In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

447 Developing Emerging Engagement Scholars in Higher Education Angela Allen and Tami L. Moore Aprimary purpose of research institutions is to structure educational programs that target contemporary and future needs (Altbach, 1999). Several leading scholars, in their discussions of the faculty role in engagement, have begun to recommend the preparation of graduate students for engagement as a supplement to their disciplinary training (Bloomfield , 2006; Gaff, 2005; O’Meara, 2005; Rice, 2005). Austin and Barnes (2005) specifically discuss how doctoral programs can prepare graduate students for faculty careers with a focus on “the public good” (p. 272). Basing their discussion on a summary of highlights from recent studies regarding graduate education, the authors recommend that doctoral programs should incorporate the following competency areas for graduate students who want to become engaged scholars: developing appreciation of the core purposes and values of higher education institutions; understanding different institutional types and their missions ; understanding what public service, outreach, and engagement mean; and developing certain skills specific for success within the academic profession, including research, teaching , teamwork and collaboration, communication, and appreciation for institutional citizenship responsibilities (Austin & Barnes, 2005). Nelson (2006) also offers suggestions for different disciplinary doctoral programs to use engagement to prepare students for their careers. The author acknowledges that although the focus on research (at the doctoral level, especially) and applied professional program or discipline requirements make it unlikely that the typical model of service-learning will take root in graduate education, developing community-engaged scholars requires collaborative, interdisciplinary research, teaching, learning, and service practices that connect disciplinary and civic knowledge in community problem solving. Sullivan and Rosen (2008) label this approach “pedagogy for practical reason” aimed at deepening students’ facility in working A N G E L A A L L E N A N D T A M I L . M O O R E 448 at the connection between theory and practice (p. xii). They also acknowledge that this idea runs “against the grain” of traditional approaches in higher education, and few opportunities exist to experience this sort of educational approach. Austin and Barnes (2005), Nelson (2006), and others clearly value a focus on serving the public good in the preparation of future faculty and higher education administrators. Nelson (2006) and Sullivan and Rosen (2008) demonstrate that new approaches to achieve this goal within traditional curriculum will be established slowly, if at all. In the meantime, it will be important to create other venues for supporting the development of community-engaged scholars. In this chapter, we tell the story of one such program, the Emerging Engagement Scholars Workshop (EESW), a preconference event affiliated with the annual National Outreach Scholarship Conference. In 2009, the workshop enters in its third year. The design and implementation of the event has evolved over time, balanced by the participation of a planning committee including senior scholars, alumni from previous EESW workshops, and other advocates. Origins and Evolution of the Emerging Engagement Scholars Workshop In December 2006, the authors proposed a unique professional development and mentoring opportunity for graduate student and nontenured faculty scholar-practitioners in engagement and outreach, to be held at the 2007 National Outreach Scholarship Conference (NOSC). Our proposal for the Emerging Engagement Scholars Workshop was modeled after the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) Division J (Postsecondary Education ) annual pre-general conference seminar. The inaugural EESW was co-sponsored by the National Center for the Study of University Engagement at Michigan State University (NCSUE), in partnership with the Higher Education Network for Community Engagement (HENCE). Continuation funding in 2008 and beyond is provided by the NOSC partnership institutions steering committee and NCSUE. When planning for the 2007 workshop began, we were doctoral students in higher education administration programs, from Michigan State University and Washington State University, respectively. A faculty member introduced us via email in April 2006 for the purpose of collaborating with other scholars on a symposium proposal for the 2006 Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) conference. We shared a common background as former community practitioners who chose to pursue doctoral degrees, in the hopes of connecting our community practitioner experiences with academic research, and increasing the presence of this voice in the scholarly literature. We came together at the 2006 Outreach Scholarship Conference and again at ASHE later that fall. Across these two conferences, we had conversations where we noted the absence of an organized opportunity for graduate student attendees at NOSC to discuss their experiences or scholarly interests. These conversations led to our work...

Share