Community Engagement Scholars Program

The Community Engagement Scholars Program (CESP) celebrated its 8th year and said goodbye to Graduate Student Coordinator Erin Kramer in 2024. CESP, a partnership between the Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) and the MSU Office of the President, was established in 2016 with the goal of connecting MSU students with community partners to engage in meaningful economic and community development projects. With approximately 85 student scholars and 20 community partners since the program's inception, staff were excited to spend time this year reflecting on CESP's history, as well as planning for an innovative future.

“It really has been an incredible experience working with the scholars and the community partners, but also a very developmental experience,” said Kramer, who has played a pivotal role in CESP for the past three years as its graduate student coordinator. “I've grown a lot in my time with the program … It was really pivotal for my professional career and led me to where I am today.”

Kramer added that the program has many important components. “It introduces [the scholars] to working with communities, which requires a level of professionalism. You know they're relying on you to show up and participate in their programs and help out with different projects,” she said. “[It also] provides students with a greater understanding of community engagement and wicked problems, but on a local scale. And third, it provides an opportunity for MSU to be ingrained in the community.”

While the original goals of the CESP experience were to connect MSU students with community partners to collaborate on meaningful economic and community development projects, the impact of the program has since expanded to include the development of students' sense of belonging, personal and professional growth, and the promotion of social, civic, and political engagement. According to Kramer, the cohort approach to CESP is an important factor in the success of the student experience. “It's been really special to see relationships form between students and to hear, ‘I never would have engaged with this person had it not been for [CESP],’” Kramer said. “It's a special space for students but [also] community members. Our partners keep coming back, so they love the program and the students because they just bring a different energy and perspective into those spaces.”

Partners at the community organizations serve as co-educators with the scholars, support and guide the scholars' work and development and play an invaluable role in the success of CESP. Together with these community partners, the scholars have addressed social issues and built community in meaningful and relevant ways, demonstrating the success of the program and the dedication of all involved.

“I would love to see more community partners involved. I would love to see more graduate coordinators and multiple cohorts within the program,” Kramer said. She and the CESP team hope to increase funding in order to expand the program to 100 student scholars, 10 graduate student coordinators, a dedicated program director, and communities across Michigan and beyond. The impact the CESP model has on students and communities is significant, and CCEL hopes to continue to increase access and reach for all participants.

Transportation Support Awards

As part of our commitment to removing barriers that prevent students from participating in community-engaged learning, CCEL is proud to offer Transportation Support Awards (TSA) year-round to faculty, staff, and registered student organizations. These monetary awards, generously sponsored by Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, have helped over 950 students travel to community-engaged learning projects from East Lansing to Chicago, supporting community partners and developing as civically and socially engaged citizens.

One student group which has been greatly impacted by the TSA is the MSU chapter of The Pearl Project. The Pearl Project, a service-based student organization with chapters at MSU, University of Michigan, and Hope College, seeks to support and empower young mothers in financially unstable circumstances by working closely with Ms. Pearl, a beloved Chicago community leader. Ms. Pearl provides low-cost childcare services and emotional support to mothers in her area, which allows them to continue their education and support their families. To that end, The Pearl Project supports the Roseland Community “Good News” Daycare on the South Side of Chicago with fundraising events and volunteering at the day care center during school breaks.

Additionally, The Pearl Project works to educate members on what it truly means to volunteer and contribute to a community outside of their own through service efforts throughout Southeast Michigan and Chicago. This orientation to community and critical reflection is a crucial part of the community-engaged learning journey, and is part of why members of The Pearl Project are so fond of their experiences in the Roseland community.

“The main point of the trips is helping with the kids in the day care, but even beyond the day care there's plenty of opportunities where we can help or interact with other people in the community,” explained Aditya Arun, a member of The Pearl Project. “Through those experiences, we're able to learn a lot more about the history of … the neighborhood. And so that really helps us deepen our connection, when we [begin to] understand their circumstances and what their lives have been like up until then.”

The Pearl Project depends on CCEL's TSA grants for four trips per year, which take place over MSU's winter break, spring break, and twice during the summer. Seohee Kim, president of the organization, said that the funds make it possible for more MSU students to participate in the trips. “By getting [TSA] funds, we were able to bring [costs] down, which relieves a lot of the burden,” she said.

For members of The Pearl Project, the opportunity to engage with a community in such an intensive way is life-changing. “I really feel like this is an opportunity that everyone should experience because it's so enriching,” Arun said. “I experienced so much personal growth . . . but also seeing that growth in my fellow volunteers while I was on the trip was so inspirational. It's so uplifting to see other people support each other, so lowering the cost goes a long way for us.”

CCEL is proud to support community engagement through the TSA, thanks to the generosity of MSUFCU. To learn more about the Transportation Support Award and apply, visit the Transportation Support Award page or our website.