Presentation: Swearer Center at Brown University

1. Bonner is Like Love or
Peanut Butter: Spread Some!

2. Betsy Shimberg
Assistant Dean of the College
Director of Student Development

3. Kelly Finn
Program Manager, Student Development

4. Introductions

5. Swearer Center Overview
● Founded in 1986
● Located in the Dean of College’s
office
● Experiential learning as an
essential component of Brown’s
mission
● 1,500+ students engage with
Swearer
● 2016 Strategic Plan
● Community Agency
● Reciprocity

6. “
"We want Brown to be a community of
compassionate people, involved in serious
intellectual pursuits, but never divorced from
one of the principal purposes of education: to
prepare young people for responsible
citizenship."
Howard R. Swearer,
Fifteenth President of Brown University

7. 1976-88
Howard R.
Swearer
president of
Brown
1985
Howard
Swearer co-
founds Campus
Compact
1986
Howard
Swearer founds
Public Service
Center
1992
Named
Swearer Center
for Public
Service
1986-2006
Programming
solely focused
on community
engagement
1996
Royce
Fellowship
Established
2007
Social
Innovation
Initiative
Established
2013
TRI-Lab pilot
2014
Engaged
Scholars
Program
Launched
2016
Strategic Plan;
Bonner
Fellowship
established

8. “The Swearer Center is a community of scholars, students, practitioners, and community members that work together to build on
community strengths and addresses community challenges. Our work engages all as co-learners, co-teachers, co-actors, and co-
creators of knowledge and action. Through the creative capacities of our students, faculty, and community partners we explore,
build and implement collaborative and strategic projects, programs, and initiatives. Our work yields transformative learning, and
positive sustainable change, through collective action.

9. Community Corps
● Largest Swearer Center program
● Entry point to Community Engagement
● Apply through “Common Application” on GivePulse
○ Sent to partners for approval
● Orientation
● Monthly workshops
● Background checks
● End of year celebration and assessment
● Recruit through Swearer and Swearer events

10. Integration of Bonner and Community Corps
● Bonners placed with Community Corps groups/
organizations
● Bonners serve in a Site Leader capacity managing other
volunteers
● Liaison between Swearer Center and organization
● Site Leaders meet monthly as a group
● Specific Site Leader training

11. Partner Profile: BEAM
● William D’Abate Community
School
● 13 Bonner Community
Fellows
● 116 Community Corps
members
● M-F programming after-
school
● 5 Bonner Site Leaders
● 1 full time staff member and
2 part time staff
● Funded by a 21st CLCC
grant

12. Partner Profile: HOPE
● 7 Bonner Community
Fellows
● Night-time outreach,
advocacy and weekly meal
preparation
● 137 Community Corps
members
● 2 Bonner Site Leaders
● Annual report key figures

13. Campus Planning: Small Group Discussions

14. Discussion Questions
● Take stock: What infrastructure exists on your campus to
support campus-wide community engagement efforts?
○ Strategic plan, key administrative allies, ally centers/offices
● Set a goal: What would increasing campus-wide engagement
look like?
○ 10% of undergraduates engaged, 50 community
organizations in partnership, etc.
● Understand barriers: What am I up against?
○ Budget constraints, lack of administrative support, silos on
campus, etc.
● Set an action item: What is one tangible item I can work on
when I return to my campus?
○ Conversation with someone in leadership, uniting students
around this idea, etc.

15. Report Out

16. Contact Us
Betsy Shimberg
betsy_shimberg@brown.edu
Kelly Finn
kelly_finn@brown.edu
www.swearer.brown.edu