Welcome Faculty and Staff!

The MSU Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) supports university faculty and academic staff across all colleges and majors in creating course-based community engaged learning opportunities.

Email the CCEL Academic Programs Team to discuss ideas, plans, and or partnership support:
Michelle Snitgen, msnitgen@msu.edu
Stephanie Brewer, sbrewer@msu.edu

Hooked on Community Engaged Learning: Consultation and Coffee

Connect over coffee with MSU Center for Community Engaged Learning staff to ask questions and to collaboratively brainstorm as you shape or enhance course-based community engaged learning experiences. Conversations may center on course design examples; community partnerships; developing syllabi; managing logistics; orienting students to enter a community with knowledge of identity, equity, and privilege; or considering diverse reflection strategies. Dedicate time to think and create, and leave with myriad resources, tools, and ideas.

Community-engaged learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community partnerships with instruction and critical reflection to enrich the student learning experience, teach civic and social responsibility, and strengthen communities. Implementation strategies range from direct service to advocacy to research to philanthropy, and more, which means no shortage of ways students can meaningfully engage with communities to explore social issues.

All sessions will be held at Hooked Bookstore in East Lansing. Click below on a date (or two!) that works for you and indicate which 45 minute timeslot you prefer between 9:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon. We hope to see you soon!

• Friday, October 13^th, 2023  
• Friday, November 10^th, 2023  
• Friday, December 8^th, 2023  
• Friday, January 26^th, 2023 
• Friday, February 9^th, 2023  
• Friday, March 8^th, 2023  
• Friday, April 5^th, 2023   

Connect with Michelle and Stephanie if you are interested in hearing more about the faculty learning community they are hosting over the course of the 2023-24 academic year!

Expanding the Definition of Community-Engaged Learning: From Theory to Practice

The "Expanding the Definition of Community-Engaged Learning: From Theory to Practice" learning community will provide a space for interested practitioners to come together to read current scholarship on the various ways community-engaged pedagogy can be included in student learning experiences. Members will explore an expanded definition of community-engaged learning utilizing the Social Change Wheel, an equity-centered framework, as a guiding model. Members will collectively produce practical tools and resources for each implementation strategy area (e.g., philanthropy, social innovation, community organizing), to be used by faculty/practitioners in the creation and facilitation of these pedagogical strategies. Discussions, resources, and tools will center equity and considerations of critical perspectives, and we hope this group will further the conversation around an expanded definition of community engaged learning and enhance the connection between theory and practice.

Check out the list of all of the 2023-24 Learning Communities, generously sponsored by the MSU Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development.