Overview

CCE helps to connect faculty with local organizations to bring an experiential lens to classroom concepts while contributing to meaningful change. CCE works with faculty members from across the University to facilitate community-engaged experiential learning opportunities through co-curricular and extra-curricular initiatives. The Center serves as a resource for partnerships with community-engaged organizations in the Syracuse area, supports community-engaged research projects, and disseminates information on collaborative opportunities for faculty in teaching.

The American Association of Colleges & Universities has identified service learning as a high-impact educational practice. When developing programs and courses, consider incorporating community-engaged experiences or service learning projects into the curriculum. We believe that when faculty get their students involved in the community, students better understand the links between the service and the curriculum, are better prepared to provide something of value to the community, and learn from and with the community.

Community-Engaged Learning (CEL)

Community-engaged learning is much more than substituting an "experience assignment" for a more traditional assignment. CEL courses fully integrate classroom and community elements. Faculty design projects to respond to community-identified needs, and the community partners often become co-educators. Students in CEL classes are active participants in their learning process, engaging in the community, reflecting on experiences, and adding their insights to the educational content of the course.

Get in touch with us at engage@upstate.edu or 315-464-8807 to discuss strategies for how to incorporate community-engaged learning experiences into your program or courses.