Faculty members discuss engaged scholarship during a workshop held by Penn State Sustainability in 2024. Credit: Geubrina Puntia / Penn State. All Rights Reserved.
January 21, 2025
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Sustainability (SustainPSU) manages two programs that provide faculty with the opportunity to incorporate real-world experiences into classroom learning: the Sustainable Communities Collaborative (SCC) and Living Labs programs. The SCC facilitates partnerships with Pennsylvania local governments, non-profits, and businesses, while Living Labs focuses on projects that will advance Penn State campus sustainability, including at Commonwealth Campuses.
This approach to providing impactful teaching and learning can be daunting for faculty as partners and projects change, field trips have to be organized, and assessments are restructured. To address these and other challenges to curricular engaged scholarship or experiential learning, the SCC and Living Labs have developed a Provost Endorsement Program training for faculty: Experiential Learning and Sustainability: Curricular Engaged Scholarship for a Sustainable Future.
The first cohort participated in an in-person workshop in the fall of 2024.
“The workshop was extremely helpful in planning the SCC experience for my students,” said Leana Topper, teaching professor in biology. “I became familiar with past creative projects that students developed with other instructors. Additionally, I learned how to incorporate assessment of student work and to provide periodic feedback to them during the semester. Most significantly, I felt supported by Penn State Sustainability throughout the entire experience.”
A new 2025 training is now being offered online via Canvas. The course walks faculty through the intentions of the programs, providing insights, tools, and a platform for continuous engagement with peers and resources. Registration is required.
In addition to the Provost Endorsement Program training, Penn State Sustainability manages an Engaged Scholarship Community of Practice (ESCoP) for faculty who participate or are interested in curricular engaged pedagogy. While the Provost Endorsement Program is not a prerequisite for participation in the ESCoP, at least one community of practice session is required to fulfill the Provost Endorsement Program training.
The next ESCoP is scheduled online for Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 12:30 to 1:30 pm. Register HERE to receive a Zoom link.
This early semester session will familiarize participants with engagement resources available through the Student Engagement Network and the online Provost Endorsement Program before opening the discussion for participants to share their questions and insights. For additional information reach out to Krista Bailey at kbailey@psu.edu or Ilona Ballreich at ixb20@psu.edu.
“I felt supported by Penn State Sustainability throughout the entire experience.”
Leana Topper, teaching professor, biology
Ilona Ballreich
Krista Bailey
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