Community Engagement Teaching and Integration Provost Endorsement Program

Penn State Outreach is pleased to partner with Penn State Faculty Affairs to offer a Provost Endorsement Program that empowers faculty and staff to develop an impactful community engagement focus in their curriculum.

As part of Penn State’s commitment to National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) career readiness competencies and Carnegie Community Engagement Classification Student Learning Outcomes (CE-SLOs), this professional development program will prepare faculty and staff to intentionally design courses, projects, and programs that integrate community engagement and experiential learning to create civic impact.

Program Overview

Through three asynchronous modules and a half-day, in-person workshop, participants will explore the foundations of community engagement at Penn State, deepen their understanding of experiential learning, and apply practical design strategies to their teaching.

Module 1—Foundations of Community Engagement at Penn State (1–2 hours)

Explore definitions, community issues, engagement strategies, and resources that will help incorporate experiential learning and civic impact goals into curriculum.

Module 2— Experiential Learning and Assessment (1–2 hours)

Examine core principles of experiential learning and high-impact teaching practices. Explore how experiential learning differs from traditional instruction, what makes it effective in fostering student growth, and how to align curriculum with student learning outcomes.

Module 3—Applied Design for Community Engagement (~1 hour)

Review the CE-SLOs and consider how they align with experiential learning best practices. Explore strategies for intentionally designing community-engaged experiences that support student development and meaningful community impact.

In-person Workshop

To complete this program, participants will be required to come to University Park to attend a half-day workshop led by an instructional team to facilitate activities and discussions.

Program Outcomes

At the end of the program, participants will join an Outreach pilot cohort to implement and assess their initiative within three semesters, using a redesigned syllabus or program plan that includes:

• clearly defined community and student-learning outcomes,
• assessment strategies aligned with experiential learning best practices, and
• reciprocal community partner goals and measurable impact.