Using Knowledge to Serve Humanity: Civic Engagement at UCI Kristen Day Professor, Dept. of Planning, Policy, & Design Darlene Esparza Director, Center

Using Knowledge to Serve Humanity: Civic Engagement at UCI

Kristen DayProfessor, Dept. of Planning, Policy, & Design

Darlene EsparzaDirector, Center for Service in Action

Civic and community engagement on campus

• Universities increasingly focused on their civic mission- Kellogg Commission- Carnegie Commission

• Growing sense of responsibility- Inside & outside higher ed

Civic and community engagement on campus

• Universities increasingly focused on their civic mission- Kellogg Commission- Carnegie Commission

• Growing sense of responsibility- Inside & outside higher ed

• More involved in addressing societal problems

• More intentional in creating future citizens who are well informed; concerned about local, global issues; & committed to political participation

Mandate for universities

Special responsibilities of research universities

• Top higher ed institutions in US

• Must deeply engage w/our communities– In research– In outreach & service– In teaching & learning

“At UCI, community engagement involves the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources between the university and the public and private sectors to:– enrich scholarship, research, and creative

activity– enhance curriculum, teaching, and learning– prepare educated, engaged, and responsible

citizens, and– benefit the community at the local, regional,

state, national, and global levels.”

(UCI Civic Engagement Committee, 2008)

UCI = deep involvement in engagement

• Over 50 outreach, engagement programs

• UCI faculty, staff, students engaged with – Pre K–12– Health services– Non-profit organizations

• Focus on service learning is expanding

UCI Successes in Civic Engagement

• Community Outreach Partnership Center

• Mission & Goals– Successful community building begins with

investing in people and their dreams, developing bonds of trust, and nurturing leadership.

– SUPPORT – REINFORCE – EMPOWER

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• Humanities Out There

– Est. 1977

– Reaches over 500 intermediate and high school students and their teachers each year through its workshops on humanities topics.

– Collaborative between School of Humanities and Santa Ana Unified School District, with support for Center for Educational Partnerships




• Creative Connections– Claire Trevor School of the Arts – Dynamic arts outreach program

• Partner with local schools and arts organizations to share our talents and knowledge with students of all ages, from Kindergarten to adults in their senior years. Creative Connections introduces children to the arts, prepares students for college, and provides adults with active, experiential immersion in the arts.






• Global Connect

– School of Social Sciences



- Designed to enrich California's secondary school curriculum in international studies


• UCI Alternative Break Program– Est. 2003– Winter/spring – Leadership seminar

• ““We saw skeletons of trees and empty spaces where houses used to be,” Chiu says. “It was an eye-opening experience. When you actually see it, you feel the sense of loss. The land was so beautiful, but it hurt to see how devastated it was. It made us realize why we were there.”– Lori Chiu, 2007-08 Alternative Break Intern


• School of Engineering– Mechanical and Aerospace

Engineering department

– Partnered with Free Wheelchair Mission to create a new wheelchair prototype.

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Proposed UCI minor in civic engagement

• Campuswide civic engagement committee– 25 members– Students, faculty, staff

• Goals– Develop proposal for new minor in

civic engagement– Identify strategies to support civic

engagement at UCI

UCI Committee on Civic EngagementZahra Ahmed, Graduate Student, Dept. of Political Science, School of Social SciencesStanley Bassin, Community Engagement Unit, Institute of Clinical Translation ScienceVictor Becerra, Community Outreach Partnership Center, School of Social EcologyJeanett Castellanos , Undergraduate Resource Center, School of Social SciencesLori Chiu , Undergraduate student, Dept. of Political Science, School of Social SciencesWilliam Cooper, Water Research Center, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and School of Social EcologyKristen Day, Dept. of Planning, Policy, and Design, School of Social EcologyDarlene Esparza, Center for Service in Action, Office of the Dean of StudentsJose Gonzalez-Vasquez, Undergraduate student , Dept. of Political Science, School of Social SciencesAna Halland, Outreach Programs, Claire Trevor School of the ArtsGillian Hayes, Dept. of Infomatics, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer ScienceMolly Lynch, Dept. of Dance, Claire Trevor School of the ArtsSue Marshall, Undergraduate Programs, Department of EducationGrace McLaughlin, Dept. of Organization and Management, Paul Merage School of BusinessMichael Montoya, Depts. of Anthropology and Chicano/Latino Studies, School of Social SciencesLuis Mota-Bravo, Bio Sci Outreach & Minority Science ProgramAmanda Napier , Undergraduate student, School of Biological SciencesCarrie Noland, Dept. of French and Italian, School of HumanitiesJames Nowick, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical SciencesEllen Olshansky, Program in Nursing Sciences, College of Health SciencesChris Procello, Division of Undergraduate EducationStephanie Reyes-Tuccio, Center for Educational PartnershipsOracio Sanchez, Undergraduate student, Spanish, School of HumanitiesSaid Shokair, Undergraduate Research Opportunities ProgramZohreh Soltani, Division of Undergraduate EducationRameen Talesh, Dean of Students OfficeLiz Toomey, Community & State Government RelationsLinda Vo, Dept. of Asian American Studies, School of HumanitiesBill Zeller, Student Housing, Student Affairs

Proposed minor in civic engagement

• Goals:– Accommodate students in all

majors on campus– Connect service to learning– Expand learning into community– Tie majors to understanding of

social, environmental problems– Learn about research in

community context

Proposal for minor in civic engagement at UCI

Introduction to Civic

Engagement

Electives (tied to major,

internship)

Elective

Elective

Internship

project

Reflective capstone seminar

Doing Community-

Based Research

Elective

How you can get involved

• Always have your community engagement project be born off campus.

• Solicit student opinions– Focus groups

• Reflect on personal and group strengths.


• Community Outreach Partnership Center

• Center for Service in Action• Center for Educational Partnerships• Career Center Internship Hub• Social Science Academic Resource

Center• Center for International Education• Division of Undergraduate Education• Office of the Dean of Students• Campus Organizations


• How does Civic Engagement relate to your mission or goals?

• What are you already doing?

• What units or departments could you collaborate with?

Documents

Using Knowledge to Serve Humanity: Civic Engagement at UCI Kristen Day Professor, Dept. of Planning, Policy, & Design Darlene Esparza Director, Center