1. Designing Partner Projects
Using local partnerships for creative change on
campus, in the classroom, and around the local
community
Elizabeth Parfitt
Emerson College
elizabeth_parfitt@emerson.edu

2. Before you begin
Questions for Instructors Questions for University Colleagues
 Do I want to partner inside the university or outside in  What projects would help to promote our
the broad local community ?(remember the university organization, advance our mission, develop our
has a community all its own)
programming or bridge connections between
 Does my institution have an office of service learning students and the greater campus community?
or community engagement to help with my goals , and
do they offer grants or assistance for this type of  Which courses at the university might have students
work? with the talents and skills necessary to complete this
 What organizations do I already have partnerships project?
with that might be interested in working with my
students?  What kind of exchange can we create with those
 How can I connect my course to a community partner students? What might our office have to offer in the
in a way that establishes an exchange between form of education and experience?
students and the partner?
 Does our office/department/organization have access
 Is this a required course or an elective and how will to funds that would help to complete this project?
that effect student engagement?
 How will I negotiate participation, service hours or  What kind of connections do we already have with the
community time that requires off-campus visits? local community? What kind of connections do we
 What type of project will best showcase the skills and want to have? How will this project advance our
talents of my students, while also creating a goals?
deliverable that could be of use to audiences outside
the classroom?  Do we have the time and resources to commit to the
students who will be working on this project? Can we
 How will I grade the partner project? complete the project in a semester timeline? If not,
how can we break this project into manageable pieces
or steps?

3. What’s in it for me?
Or why you should experiment with partnerships as coursework on campus
Campus Community Student
Local Community Community
 Creates connections to a  Launches a positive  Potential connections for
broader community connection between internships and future
employment
residents and students
 Appeals to prospective
 Transferability of
students and parents  Works to fulfill needs with coursework across
(admissions and intellectual/physical disciplines and into the
recruitment tool) resources– communities public world
have needs and students
 Promotes engagement in  Experience in
often have the resources to collaborations,
under-served campus
attack those projects communicating with
programs and
organizations  Revitalizes neighborhoods, diverse groups, problem
organizations, or under- solving, creating public
 Stimulates ties with alumni documents, and team
utilized spaces with youth
through the development building
appeal
or university advancement  Establishes an awareness
offices  Works to connect diverse for the civic and scholarly
audiences with a common roles played on campus and
goal in the community

4. Turning Partner Projects into Course
Assignments
Work Our timeline
backwards to The graded (though
The purpose of
establish elements of subject to
this project is…
this project change) is…
course-specific are…
learning
objectives and
show how
those goals This is what I
can be The time expect from
From this commitment your
achieved with experience, for this project participation…
the partner you will is…
project –this gain…
information
should be
clear in the
The I’m excited
assignment about this
Our partners in audiences for
this project our work project
are… are… because…