Public engagement in LAS
Our mission
In the LAS Office of Public Engagement, we aim to foster trusting and long-term collaborative community and campus partnerships that guide university resources and activities towards mutually beneficial outcomes for all of society.
- We are committed to equal and open dialogue, active listening, and empowering different perspectives to ensure that our efforts are grounded in a diversity of lived experiences.
- We strive to create an authentic culture of shared responsibility, collaboration, and social changes as we learn, innovate, and create beyond the university in our scholarly activities.
- We envision a future where knowledge and innovation thrive and our collective efforts meaningfully contribute to a more just, inclusive, and prosperous society.
Our values
Our public engagement mission is centered on the principles of authenticity, inclusion, responsiveness, and mutual benefit.
Our goals
To further our public engagement mission, we aim to:
1. Establish new and productive relationships outside the college, university, and academic context to foster understanding, trust, and shared goals.
2. Support opportunities to establish such partnerships to build scholarly collaborations that are sustainable, inclusive, action oriented and effective.
3. Establish and maintain a hub for communication, information, strategies, assessment, and resources for faculty, students, and community members to facilitate the creation of partnerships and collaborations.
4. Inspire and engage our faculty and students to become socially responsible, action oriented, and equipped with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets to contribute to the betterment of our society.
5. Foster community-based research such as participatory action research (e.g., research where the community takes the lead), community service and outreach (e.g., volunteerism, outreach programs), and community-based learning opportunities (e.g., field studies, internships, professional practica, project-based learning, program outcome evaluation, service learning).
Putting our values into practice
Find out more about how we engage our community and our partners through our guiding principles.
The Spurlock Museum fosters authenticity by offering collections and educational programs that help interpret the diversity of cultures.
Cena y Ciencias and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) seek to engage communities representing a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Cena y Ciencias and CLACS strive to promote inclusivity and foster learning throughout collaboration with the University and the local Champaign-Urbana community.
Not only are our faculty conducting research that is cutting-edge and innovative, but their research also contributes to justice and equity. Learn more about how our faculty are involved with Illinois HR 453 and the Investigative Technology Exchange.
The Cline Center for Advanced Social Research aims to make interdisciplinary research and data accessible to the community. They expand campus and community research capacities, giving voice to data by transforming information into knowledge so communities can understand—and address—real-world issues that affect the lives of people around the globe.
News
Read about public engagement efforts within the College of LAS.
