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Housed in the CU-Â鶹ӰԺ School of Education, the new  offers a campuswide resource for initiatives that work in partnership with local communities to address complex public challenges through research and coursework.

Led by Faculty Director  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 , including CU Dialogues, INVST Community Studies, Public Achievement and Puksta Scholars. In addition, CU Engage is the home of the , in collaboration with the Newton Chair in Leadership.

New Initiatives for Students and Faculty

CU Engage is hosting ongoing Community Conversations with members of the CU campus, Â鶹ӰԺ County, and the Denver metro area that continue to inform the center’s 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. 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.Visit  to learn more. Applications due Feb. 27.

Graduate Fellowship in Community-Based Research and Creative Work. 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. Interested doctoral students should email ben.kirshner@colorado.edu to be updated about the application instructions and deadline.

Undergraduate Participatory Action Research. Supported by the , CU Engage staff members work with undergraduate students to inquire and take action about issues relevant to their experiences and aspirations. On Feb. 11th, a UROP project team presented findings on the experiences of students of color with community engagement opportunities on campus 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’s workforce, employers are increasingly demanding that college graduates are prepared for the kinds of skills that can’t 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’s academic mission with community engagement, consistent with CU-Â鶹ӰԺ’s .

The initiatives described above offer a starting point for the center’s 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 .

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Related Faculty: Ben Kirshner