“What interests our stakeholders and contituents most is a common purpose focused on serving society's needs and contributing to our national democratic community.”
—Charles B. Reed, Chancellor CSU

What is Community Engagement?

Community Engagement describes the collaboration between higher education institutions and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange and production of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. Examples of community engagement activities include, but are not limited to:

Community engaged teaching, (service-learning, problem based learning for the common good, and course-based public research, unpaid community-based internships)
Public scholarship
Service (community service; alternative spring breaks; voter registration drives; community-centered forums, nonprofit Board and Committee membership, public service, pro bono consulting and speaking

Slightly adapted from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning definitionand the CSU Chancellor's Office definition.