About the Program
Who it’s for:
Any Duquesne University undergraduate or graduate student may apply to be a Community Engagement Scholar. However, this is a highly selective program. Successful students will be leaders with a history of service and demonstrated commitment to working collaboratively in relationship with others. The purpose of the Community Engagement Scholars Program, first implemented in 2006, is to deepen university/community partnerships through the strengths and talents of individual academic disciplines and multi-disciplinary departments.
How it works:
Community Engagement Scholars (CE Scholars) enroll as AmeriCorps members on a part-time basis through AmeriCorps Education Award Only program. In exchange for completing 300 hours of service over one year, Scholars receive a partial Education Award, which can be used to pay for any legitimate educational expense.
Typically, CE Scholars are paired with an academic department in collaboration with the Office of Service-Learning to assist with community partnerships, community-based research projects, service-learning courses, or other community-engagement efforts. In cooperation with faculty mentors, CE Scholars will develop an Action Plan for their term of service that includes the following three components:
- University-Based Work: CE Scholars spend 4-5 hours each week within their departmental position. Department work could include holding office hours for students enrolled in service-learning courses, developing lesson plans, grading papers, meeting with faculty mentors, or managing student volunteers.
- Intensive Community Placement: CE Scholars spend 4-5 hours each week engaged in direct service at their community partner site.
- Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Training: In addition to an orientation retreat in August, CE Scholars participate in a bi-weekly seminar throughout the academic year, coordinated by the Office of Service-Learning. The seminar, which was completely redesigned through a grant award in 2012, will allow CE Scholars to develop and sustain a deeper understanding of service-learning and civic engagement.
Scholars may also combine personal community service activities with their department and community partnerships to accumulate 300 hours. See a sample Action Plan
