Office of Service-Learning and Volunteer Programs | West Chester University
705 S. New Street | Lawrence Center, Room 241 | West Chester, PA 19383 | 610-436-3379 | www.wcupa.edu
October 27, 2015
Dear Colleagues,
The Office of Service-Learning and Volunteer Programs is seeking faculty interested in participating in
the Community Engagement Scholars Program. The purpose of the program is to deepen university and
community partnerships, while enhancing and strengthening the service-learning experience for West
Chester University students and faculty. Community Engagement Scholars are trained student leaders
who assist faculty who are teaching and/or designing academic service-learning courses.
Each week CE Scholars spend approximately 5-8 hours coordinating service-learning projects. The CE
Scholar’s position may include: assisting with logistics for service-learning courses, preparing an
orientation/training, collaborating with community agency staff, leading a reflective dialogue in the
classroom or in the community, researching partner agencies for future service-learning courses, or
assisting with a community-based research project.
The Office of Service-Learning and Volunteer Programs will provide an orientation for both the faculty
and CE Scholar. The training will include setting expectations, planning the CE Scholar’s schedule, best
practices in service-learning, facilitating reflection, and an overview of the program. The CE Scholar will
also participate in several leadership workshops throughout the semester, such as a resume writing
workshop and Diversity 411. CE Scholars will be compensated with a $500 scholarship. CE Scholars are
appointed for one semester. Five CE Scholars will be selected for the spring 2016 semester.
The application deadline is December 1, 2015. Faculty will be notified of their acceptance by December
8, 2015. Faculty are responsible for assisting with recruiting and selecting a student leader. Spring 2016
CE Scholars should be identified prior to January 1, 2016. If you are interested in the CE Scholars
Program, but need assistance with creating a plan of action for your course or department, please contact
Jodi Roth-Saks at the information listed above.
Sincerely,
Jodi Roth-Saks, MA
Director of Service-Learning and Volunteer Programs
JRoth@wcupa.edu
Liz Wang Ph.D
Service-Learning Faculty Associate
cwang@wcupa.edu
Community Engagement Scholars Program
Faculty Application
Name of Appointed Faculty Supervisor:
Department:
Campus Address:
Phone Number:
Email:
Please answer the following questions.
1) Describe how the Community Engagement Scholars Program will enhance your existing servicelearning course or department’s plan for community engagement or service-learning initiatives.
2) Focus of Work:
 Academic service-learning course
 Department with increasing community partnerships, community-based research projects,
or other community-engagement efforts (please specify)
3) Please list the names of the community agencies collaborating with this project:
4) Please provide a description of the work the CE Scholar will participate in during his/her semester in
the program.
5) Describe the level of supervision the CE Scholar will receive. How will you ensure that they are
contributing meaningfully to your department or service-learning course?
6) Is this the first time you plan to teach this service-learning course or have you taught the course in
previous semesters? Please explain. Include the course name and prefix.
Please initial in the space provided:
7) If selected for the program I will share a copy of this application with the student I select to be the
Community Engagement Scholar. _____ YES
8) If selected for this program I will try my best to select a student whose academic schedule aligns with
when my service-learning course or project is taking place, and he/she is available during this
timeframe. _____ YES
2
Required Actions and Acknowledgements:
a. Once selected to host a Community Engagement Scholar, the academic department or faculty is
responsible for recruiting and selecting the undergraduate or graduate student to fill the CE Scholar
position.
b. Once you have selected the student, please have them fill out the following online application:
https://orgsync.com/34350/forms/105707
c. CE Scholars may need adequate workspace so that they may support departmental/faculty efforts.
This workspace may be shared with other student employees, teaching or research assistants.
d. If a CE Scholar is new to the program the faculty and student team will be required to participate in
an orientation in the beginning of fall semester. CE Scholars will also meet several times throughout
the semester for leadership workshops with the Office of Service-Learning and Volunteer Programs
staff. Faculty are not required to attend the leadership workshops.
e. All faculty hosting a CE Scholar are required to fill out an end of the semester online survey about
the Community Engagement Scholars Program. The CE Scholar will also participated in an
assessment.
f. If the CE Scholar is assisting with a service-learning course, the students in your course will be
asked to participate in an assessment administered in the beginning and again at the end of the
semester.
g. Please inform your department chair that you are seeking a Community Engagement Scholar for
Spring semester 2016. Electronic signatures are acceptable.
Name of Participating Faculty Member
Signature of Participating Faculty Member
Name of Department Chair
Signature of Department Chair
Please submit your completed application to Jodi Roth-Saks at JRoth@wcupa.edu.
3