Transforming Students Into Leaders
Through Civic Engagement:
Expanding the Classroom Experience
Madeline Gunn, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Experiential Learning
Maureen L. Mackenzie, Ph.D. PHR
Professor of Business
Kathleen Maurer Smith Ph.D
Dean, Division of Social Sciences
Associate Dean for Graduate Academic Affairs
13th Biennial Colloquium of
Dominican Colleges and Universities
Molloy College
June 12-14, 2014
The Expanded Classroom
Kathleen Maurer Smith
The Expanded Classroom involves
Experiential Learning which includes:
 Internships
 Community-based research
 Service Learning in local
communities
 Service Learning Immersion trips
The Expanded Classroom
Kathleen Maurer Smith
Experiential Learning prepares students
to:
• Discover connections between ideas and
real world problems
• Become socially aware, civically engaged
citizens
• Develop transformational leadership
skills
• Become motivated toward
conscientious community action
Transformative Education
Maureen L. Mackenzie
Fall 2012 – Annual Theme – Civic Engagement
 Capstone: Management focused on Social Good
 Bloomberg Foundation – Mayor’s Challenge
 Study, Spirituality, Service, Community

…Through transformative education, Molloy College
promotes a lifelong search for truth and the
development of ethical leadership.

Clients:Villages of Babylon, Port Jefferson,
Mastic Beach, Freeport, NCCHR, LIRPC,
Housing Authority, Sustainability Long Island
The Village of Babylon
Preservation of Historic Properties
Ajana Wilkinson
Transformative Education that leads to
Social Good:
Self efficacy and self-discovery
Explore solutions that would simplify for
residents the complexity of preservation code



Establish a Landmark Preservation Commission
The code be reformed to plain language
The village apply for grants to be used solely for the purpose
of historic preservation
The Village of Babylon
Chamber of Commerce:
Frequent Shopper Card
Joanna Bellinzoni
Capstone – Transformative Education leads to
Social Good: Self efficacy and self-discovery
Experiential Learning
Madeline Gunn
Expanding the classroom beyond
the local community: how & why.

Synergy or convergence between the partnering
community and college needs
◦ New Orleans – Hurricane Katrina (2005) left the city with substantial needs
and the BP oil spill (2010) left the Gulf Coast significantly damaged. (Nursing &
Environmental Science majors)
◦ Bayamon, Puerto Rico – 45% unemployment, 80% of the children live in
poverty, rich culture & history (Spanish and Spanish Education majors)
◦ Lower Brule Sioux Reservation, South Dakota. The historical consequences of
the reservation system are still evident today. The unemployment rate is 51%,
local schools scored below testing goals, rich culture and history. (Psychology,
Sociology, History majors)
It is all about relationship…

We create the most meaningful experiences for
our students through our relationships with our
community partners

Our students learn about the people, the culture
and the challenges they confront through
relationship with that community

Educators convey theory / learning goals more
effectively through relationship with students
Ms. Gurchurn Minhas
Nursing major
New Orleans, Louisiana
Ms. Joana Solarte
Nursing major
Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Ms. Jasmine Rivera
Psychology Major
Lower Brule Sioux
Reservation, South Dakota
Transforming Students Into Leaders
Through Civic Engagement:
Expanding the Classroom Experience
Insights and Wrap-up
Kathleen Maurer Smith
ACADEMIC LEARNING
+
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
=
STUDENT AND COMMUNITY
SUCCESS
Insights and Wrap-up
Kathleen Maurer Smith

Students who participate in civic
engagement
◦ Learn and retain more academic content
◦ Learn higher order skills
◦ Experience increased emotional
intelligence and motivation
Insights and Wrap-up
Kathleen Maurer Smith

Communities benefit by:
◦ Forming transformative partnership with
local colleges and universities to assess
community needs and develop solutions
◦ Tapping into the multidiscipline expertise
of students and faculty
◦ Experiencing the community
improvements that results from these
collaborate efforts
Transforming Students Into Leaders
Through Civic Engagement:
Expanding the Classroom Experience
THANK YOU!