About Community-Engaged Learning

Our student-faculty-community partnerships aim to foster belonging, respect, and sustainable positive impacts on campus, in Rochester, in the Western New York region, and beyond.

Mission

We work towards this vision by:

• Equipping students with a strong sense of civic identity and professional responsibility
• Applying academic knowledge to community challenges
• Co-creating meaningful, course-based projects and initiatives with community partners centered in shared goals, reflection, and action 

Guiding Principles

• Democratic Process - CEL fosters collaboration between campus and community partners to co-create classes and experiences that inspire students and that address the needs of all stakeholders. 
• Campus and Community Impact - CEL courses positively impact our students, faculty, staff, and community partners. For students, this means increasing knowledge and awareness of issues facing society, developing skills and sensibilities that help them positively contribute to society, and enhancing social and emotional learning. We engage in meaningful work with community partners and respond effectively to social challenges. 
• Visibility - CEL leadership, as well as project participants, promote, publicize, and celebrate their work through on- and off-campus venues. Off campus, our efforts align with the community to realize its own goals, and our willingness to participate and contribute to those efforts is visible.
• Sustainability - CEL prioritizes long-term partnerships with community organizations by routinely offering courses with key partners, securing consistent funding to support the essential needs of faculty and courses, and collaborating with on-campus partners to maintain consistent engagement with community partners throughout the year.
• Access and Belonging - CEL courses create a sense of belonging for community partners on Fisher’s campus, and a sense of belonging within our students to the Rochester community. 

Community-Engaged Learning Advisory Board

The Community-Engaged Learning Advisory Board (CELAB) is comprised of faculty members from all schools and divisions of the University. CELAB members collaborate with the Institute for Civic and Community Engagement in order to strengthen and improve CEL teaching and projects.