Community Engagement

Team Contacts:
Jan Melnik: jmelnik@usf.edu 
Monica Lee Miranda: mlmiranda@usf.edu 

Within this section we are asked to provide a broad overview of the variety of characteristics that influence and shape community engagement across the university. We are seeking the following information from your college, unit or department: 

1. Title and nature of the activities of any employee(s) with community, civic or public engagement responsibilities within the college, unit or department
2. How students are involved in the college, unit or department’s community engagement efforts
3. Highlights, articles or publications about any community partnerships between the college, unit or department and greater Tampa Bay community organizations/agencies (including near our St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses).
4. Please describe which local, state, national and global events have impacted the college, unit or department’s community engagement efforts (i.e. COVID, State and national politics, social justice and natural disasters) and how
5. How the college, unit or department tracks, assesses, and understands community engagement.

Team Contact:
Andrew Farmer: andrewfarmer@usf.edu 

This section focuses on evidence of the quality of academic-community partnerships and the standards and values of community engagement explicitly stated in the definition of community engagement from the Carnegie Foundation. 

1. We are seeking examples of academic-community partnerships (i.e., institutional, centers, departmental, and faculty/staff) connected to the academic core of the campus—which includes teaching, learning, and research illustrating the breadth and depth of community engagement during the most recent academic year.

Team Contact: 
Tim Henkel: tphenkel@usf.edu

This section asks for descriptive information about the nature and structure of faculty and staff work and support for community engaged efforts. 

1. We are seeking information documenting and providing the highlights of faculty and staffs’ engaged scholarship in the classroom, throughout research, within creative activities as evidenced by their syllabi, performances, in press releases, on social media and on news platforms.
2. We are seeking examples of students, faculty and staff scholarship (conference presentations, publications, consulting, awards, etc.) that have taken place since 2020. Please be specific on how these examples are connected to community engagement.

Team Contacts:
Cynthia Brown Hernandez: cynthiab@usf.edu
Mazi Ferguson: mferguson1@usf.edu 

In this section we are asked to document the university’s curricular engagement. Specifically, the infrastructure and efforts of our teaching, learning, and scholarship that engages faculty, students, and the community in mutually beneficial and respectful collaborations. We are seeking the following information: 

1. Examples of courses in your college that engage with the community including the syllabi, and any articles, press releases, social media content and presentations that highlight the work with community partners.
2. Descriptions and examples of for-credit community engagement integrated in:

• • Undergraduate and graduate research
  • Student Leadership
  • Internships
  • Co-ops
  • Career exploration
  • Study Abroad/Study Away
  • Alternative Break tied to a course
  • Campus Scholarship Program 

Team Contact:
Mike Severy: severy@usf.edu

In this section we are asked to document the university’s co-curricular engagement by providing examples of programs, events and initiatives in collaboration with the community. Efforts described should include opportunities for experiential learning for students happening outside the formal, for-credit academic curriculum. We are seeking information: 

1. highlighting co-curricular examples of the ways students and student organizations support departments in community partnerships, including any related articles, press releases, and social media content
2. documenting unit, college or department collaborations with the community involving students, faculty and or staff including any articles, press releases, social media content

Team Contacts:
Judithanne Scourfield McLaughlin:jsm2@usf.edu
Sabrina Shively:katherine72@usf.edu

In this section we are asked to substantiate opportunities at the university for students, faculty, staff and the community to engage addressing critical community issues and contribute to community/public good by providing practical experience with community. 

We are seeking examples of practical experiences of how your college/department incorporate civic skills into curricular and/or co-curricular community-engaged activities and how student learning outcomes are applied and assessed.

Examples of civic skills may include the following, but are not limited to:

1. Critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning
2. Conveys ideas across difference - orally and in writing
3. Seek out and engage with multiple perspectives
4. Listen attentively and with patience
5. Reflexive thinking
6. Understanding of intersectionality
7. Development of cultural humility, empathy, compassion, and courage
8. Opportunity to collaborate and participate forms of leadership

Team Contact:
Caryn Nesmith:carynn@usf.edu 

In this section we are being asked to document how community engagement is aligned with or contributes to institutional priorities, and strategic plan. 

We are seeking examples and highlights of community engagement from your college, unit or department that contributes to USF’s strategic plan, strategic goals, and/or areas of strategic focus.

USF 5 Strategic Goals: 
• Student success at USF and beyond
• Faculty Excellence in research and innovation
• Partnerships and engagement with local, national and global impact 
• A diverse and inclusive community for learning
• A strong sustainable and adaptable financial base

USF Areas of Strategic Focus: 
• Analytics and Data Science Integrating USF Digitally
• Biology by Design
• Design, Arts and performance
• Global and National Security 
• Health Society, and Biomedical Sciences
• Social Justice and Human Rights
• Sustainability Environmental and Oceanographic Sciences