Engaged Scholars Initiative

The cost for ESI is $1,000 per individual selected. This covers programming for two (2) multi-day in-person retreats, bi-weekly cohort calls, and administrative costs. Participants (or their institution) are responsible for covering their travel and accommodations for the in-person retreats.

Group discounts and scholarships are available to help alleviate the cost. Contact [email protected] with questions or to discuss pricing options. 

The program meets virtually once a month in the summer and twice a month during the academic year. These virtual meetings are designed to provide content and connection. The cohort will meet in person for the opening retreat in August and again for the closing retreat in June, ahead of our annual conference.

• Application open—April 9th

• Application deadline—May 22nd

• Orientation—July 10th

• Virtual introductions—July 17th

• In-person opening retreat—August 12th-14th

• Virtual meetings begin—September

• In-person final retreat—June 2027, ahead of the Campus Compact annual conference

Scholars are expected to:

1. Commit to attending and actively participating in programming, including two multiple-day, in-person retreats, bi-weekly virtual meetings, and any individual or small group collaborative or mentoring meetings.
2. Complete all required preparation (e.g., pre-readings, assessment, assigned tasks, etc.) and resulting action items.
3. Actively communicate with program directors and fellow cohort scholars throughout the experience.
4. Pursue a scholarly project (individual or collaborative) of their choosing.
5. Submit all program reports by the due dates.

Throughout its history, Campus Compact has involved select faculty and other leaders in a variety of projects and activities intended to enhance and expand civic and community engagement at higher education institutions. Engaged Scholar appointments were made based on specific needs that Campus Compact identified, with support from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Carnegie Corporation.

In 2008-2009, we experimented with a different approach to the Engaged Scholars initiative. Ten outstanding leaders joined us as Engaged Scholars for New Perspectives in Higher Education:

• Elizabeth Carmichael Burton, Associate Director, Office of Citizenship and Service-Learning, Missouri State University;
• David Donahue, Associate Professor of Education, Mills College;
• Mari­a Mercedes Franco, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, and Associate Director, QCC ExCEL Service-Learning Initiative, Queensborough Community College;
• Melissa Kesler Gilbert, Director, Center for Community Engagement, Otterbein College;
• Patrick Green, Director of Experiential Learning, Loyola University Chicago;
• Mathew Johnson, Associate Professor of Sociology, and Director, Presidential VISTA Fellows Program, Siena College;
• Micki Meyer, Director of Community Engagement, Rollins College;
• Tania Mitchell, Service Learning Director, Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, and Lecturer, School of Education and CCSRE, Stanford University;
• Margaret Post, Director, Donelan Office of Community Based Learning, College of Holy Cross; and
• Rowena Tomaneng, Professor of English and Women’s Studies, Lecturer in Ethnic Studies, and Director, Institute of Community and Civic Engagement, DeAnza (Community) College.

These Engaged Scholars functioned as an intentional learning community in an earlier precursor to the current Engaged Scholars Initiative. Campus Compact chose each scholar specifically for their ability to bring diverse communities, identities, and perspectives to bear on their work; their academic and administrative leadership of engagement efforts at a variety of types of higher education institutions across the country; and their commitment to sharing the results of their collaborative action and analysis and to expanding the dialogue to engage other colleagues, community partners, and students.