UHP
Students doing community clean-up

Community Engagement

We are all part of local and global communities; engaging with these communities intentionally and ethically is a core trait of becoming a global citizen scholar. During your time at UC, you will work with and learn about specific groups of people defined by interest, affiliation, or geographic location. Each of these involvements brings an opportunity to deepen both your understanding of yourself, as well as the wider world. 

When you choose communities with which to engage, you are embarking on a vital component of the university experience that will continue throughout your life. Each opportunity will build upon the last, leaving you more aware of social issues and better able to contributie to a collective vision for the common good.

Learning Outcomes

Through engagement in community engagement experiences, you will make progress toward the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to:

  1. Contribute to Community Goals
    1. Assess the needs and priorities of the chosen community to determine how best to contribute.
    2. Explore and select roles, such as volunteer, collaborator, organizer, or advocate, that support shared objectives.
    3. Align personal skills and interests with meaningful opportunities for impact.
  2. Understand Community Perspectives
    1. Engage in active listening and dialogue to deepen mutual understanding.
    2. Recognize how lived experiences and historical context shape community perspectives.
    3. Build respectful, trusting relationships that support ongoing learning and collaboration.
  3. Connect Service to Social Purpose
    1. Reflect on how service experiences connect to broader social issues or public needs.
    2. Understand how contributing to a community also supports personal insight and development.
    3. Recognize service as a pathway to civic engagement and meaningful social impact.
  4. Explore Pathways for Change
    1. Examine how different strategies, such as awareness campaigns, grassroots efforts, or policy work, create change.
    2. Analyze examples of successful community transformation driven by informed action.
    3. Consider how your skills and academic background can contribute to long-term solutions.

Career Readiness and Community Engagement

Through community engagement experiences, you will develop skills that directly translate to professional success, including: 

  • Collaboration across groups and disciplines
  • Effective communication tailored to various stakeholders
  • Problem-solving and strategic thinking
  • Project management and community impact
  • Civic participation and awareness 

By integrating community engagement experiences into your career journey, you will graduate with the empathy, mindset, and knowledge to genuinely engage with others, establishing a strong foundation to move toward your career and future goals.