What You'll Do As A Scholar
Through the program, Bennion Community Engaged Scholars demonstrate their commitment to ethical engagement with communities. They gain practical, hands-on social impact experience while deep-diving with their peers in the root causes of social dynamics. By doing so, they learn to situate their individual experience in the broader context of social change. They eventually develop the necessary awareness, skills, habits, and values to be life-long civically engaged citizens.
As one of only four official transcript designation programs at the University of Utah, the program includes academic and community engagement requirements.
Hours can be performed as part of the requirements of one of the Community Engaged programs on campus (contact the Program Manager to find potential programs for you). Up to 100 compensated hours through those programs can be counted toward this requirement.
Other hours must meet a recognized community need through a non-profit agency or group, provide service to the University community, or assist an individual person in need. Service must be performed without an hourly wage or compensation.
Up to 100 hours performed prior to entering the program but while the individual was enrolled at the University are eligible.
Required 3-credit Pathways to Community Engagement (BENN 1020) offered fall and spring semesters.
6 credits of additional Community Engaged Learning (CEL) coursework of the Scholar’s choosing. Any prior Community Engaged Learning credits may be applied to the program requirements. In order to receive credit, the class must have a CEL designation in the "Course Attributes" of the online course catalog.
Required 1-credit Capstone Course (BENN) offered fall semester. This course requires a permission code to register. Scholars must have completed at least 100h of community engagement prior to enrollment. Collectively, students will learn to analyze a social issue at a systemic level, leveraring system mapping as a tool and articulating the potential role of each pathway of engagement in addressing this issue. Individually, students will reflect on their own engagement and how it fits in a broader context. They will also assess how that engagement hasn't only contributed to social change but also impacted them as individuals.
Reflection is an essential part of community engaged learning. In the context of the program, reflection is the act of discovering meaning behind our community engagement experiences. Rather than a simple retelling of events, Scholars articulate the relationship between different interactions and deeper issues and concepts. Scholars are able to use different methods for reflection such as journaling, writing a poem or song, making a video, or art. For a reflection to meet the program criteria it must meet 3 Core Elements: Description (What?), Meaning (So What?), and Action (Now What?).
Students must submit one reflection per semester in order for their community engagement hours to be counted toward the program requirements.
Maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA throughout the duration of the program.
Check-in each semester with a peer mentor.
Attend the annual Civic Leadership Conference held the first Saturday of November.
Program Benefits
- Earn an official transcript designation to boost your degree
- Receive a robust training for the Map the System competition (no participation guaranteed)
- Be recognized at the annual CEL celebration
- Gain networking and resume building experience
- Receive a cord at graduation
Admission Requirements
- 3.0 cumulative GPA
- At least two academic years left until graduation (you can have more and apply earlier)
- A desire to make a positive difference in your world!