Faculty Development

Upcoming Discussions and Workshops

Community-Based Learning Faculty Coffee Drop-ins (in lieu of the spring Campus-Community Networking Event) 
Thursday, April 3, 1:00-4:00pm, Acorn Coffee Shop 
Friday, April 4, 10:00am-2:00pm, Acorn Coffee Shop 
Stop by to consult with Sara Beth Hardy, Assistant Director of Community Partnerships, to discuss ways to collaborate with community partners for your fall classes.

Community-Based Learning Partnership Showcase  
Monday, April 28, 3:00-4:30pm, Lindner Hall 206
Join the Kernodle Center for Civic Life as we celebrate and showcase the impactful community-based learning partnerships that enrich both our campus and local communities. Faculty and community partners will come together to share insights, success stories, and collaborative projects. Don’t miss this opportunity to network, learn, and be inspired by the incredible work being done through these partnerships. Drop by to learn more about some of the great work your colleagues are doing and stay to meet community partner representatives from across Alamance County:
Kelsey Bitting, Environmental Studies
Lisa Buchanan, Education
Jessica Merricks, Biology
Hal Vincent, Strategic Communications

Essentials of Community-Based Learning Workshop
Tuesday, May 13, 2:30-4:30 pm
RSVP Here by May 1
Are you interested in creating a more authentic learning experience in your course by engaging with community partners? Could the learning objectives for your course be enhanced through community engagement Have you ever wondered how community-based learning works and why reflection is central to that pedagogy? This workshop is appropriate for faculty members who are developing a community-based course, are designing a project or assignment that involves community engagement, or are curious about community-based learning pedagogies in general. The workshop will allow for interaction with experienced faculty, Kernodle Center for Civic Life and CATL staff members. The event can accommodate up to 20 participants who will each receive a $100 stipend.

Community Partnerships Initiative Grants

Through funding from the Frueauff Foundation, these mini-grants provide teams of faculty, students, and community agencies financial support to launch collaborative projects. These collaborative grants will support the development of new programs, increase the effectiveness of current programs, provide opportunities for innovative research and assessment that address the root causes of problems such as homelessness and domestic violence, and support community groups in strategic planning and problem solving. Contact Bob Frigo for more information.

Application for the Community Partnerships Initiative Faculty Grant Application

Applications for 2025-2026 Opportunities

Community-Based Learning Faculty Scholars Program
Application Due May 1
Faculty who are interested in developing or strengthening a Community-Based Learning (formerly Academic Service-Learning) course are encouraged to participate in the Community-Based Learning Faculty Scholars program. Scholars are expected to participate in the Essentials of Community-Based Learning Workshop in May and attend four follow-up luncheon meetings with the Faculty Fellow for Community-Based Learning, Phillip Motley, during the next academic year. Six faculty members will be selected for the program and will receive a $1000 stipend.

Community-Based Learning Course Development Grants
Application Due May 1
The Kernodle Center for Civic Life and the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) offer Community-Based Learning Course Development Grants to support the evolution of existing courses across the disciplines into Community-Based Learning designated courses. Grants are awarded in the amount of $2,000 ($1,000 for the 2025-2026 academic year and $1,000 for the 2026-2027 academic year). The first year of the grant provides a stipend to compensate faculty for the work of incorporating community-based learning pedagogy into an existing course and applying for the Community-Based Learning course designation by March 31. The second year of the grant provides a stipend for launching the new Community-Based Learning designated course and assessing its effectiveness. Grant recipients will meet as a cohort approximately once a semester during the two-year grant period.

Community-Based Learning Research Scholar
Application due May 1
The Community-Based Learning Research Scholar Program is designed to assist an individual faculty member well-versed in the pedagogies of service-learning and community engagement and who would like to explore a community-based learning research project. The faculty member selected to serve as the Community-Based Learning Research Scholar will be required to meet regularly with the Faculty Fellow for Community-Based Learning, Elena Kennedy, and produce a report on specific outcomes of the research conducted. A $1500 stipend will be awarded to the recipient.