Four civically engaged-courses will be taught in the spring semester – ED291 The Magic of Science, SW211 Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families, MK401 Marketing Research and NR472 Community Health Nursing. The classes are part of the Bonner Faculty Community-Engaged Learning Initiative.
This project is funded by a $15,000 grant that has been awarded to the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement (CLCE) by the Bonner Foundation in support of Wagner’s ongoing efforts to increase faculty participation in community engagement.
“The purpose of the grant project is to develop deeper strategic, curricular and academic integration of civic engagement into the Wagner College structure,” explained Dr. Alison Arant, faculty director of the CLCE. “One thing that excites me about the project is the chance to see what Wagner professors and students can accomplish when they collaborate with community partners in making change around important social issues like inequity, health, and immigration,”Arant said.
Along with Arlette Cepeda, director of CLCE, Arant will provide direction to the cohort and its partnerships with initiatives like the Food Recovery Network, Educational Pipeline, Leadership Academy and other sustained projects. This work will be supported by the leadership of the Provost, Jeffrey Kraus, and Dean of Integrated Learning, Sarah Scott.
“This initiative represents another step forward in the continuous effort of institutionalizing community engagement at Wagner College,” said Cepeda. “The long-term goals for the initiative include a systemic alignment of curriculum with community engagement work, clear definitions of what it means to be a civic professional for each department and the development of a common language to articulate community engaged learning at Wagner.”
This project addresses culture and policy change and will focus on how to expand student campus-wide engagement, including by bridging academic and co-curricular advising and by addressing policies and rewards.
There are two parts to this initiative – one is a cohort of faculty members who will modify or develop civically engaged-courses which they will teach in the spring semester; the other is an advisory board of faculty members from the college's divisions and professional programs, who will create an inventory of civic engagement partners and projects at Wagner and develop statements about the civic dimensions of their disciplines or programs.
The classes mentioned are mostly meant for students in these majors, concentrations or minors(Nursing, Business, Sociology), as they have prerequisites and two are upper level classes.
John Epstein's course is the one exception here. His course, ED291, is intended for any student, regardless of major or minor, that has an interest in community engagement, research, inquiry-based learning, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics), education, interactive learning. As a pilot course offered in conjunction with the Bonner Initiative to increase campus-based community engagement, students will participate in community engagement activities with community partners.
“In my teens and early 20s, it was because of community engagement programs that my life story can be titled ‘From Drop-out to Doctor,’ said Epstein, professor of education. “I hope to instill a community engagement mindset in all Wagner College student participants, community partners and stakeholders.”
This project is valuable for Wagner because it increases the college’s practices of civic engagement, informed by the expertise of the faculty. It also recognizes the amazing work Wagner partners in, and it can help brainstorm new ways to further faculty research, support the communities around campus and fulfill Wagner’s mission of preparing students for life by emphasizing leadership and citizenship.
This article was written by Rebeca Zoicas (Bonner Leader) for The Wagnerian
(Issue 4 of Fall 2019).
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