Chicago, IL
Community Engagement and Public Service Activities
Inside - Out Prison Exchange Program
Community Engagement Activity
Inside-Out Prison Exchange brings DePaul students and inmates together to learn as peers, engaging in a variety of topics depending on the faculty member and the course offering. DePaul students visit the Cook County jail and Stateville prison weekly to express solidarity with those who live in the most dire circumstances. The Inside-Out Program increases opportunities for women and men, inside and outside of prison, to have transformative learning experiences that emphasize collaboration and dialogue, inviting participants to take leadership in addressing gender, race, class, incarceration, and other issues of social justice. All students involved in the program earn couse credit.
The Egan Initiative: Cultivating Growth and Sustainability in Auburn Gresham with Sunflower Seeds
Community Engagement Activity
The project symbolizes growth in the Auburn Gresham community. DePaul nurses, Egan tutors, along with Stein Learning Garden staff, develop a growing kit for every student at St. Sabina. The take-home growing kit contains potting soil, sunflower seeds, a growth log, and directions for growing a plant. Once the sunflowers begin to mature, they will be planted near the students' homes and at the St. Sabina Garden. The "Grow Your Own Groceries" campaign is instrumental in furthering the movement of sustainable living and health.
Collaborative Research: DePaul's Steans Faculty and ROC United
Community Engagement Activity
DePaul's Steans faculty collaborated with Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) United, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving wages and working conditions for restaurant workers. ROC has grown into a national organization, activating thousands of restaurant workers, employers, allies, and consumers. Students enrolled in ANT 322 (winter 2021) collected data based on predetermined research objectives established collaboratively.
Sustainable Urban Development
Community Engagement Activity
This intermediate geography course delves into sustainable urban development, emphasizing the three pillars of sustainability: environment, economy, and equity. We critique prevailing sustainability rhetoric that often overlooks equity concerns and focus on the practicalities of achieving sustainability, particularly in Chicago. Through project-based service-learning, Community Service Scholarly students, collaborate extensively with the Alliance of the Southeast (ASE), a community organization in South Chicago, to support their Sustainable Urban Development framework. By engaging with ASE, students actively contribute to shaping a community vision and advancing equitable development initiatives, such as the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) negotiations with U.S. Steel and developers. This hands-on approach equips students with invaluable experience in applying sustainable planning tools and addressing urban challenges through a lens of racial and income equity.
The Story of "The Little School Under the 'L' - Under the 'L'"
Community Engagement Activity
The project, spanning years, features 25 expansive murals wrapping around the pillars of the Fullerton L stop. These 10-foot-by-8-foot artworks pay homage to DePaul University's 125-year history, celebrating key figures and moments. Beginning in 2016, the project culminated in the summer of 2022.
Collaborated with the Sheffield Neighborhood Association, it engaged 100 students, who collectively contributed 2,500 hours through coursework, showcasing the power of community collaboration and academic involvement.
ABCD for the Mountains: Global Citizenship Education In Pakistan
Community Engagement Activity
This case study, conducted by a DePaul student, delves into the USWA Education System in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The system's vision is to provide education for all, fostering a dynamic and prosperous society while upholding moral sanctity and human dignity. Its mission is to educate children from underprivileged regions in Pakistan, with the overarching goals of addressing poverty and enhancing the country's economy.
Community Service Scholars fight homelessness with 16-year-old activist
Community Engagement Activity
Community Service Scholars partnered with social entrepreneur Jahkil Jackson and his organization Project I am for their CSS 201 - critical community engagement coursework. Together, they supported a large event benefiting thousands of homeless individuals in Chicago. Through this collaboration, scholars learned the importance of compassion and active listening while interacting with the homeless in Chicago.
Addressing Mental Health Disparities in Immigrant-Origin Youth: A Collaborative Approach with Project: VISION
Community Engagement Activity
Throughout the Steans graduate fellowship, the student worked with Project: VISION (PV) to expand mental health education and support in the Chicago Chinatown community. Together, they developed teaching modules, identified project objectives, and collaborated closely with PV staff to focus on expanding the socioemotional curriculum.
The student created mindfulness activities for youth and psychoeducational resources for caregivers, aiming to address the community's increased mental health needs exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Teaching and learning are our priorities at DePaul. That might seem obvious, but we’re the largest private university whose faculty members’ priority is teaching. We’re also the nation’s largest Catholic university — and we’re committed to an educational experience that weaves together mind, place, people and heart.
Chicago, IL 60604