two students walking outside a building on campus

Learning in the Community (LINC): The Center for Community and Civic Engagement

Director: Kristine Hart, M.A., M.C.J.
Associate Director: Jason Miller, PhD., MPH
Benton Hall, Room 208
(785) 670-1950
linc@washburn.edu

Mission

Consistent with the mission of the University, Learning in the Community (LinC): The Center for Community and Civic Engagement promotes opportunities for Washburn students, faculty, and staff to engage in meaningful curricular and co-curricular experiences that enhance academic learning while improving the community. Through ongoing interaction with students, LinC provides opportunities for learning, leadership and engagement that result in the development of productive and responsible citizens and professionals in their given discipline.

Learning in the Community (LinC)

As the Center for Community and Civic Engagement at Washburn University, Learning in the Community (LinC) is the central unit responsible for developing, organizing, supporting, integrating, and assessing all community and civic engagement activities.

To this end, LinC serves as the central unit for training, organizing, and educating community partners, community-engaged students, and community-engaged faculty to develop an understanding of just community participation in a diverse local community and world. This is accomplished through programming, training, and leadership development that links academics and co-curricular experiences to build reciprocal relationships between community partners and the university.

Community Studies Minor

For more information, please see the Minor section of this catalog.

Community and Civic Engagement Programs

LinC offers several programs related to student development and learning. These include:

  • Alternative Break Program: This program engages Washburn students in focused service away from campus over winter or spring academic breaks.
  • Community-Based Work Study: Students who qualify for Federal Work Study have the option of earning this money by working with a nonprofit organization, public school, or government entity in the community that matches their academic and/or professional goals.
  • Community & Civic Engagement Washburn Transformational Experience (CCE-WTE):  Students participating in the CCE-WTE engage in significant meaningful work with and for the community. Completion of the CCE-WTE is recognized at commencement and appears on students' academic transcript. For more information, please see the CCE-WTE section of this catalog.
  • LinC Bonner Scholar Program: This national civic engagement leadership and university honor program requires a significant community engagement commitment, mentored training and enrichment activities, and participation in group initiatives and projects with other members of the program. Participants work to effect social change and build the capacity of community-based organizations; become knowledgeable about issues that affect the local, national and international communities in which we live; and develop broad-based leadership skills through their service experience to support their development as actively engaged citizens. This is based on the premise that college students have a unique and important ability to contribute to society in meaningful, lasting ways. The program is also meant to create a supportive community of students on campus whose common focus on community and civic engagement gives them a sense of purpose and meaning while connecting their service back to their academic and professional goals. Washburn is one of only 73 colleges and universities that form a network committed to the Bonner Foundation model of Community Engaged Learning. LinC provides opportunities for all members of the program to interact with other members in the network and to engage with their national partners. Completion of the program includes the University honor of LinC Bonner Scholar, which is recognized at commencement and appears on the student's academic transcript.
  • Washburn AmeriCorps Fellows: Students who are attending Washburn University part-time (two classes or less a semester during the semester(s) they are involved) and would like to participate in a national service program that provides a living stipend and education award to help them pay for college are eligible for this program. Students in this program are placed with a nonprofit organization to engage in capacity building activities that support the organization’s mission and programming. Both full-year and summer-only positions are available.