SMCM faculty and staff are encouraged to get involved and give back to the St. Mary’s and Southern Maryland community. We know many of you already engage in community service, whether professionally or personally. If you do, please let us know about it! We want to track SMCM’s positive impact on the community.
- If you are looking for a way to volunteer, review our list of one-time and ongoing opportunities.
- Each September, CDCE hosts a Nonprofit Expo where you can meet staff and volunteers from local nonprofits and learn about volunteering with them.
- In the spring semester, you are invited to participate in the MLK Day of Service and Bay to Bay Service Days.
- You might also consider sitting on a local board or committee, or offering to serve as a guest speaker/lecturer at a community meeting or event. If you are interested, reach out to us.
- We are always looking for faculty willing to speak out in the community about their work. For example, we host the well-received Science in the Pub series, where faculty can share their research with the general public in a relaxed, happy-hour environment. If you would like to be part of the SMCM Speakers Bureau, please fill out this form.
- Finally, at the end of each academic year, the SMCM Community Impact Awards recognize faculty, staff, students, and community partners for their service, leadership, and partnership. Consider submitting awards to celebrate achievements in these areas.
Staff
The Staff Senate organizes service activities and donation drives, and recognizes staff community service contributions. To find out more, visit the Staff Senate website.
Faculty
CDCE serves as a resource for faculty interested in developing community-engaged learning (CEL) courses. Faculty members should reach out to us at the beginning stages of planning. We can connect you with community organizations, review your project plans, and help ensure your course meets the standard for CBL.
- What is community-engaged learning?
- Previously referred to as service learning or community-based learning, -community-engaged learning (CEL) refers to experiential (out-of-classroom, reflective) courses that have a specific focus on community service, i.e., work that addresses an identified need in the local community.
- CEL courses must include reciprocal community partners. They should contain 30% or more coursework that relates to civic engagement and demonstrate collaborative and meaningful engagement with community partners.
SMCM is committed to expanding opportunities for students to engage in mutually beneficial partnerships within St. Mary’s County and the Southern Maryland region. Some examples of current CEL courses at SMCM include Community Arts, Writing the Word in the World, Spanish in the Community, Coastal Community Resilience, Spanish in the Community, Community-Based Plays, and several of our LEAD 211 offerings.
For more information on community engagement and community-engaged learning, refer to the Carnegie Foundation website.