Community-Engaged Learning 101 for Community Partners
Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) at the University of Minnesota connects academic coursework with meaningful work in community organizations. Through CEL, students earn academic credit while contributing time, skills, and learning to community-identified priorities.
The Center for Community-Engaged Learning (CCEL) supports these partnerships by working with faculty, students, and community organizations across the Twin Cities.
What Is Community-Engaged Learning?
Community-engaged learning is a teaching and learning approach that integrates community experiences with academic coursework and structured reflection. Students engage in direct service, project-based work, or research that supports community goals while deepening their learning.
CEL experiences are:
Purposeful and connected to academic learning
Relevant and meaningful for community organizations
Designed to enhance student learning while addressing real-world needs
How Are Community-Engaged Learners Different from Volunteers?
Community-engaged learners are students whose work with your organization is tied to a specific course and learning objectives.
As a community partner:
Student work is connected to what they are studying in class
Students may have specific learning goals they are working toward
You are considered a co-educator, in addition to being a supervisor
What Does It Mean to Be a Co-Educator?
Community partners bring expertise that students and often faculty learn from directly. As a co-educator, you help:
Provide real-world context for academic learning
Shape students’ understanding of your organization and its work
Support student reflection by asking thoughtful, probing questions
Reflection does not need to be formal or time-intensive. Simple conversations about goals, experiences, and the broader context of your work can be powerful learning moments.
Benefits for Students
Develop new skills and professional experience
Apply course concepts in real-world settings
Build confidence and adaptability
Gain networking and career exposure
Strengthen sense of belonging and civic responsibility
Benefits and Challenges for Community Partners
Benefits for Community Organizations
Additional capacity to support your mission
Access to university resources and connections
Opportunities to help educate and mentor students
A pipeline of experienced potential future staff or volunteers
Challenges for Community Organizations
Academic timelines may not align with community needs
Time required for training and supervision
Differences between course objectives and organizational priorities
Limited visibility into course expectations
What Does Community-Engaged Learning Look Like at UMN?
CEL refers to community work that is part of an academic course
Students typically work 2–3 hours per week over the semester
Each semester, CCEL supports 50–60 CEL courses across many disciplines
Questions or Next Steps?
If you have questions about community-engaged learning, partnerships, or next steps:
Center for Community-Engaged Learning
📧 [email protected]
