination of the systemic roots of community challenges and active student/faculty participation in sustainably addressing the expressed community need.

 

Public Dissemination: 

The product of the class is returned to the public in a meaningful way.

 

Academic Rigor: 

The course/instructor utilizes academic community engagement pedagogy as a primary means of accomplishing at least some of the course learning objectives through application of academic skills and competencies to community challenges.

Past & Current CEL Courses

Where do I find currently offered Community Engaged Learning Courses? 

Access the Course Catalog on Self-Service, under “Course Type” select Community-Engaged Learning. The CEL courses offered that semester will populate in the catalog search. 

 

What classes have previously been offered? 

Using our dropdown below, you can browse past CEL courses offered by the university and various interdisciplinary departments offered recently and from Fall 2014 to Fall 2018.

Contact & Connect with Us

Are you looking to get into further contact with our office? Please contact our Director, Manda Wittebort, at wittebora@southwestern.edu to find out more or schedule an appointment. You can also find us in the Office of Academic Affairs in the Cullen Building.

 

To stay up to date on programming, events, and things social justice-oriented, follow us on Instagram @su_ocel.