Engaged Department Institute
Dates: May 27-28, 8:30am - 4:00pm
The Engagement Department Institute will serve two purposes:
- Support academic departments/programs/units in expanding service-learning and community engagement beyond a single faculty member to an entire department, program, or unit. Click here to apply (additional details below).
- Support UNI faculty and staff interested in collaborating in planning a service project for UNI’s Sesquicentennial Day of Service Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (You will only attend May 28th) Click here to apply for Day of Service planning only.
Applications due, Friday April 11,2025.
Engaged Department Institute (EDI) Purpose
The purpose of the Engaged Department Institute is to advance the institutionalization of community engagement and service-learning through intentional development of community partners into the programmatic features of a department and the majors within that department.
Grounded in the success of the Service-Learning Institute and the SL Course Designations, the EDI will expand service-learning and community engagement beyond a single faculty member to a department, program, or unit.
An engaged department and/or program is one that:
- incorporates service-learning and community engagement (local and/or global) into academic coursework to enhance student learning and development;
- encourages and supports high quality community-based research and engaged scholarship among faculty and/or students;
- supports collaborative research and teaching activities between members of the department and members of the community (non-profits, government, industry, etc.);
- establishes and develops mutually beneficial partnerships within co/extra-curricular activities within the department.
An engaged department embraces various approaches to community engagement and service-learning that include, but are not limited to, academic service-learning courses, community-based research studies, practicums, internships, capstone experiences and student clubs and associations.
Through the Engaged Department Institute, academic units develop and implement an action plan designed to advance and deepen community engagement and service-learning into their curriculum, research and co/extracurricular activities.
Key Features
- Conduct a department and/or program self assessment (completed prior to EDI)
- Participate in a mini Service-Learning Institute; understand service-learning pedagogy
- Create a community-engaged learning path in curriculum
- Identify community partners (with support of Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley and Office of Community Engagement)
- Co-create community engaged learning with community partners
- Implementation and Ongoing assessment
Who should apply?
This institute is designed for an academic department/program/unit that is committed to advancing the institutionalization of public engagement by advancing public engagement into the programmatic features of their academic program. Community Engaged Team members should be prepared to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate their community engaged and service-learning activities as a team for their academic program.