Co-curricular community engagement describes undergraduate involvement in volunteer service activities through student life programs such as registered student organizations, Residence Life and Housing, and Athletics.
The types of activities may range from a one-time volunteer activity, to extended volunteer commitments through membership in service-based fraternities or sororities, to leadership in an organization focused on community service.
Students may pursue many kinds of engagement, from direct service (working in and with communities) to philanthropy (raising funds for organizations to better serve their clients).
These activities can be a significant component of a UD student’s experience, yet opportunities for students to reflect on their experiences are inconsistent. Departments that organize volunteer community engagement for undergraduates have expressed an interest in a set of common goals and reflection activities that they may draw from to create more meaningful experiences.
Resources
During the 2017-2018 academic year, the Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning led representatives from the Community Engagement Initiative, Student Life, Athletics, and the Faculty Senate General Education Committee in the development of shared learning outcomes for undergraduates engaged in co-curricular volunteer and service opportunities.
The results of those efforts, including learning outcomes, rubrics, and resources for leading reflection activities are provided below.
Please note that the materials provided here are not a comprehensive summary of co-curricular service experiences at UD. This site is considered a living document, and will be updated periodically as feedback is received. We encourage contributions to the resources!
Student Learning Outcomes
Students who participate in volunteer service activities will:
- Analyze and communicate their own strengths and skills that they can offer a specific community; identify one weakness to develop. (GE1b, GE4, GE2)
- Analyze the strengths and structural challenges of a specific community. (GE1b)
- Describe the role of advocacy and how one advocates. (G1A-C, G2A-C, G3, G4)
- Identify the potential impact of an engaged citizenry to address a community need (GE4) and create strategies to form strong community partnerships. (GE3, GE1C)
- Articulate the connections between their academic experiences and co-curricular service. (GE2)
These learning outcomes are mapped to the General Education Objectives.
Additional Resources
Co-curricular Community Engagement Rubric
In addition to the learning outcomes and resources housed here, the Community Engagement Initiative is pleased to announce that the first graduates of the Active Citizens Workshop Series can lead reflection for co-curricular service. These are undergraduate students who have participated in the workshop series to better understand their relationship with service and engagement, and are ready to serve as reflection leaders to students participating in service.