Office of Community Impact
At The University of Akron, community engagement is defined as:
"The collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. The purpose of community engagement is the partnership of college and university knowledge and resources with those of the public and private sectors to enrich scholarship, research, and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching, and learning; prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good." - Carnegie Foundation, 2024
Community engagement differs from community outreach (or public service) in the degree to which community entities participate in the process and in the purpose of the activity. Both community engagement and community outreach are important aspects of UA’s mission.
Community outreach is an activity done by the university and intended for or provided to others. This work may happen on or off campus or in virtual locations by students or by UA employees. The relationship between the university and the community is often one-way (or highly transactional), with the university typically providing knowledge expertise or resources. Examples of community outreach include public lectures by UA faculty and staff, K-12 camps and career days, service opportunities for students, sponsorship of nonprofit events, attendance at community events (Akron Pride, Akron Marathon) etc.
Community engagement activities are undertaken by universities in collaboration with communities, in a spirit of equitable partnership, co-creation, reciprocity, and mutual benefit. Community engagement is an asset-based approach where all parties bring their expertise and resources to the endeavor with the shared goal of impacting a public priority leveraging each other’s talents.
Summer Research Fellowship
Each year the Office of Community Impact supports one Faculty Research Grant in the amount of $10,000 that draws upon community-engaged research methods to make a public impact. Grants are selected by members of the Senate’s Faculty Research Committee and applications are solicited through the FRC application process.
Applications are due early spring.
UA Faculty Research Committee 2024-25 Faculty Fellowship Guidelines
What We Do
The Office of Community Impact advances UA’s community-engaged vision by:
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Sharing Stories of Mutual Impact
UA faculty, staff, and students connect across disciplines and work alongside community partners to innovate and impact today’s most pressing challenges.
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Supporting Community-Engaged Learning
At UA, we take learning out of the classroom and into the city for real-world, hands-on, community-engaged learning that helps transform communities.
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Building Partnerships
We strive to build deep, mutually impactful relationships with our partners and value the expertise they bring to our campus and classrooms.
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Advancing Community-Engaged Scholarship
Public scholarship extends beyond traditional academic research, and our UA faculty excel as public scholars, working with industry, nonprofit, government, and the public on applied and creative projects inside the classroom and out.
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UA’s Distinctiveness
We strive to build a campus culture that supports, encourages, and elevates community engagement and are recognized as a Carnegie Community-Engaged Campus .
Meet Our Director of Community Impact
