CCE Block 5 Newsletter

Spring Engagement & Learning Opportunities

Welcome back, Campus!

As you transition to a new semester, we encourage you to consider how you might take action to make the world and our community a little better by participating in activities that promote equity, justice, and unity.

Below, we’ve highlighted opportunities offered through the Collaborative for Community Engagement this semester to learn about changemaking, translating that learning into community action, and celebrating others creating community impact.

Spotlights

Week of Action

This year the CCE coordinated the Week of Action to align with Martin Luther King Jr. Day and carry forth the message of taking action in creating the communities in which we wish to live. From January 17 to 19, more than 125 CC staff, faculty, and students engaged with 15 community organizations.

The CCE offers a number of opportunities and resources to continue engaging. Explore ongoing opportunites below.

Student Hub

Faculty Hub

Our Work

Mini-Internship Rotations

In the spring semester, the CCE coordinates “Mini-Internship” blockly rotations for the new cohort of Bonner Fellows to explore community engaged work. This spring we are matching 14 fellows with 21 community organizations for three-week (15 hour) internships. Each fellow will complete three Mini-Internship rotations before deciding on a community partner to work with long term in the next academic year. Projects include: event planning, curriculum development, educational programming support, developing communication strategies, policy and process review, and more!
Here’s a look at who we’re partnering with this spring.

Campus Compact 2024 Conference

Campus Compact’s national conference will be held in Denver from April 7-10, themed of “Now is the Moment: Higher Education Civic & Community Engagement as the Way Forward.” We encourage all interested in community-engaged learning, research, and action to register today!

Campus Compact is a national coalition of over 1,000 colleges and universities, including Colorado College, committed to advancing the public purposes of higher education. As a member institution, we have access to many great resources. Here are some examples of recent ways Campus Compact has supported Colorado College:

Florencia Rojo, Assistant Professor of Sociology, is participating in the national Engaged Scholars initiative, gaining access to resources and networks to support her scholarly agenda.
This year, CC received a grant through the Newman Civic Fellowship Campus Innovation Cohort to improve CC’s mentorship process and experience for the Newman Civic Fellowship program.
Ben Murphy ’25 has been awarded the national Newman Civic Fellowship, which recognizes and supports community-committed students who are changemakers and public problem-solvers at member institutions. CC has participated in this fellowship since 2018.

We encourage students, staff, and faculty to explore how Campus Compact can support your work, learning, and networking. Start by visiting their events page and subscribe to the Campus Compacts newsletter.

Spring Engagement & Learning Opportunities

Faculty and Staff Educators

The PEAK Project

Are you interested in transitioning a course you’re teaching this summer or fall to community-engaged learning, but don’t feel you currently have the community connections to do so? If so, you’re invited to participate in the Publicly Engaged, Actionable Knowledge (PEAK) Project by filling out this brief interest form by Block 5 (Feb. 18) for summer courses, and Block 8 (May 19) for fall courses.

For a limited time, participants that are successfully “matched” will be eligible to receive project development stipends ($500 each for faculty and community partners). These stipends are grant funded through the Bonner Foundation’s Community-Engaged Learning Initiative.

The PEAK Project connects CC educators and community partners, one semester in advance, to co-create community-engaged learning classroom projects. Read more about the PEAK project here.

Excel at CC Session

Students

Alternative Spring Break

The CCE hosts an Alternative Spring Break partnering with a community organization for service projects. Details on this year’s location and community partner are still being finalized. If you’re interested in joining, please email cce@coloradocollege.edu with “ASB Interest” as the subject line and we will send you information when registration opens.

Campus

Changemaker Workshops

Did you know the CCE has a workshop series called the Changemaker Curriculum? We offer three to four workshops each block that aim to build changemaking skills and generate dialogue around self, community impact and issues, and theories of social change. This series is open to students, staff, and faculty.