Upcoming Events
Board Retreat
IARSLCE annual board retreat
Click here for our procedures for requesting records and for inquiring about attending a board meeting.
Board Meeting
IARSLCE monthly board meeting
Click here for our procedures for requesting records and for inquiring about attending a board meeting.
Board Meeting
IARSLCE monthly board meeting
Click here for our procedures for requesting records and for inquiring about attending a board meeting.
Board Meeting
IARSLCE monthly board meeting
Click here for our procedures for requesting records and for inquiring about attending a board meeting.
SIG Networked Inquiry and Knowledge Sharing Sessions
Join IARSLCE SIG members and colleagues interested in collaborating on SLCE research. These sessions will allow for informal networking and knowledge sharing about research interests in the field. Sessions facilitated by Elaine Ward.
Board Meeting
IARSLCE monthly board meeting
Click here for our procedures for requesting records and for inquiring about attending a board meeting.
Dissertation Dish
LEAD California, IARSLCE and GivePulse are proud to announce our next speaker:
Dr. Mitra Baghdadi, Associate Director, Center for Community Engagement, California State University, Long Beach
Dr. Mitra Baghdadi brings over 20 years of experience in community-based research, experiential learning, and program development. As Associate Director of the Center for Community Engagement at California State University, Long Beach, she leads the Service-Learning program, supports faculty in integrating experiential learning, and advances strategic community partnerships. Her research focuses on student achievement, leadership, and high-impact educational practices, with an emphasis on program evaluation and evidence-based learning models. Dr. Baghdadi holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from California State University, Los Angeles and has served in numerous leadership roles supporting equity, community engagement, and institutional development.
Dissertation Topic: Cultivating Changemakers: The Impact of Leadership Integration in Service-Learning Pedagogy
SIG Networked Inquiry and Knowledge Sharing Sessions
Join IARSLCE SIG members and colleagues interested in collaborating on SLCE research. These sessions will allow for informal networking and knowledge sharing about research interests in the field. Sessions facilitated by Elaine Ward.
SIG Networked Inquiry and Knowledge Sharing Sessions
Join IARSLCE SIG members and colleagues interested in collaborating on SLCE research. These sessions will allow for informal networking and knowledge sharing about research interests in the field. Sessions facilitated by Elaine Ward.
Research 101, Part 2: Designing and Conducting Community-Based Research
Join us on June 25 for an engaging webinar designed for faculty, PhD students, and higher education professionals interested in community-based and SLCE (Service-Learning and Community Engagement) research. This interactive session will feature experts in the field sharing practical guidance on developing strong research designs, selecting effective data collection methods and platforms, and applying quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques. Whether you are new to this type of research or looking to strengthen your current approach, this session will provide valuable insights into research best practices from the researcher’s perspective.
Board Meeting
IARSLCE monthly board meeting
Click here for our procedures for requesting records and for inquiring about attending a board meeting.
SIG Panel: Faculty Rewards & Oral Histories and CE
Panel discussion with Chairs from our Faculty Rewards and Oral Histories & CE SIGs. Featured speakers include Emily Janke, Director, Institute for Community & Economic Engagement, University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), Lauren Wendling, Director of Institutional Success, Collaboratory, Kristy Howell, Associate Director, Institute for Community & Economic Engagement, UNCG, Erica Wrencher, Assistant Director, Institute for Community and Economic Engagement at UNCG. Moderated by Dr. Elaine Ward
SIG Panel: Faculty Rewards & Oral Histories and CE
Panel discussion with Chairs from our Faculty Rewards and Oral Histories & CE SIGs. Featured speakers include Emily Janke, Director, Institute for Community & Economic Engagement, University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), Lauren Wendling, Director of Institutional Success, Collaboratory, Kristy Howell, Associate Director, Institute for Community & Economic Engagement, UNCG, Erica Wrencher, Assistant Director, Institute for Community and Economic Engagement at UNCG. Moderated by Dr. Elaine Ward
Board Meeting
IARSLCE monthly board meeting
Click here for our procedures for requesting records and for inquiring about attending a board meeting.
Global Research Agenda Info Session
As we look toward the future of our field, your input and participation are vital. Join to learn more about the Global Research Agenda’s key pillars, our strategic goals, and how you can get involved.
Register for Session 2: May 20, 2026 at 4:00 pm PT | 7:00 pm ET | May 21, 2026 at 8:00 am Tokyo | 9:00am Sydney
Global Research Agenda Info Session
As we look toward the future of our field, your input and participation are vital. Join to learn more about the Global Research Agenda’s key pillars, our strategic goals, and how you can get involved.
Register for Session 1: May 20, 2026 at 8:00 am CT | 11:00 am ET | 4:00 pm London | 5:00 pm Durban
Dissertation Dish
LEAD California, IARSLCE and GivePulse are proud to announce our next speaker:
Dr. Colette Ankenman, Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at Saint Mary's College of California
Moderator: Dr. Sarah Beth Dempsey, Director of Engaged Learning and Visiting Professor, School of Liberal Arts at Saint Mary's College of California
About our Next Speaker:
Colette Ankenman, Ed.D. is a research practitioner dedicated to positive youth development and community engagement. Her primary research interest is exploring the impact of nonformal service-learning and community engagement youth programming. She recently completed her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Saint Mary’s College of California and holds a Master of Science Degree in Child Development from UC Davis, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Development and Family Studies and Consumer and Community Studies from the University of Utah.
Dissertation Topic: Authentic Youth Community Engagement in Nonformal Service-Learning and Community Engagement Programming
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore what programmatic aspects of a nonformal service-learning and community engagement (SLCE) program contributed to youth being authentically engaged in their communities and how youth participants define engagement. The program investigated was a high school leadership program for students who self-identified as women. Using a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, data was collected via surveys and semi-structured interviews. The quantitative data found that components of the Emergent Theory of the Role of Context in Service-Learning Practice Model (Fox & LaChenaye, 2016) were positively associated with participants’ engagement. Additionally, four interview themes emerged about what authentic engagement means to participants: applying learned materials, community and connections, empowered to make a difference, and unique times of COVID-19. Based on these findings and past research, three recommendations were created: the power of empowerment, community, and youth voice.
SIG Panel: Social Drivers of Health & Graduate Student Preparation
Panel discussion with Chairs from our Social Drivers of Health & CE and Graduate Student Preparation in SLCE SIGs. Featured speakers include Melissa Hall, Associate Director for Community Engaged Research, Center for HOPE at the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute, Dennis McCunney, Associate Director, Center for Student Success, East Carolina University, Susan Harris, Executive Director Joint Educational Project, University of Southern California, and Emily Phaup, Senior Manager, Professional Development, Campus Compact. Moderated by Dr. Elaine Ward
Register for Session 2
SIG Panel: Social Drivers of Health & Graduate Student Preparation
Panel discussion with Chairs from our Social Drivers of Health & CE and Graduate Student Preparation in SLCE SIGs. Featured speakers include Melissa Hall, Associate Director for Community Engaged Research, Center for HOPE at the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute, Dennis McCunney, Associate Director, Center for Student Success, East Carolina University, Susan Harris, Executive Director Joint Educational Project, University of Southern California, and Emily Phaup, Senior Manager, Professional Development, Campus Compact. Moderated by Dr. Elaine Ward
Register for Session 1
Board Meeting
IARSLCE monthly board meeting
Click here for our procedures for requesting records and for inquiring about attending a board meeting.
SIGs: Collaborative Research & Networked Knowledge Sharing
IARSLCE is pleased to announce the formation and launch of Special Interest Research Groups (SIGs). SIGs provide a structure for IARSLCE researchers to come together around a common interest. The goals of the SIGs are to provide a capacity building infrastructure for IARSLCE members to deepen existing research, foster new research, and mentor the next generation of service-learning and community engagement researchers. Dr. Elaine Ward, IARSLCE Scholar in Residence will share about the design and development of the SIGs and the possibilities for IARSCLE members, communities, and research on service-learning and community engagement. Speakers: Elaine Ward, Merrimack College and Stacey Muse, IARSLCE Board Chair
SIGs: Collaborative Research & Networked Knowledge Sharing
IARSLCE is pleased to announce the formation and launch of Special Interest Research Groups (SIGs). SIGs provide a structure for IARSLCE researchers to come together around a common interest. The goals of the SIGs are to provide a capacity building infrastructure for IARSLCE members to deepen existing research, foster new research, and mentor the next generation of service-learning and community engagement researchers. Dr. Elaine Ward, IARSLCE Scholar in Residence will share about the design and development of the SIGs and the possibilities for IARSCLE members, communities, and research on service-learning and community engagement. Speakers: Elaine Ward, Merrimack College and Stacey Muse, IARSLCE Board Chair
Board Meeting
IARSLCE monthly board meeting
Click here for our procedures for requesting records and for inquiring about attending a board meeting.
Request for Proposals Deadline
Read the complete RFP and submit a proposal to IARSLCE 2026 by March 18.
Dissertation Dish
LEAD California, IARSLCE and GivePulse are proud to announce our next speaker:
Dr. Laura Wilmarth Tyna, Director of Community Engagement and Experiential Learning and the Lewis University Community Schools Consortium (LUCSC) at Lewis University
Moderator: Dr. Tania Mitchell, Associate Provost for Community Engagement, Professor in Counseling, Higher Education and Special Education at University of Maryland
About our Next Speaker:
Dr. Laura Wilmarth Tyna serves as Director of Community Engagement and Experiential Learning and the Lewis University Community Schools Consortium (LUCSC) at Lewis University in the Chicagoland area. In this capacity, she works with local schools and community-based organizations to support community thriving by facilitating collaborative partnerships and resource sharing. She has served as a higher education community engagement professional for over 20 years.
Laura received a doctorate of education in student affairs administration and leadership from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse in May 2025. Previously, she earned a master of arts degree in students affairs administration from the University of Maryland, College Park. Laura’s professional interests focus on anti-racist community engagement and P-12/ higher education partnerships.
Dissertation Topic: Anti-Racist Community Engagement Among White Faculty: An Emergent Model
Abstract: In an era when acknowledging race and diversity is viewed with hostility, researching and understanding more about that which fosters anti-racist practice and racial justice in community engagement is critical. Despite growing interest in anti-racist practices in service-learning and community engagement (SLCE), little is understood about why white faculty adopt anti-racist community-engaged pedagogy (ARCEP) and how they implement it effectively. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explore the experiences of white-bodied anti-racist community engagement (ARCE) practitioners and how they came to understand and practice ARCEP. Findings suggest an emergent theory of ARCE among white faculty that can be used to combat the harm caused by racism and white supremacy perpetrated through SLCE. The theory underscores the significance of community and fostering ways of being which contribute to authentic relationships - between higher education and communities, between faculty and students, and among white colleagues holding each other accountable.
Board Meeting
IARSLCE monthly board meeting
Click here for our procedures for requesting records and for inquiring about attending a board meeting.
PSC application deadline
We are excited to offer our Practitioner-Scholar Community experience again in early 2026. The application will be live on January 12th and due January 31st, with the cohort beginning in mid-February.
Board Meeting
IARSLCE monthly board meeting
Click here for our procedures for requesting records and for inquiring about attending a board meeting.
Beyond the Usual Suspects: SLCE Scholarship in STEM
This interactive webinar will feature four scholar-practitioners whose service-learning and community engagement work is based in STEM fields. The webinar goes “beyond the usual suspects” in several ways. It features four women trained in traditionally male-dominated fields. It discusses scholarship that spans traditional disciplinary boundaries, integrating the arts, humanities, and sustainable development into STEM education and practice. And it shines a spotlight on community engagement in disciplines not well represented in the SLCE field. The speakers, who hail from all over the world and are at different stages in their careers, will describe their distinct pathways into this work, providing models and inspiration for others who seek to bridge the gap between SLCE and STEM. Please join us for what is sure to be a lively conversation with four remarkable women!
Board nominations deadline
IARSLCE invites its membership to consider service on the Board of Directors. Nominations will be open from September 15-October 15, 2025. The Association is seeking candidates dedicated to deepening the mission of IARSLCE, who bring expertise in areas that strengthen the Association's work, including events and conference planning, resource development, K-12, and/or STEM-related perspectives. Prior volunteer involvement with IARSLCE through the annual conference, committees, or special programming is strongly preferred.
Click here for more information.