Community-Based Research as Engaged Citizenship

Last fall, I taught a section of Valparaiso University’s first-year experience course. My course theme was “Re-Thinking Citizenship.” During one session, I asked my students to consider the different communities to which they belong — families, schools, even online — and to write about a specific action they had taken that demonstrated their “citizenship” within that community.

When I read their responses, I was surprised to find that many of them thought of citizenship in terms of random gestures of kindness toward strangers. Many students talked about service projects like showing up at food banks with boxes of canned goods. One described drawing smiley faces on customers’ cups at Starbucks. But few students described actions that contributed to genuine communities built on enduring and reciprocal relationships. They gave, others received. End of story. These responses reflect a common model of “service” that is well-meaning and charitable, but also transactional and simplistic. While this approach may lead to many worthy actions, genuine civic engagement requires more.

It is hardly a surprise that growing up with few compelling examples of citizenship, our students’ understanding of the concept is limited.

In its mission statement, Valparaiso University states an intention to “prepare students to lead and serve in both church and society.” The first step in fostering this kind of civic engagement is to nurture connections between students and communities. We must do so at a time where the students’ own communities are increasingly fractured and fragile due to political, economic, and social polarization. It is hardly a surprise that growing up with few compelling examples of citizenship, our students’ understanding of the concept is limited.

How can we counter this? Community engagement is central to a Valpo education. In the first-year program, students participate in “Field Work” projects that connect them to the broader community and build civic skills. Valpo students commit hundreds of thousands of hours each year to community outreach and service learning. One project that I have been involved with is the Community Research and Service Center (CRSC). In this office, Political Science students conduct research projects for local governments and non-profit organizations. Over thirty years, CRSC students have completed dozens of projects, from surveying community members about their perceptions of local needs to evaluating the effectiveness of after-school programming.

This kind of community-based research teaches students that genuine community engagement depends on building long-term relationships. These projects require sustained collaboration in which research is only the beginning of a process of discerning and responding to community needs. We draw on our partners’ local knowledge and expertise, while they count on us to gather data, analyze it carefully, and communicate findings in ways that are useful to them. This work demands patience, communication, and accountability over time.

One challenge for community-engaged education is that it is resource intensive, demanding significant faculty time and sustained institutional funding. During periods of enrollment decline and financial pressure, these programs become difficult to sustain. At Valpo, this has meant significantly scaling back CRSC operations to reflect this reality. We are exploring partnerships with other campus units and new funding sources to expand our capacity, but that remains a work in progress. Community outreach may be central to our mission, but that does not mean it is easy — or inexpensive — to sustain.

If institutions are to be true to their missions, they must invest in these programs. The CRSC enables students to apply their research skills and intellectual training to benefit communities while learning the discipline of building genuine partnerships. My hope is they come to see their Social Sciences education as the foundation for a life vocation. In these kinds of experiences, our students can begin to transform from well-intentioned individuals into, engaged, and generous citizens of their communities and the world.