Dulce Lina ’19
“The best part of service learning for me has been the relationships I’ve built with the people I’m visiting.”
Community-Engaged Learning
The Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) Program at Middlesex College College brings students, and their unique skills and experiences, together with a local, non-profit community partner to work collaboratively on a solution, explanation, innovation, or data, information, and research to tackle an existing problem faced in the community.
CEL is a form of learning that utilizes participation, exploration and hands-on action to apply learning from the classroom in a practical application.
What is Community-Engaged Learning
Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) is a teaching method that links course content to real-life experiences that focus on community needs. While taking CEL classes, students participate in an established project – often as a group – that is designed collaboratively by faculty and non-profit community partners. CEL projects directly address course learning outcomes by applying course concepts to real world problems and challenges. Students connect their service experiences to their coursework through intentional class assignments and ongoing reflection. Students who engage in CEL have been shown to feel more connected to the College community, have a better understanding of their course content, and deeper insight into social issues faced by the local community.
Program Benefits
Students who engage in Community-Engaged Learning have been shown to feel more engaged with the College community, have a better understanding of the course content, and deeper insight into the social issues faced by the local community.
How to Participate
Community-Engaged Learning courses are currently available through the History and Social Sciences, English and Mathematics departments.
Community-Engaged Learning course offerings will vary from semester to semester as the College continues to expand CEL into other academic departments.
Search for CEL Courses
You can view a list of all CEL courses offered each semester. You can register for any CEL course offered if you have completed all designated pre-requisites for that course.
Please note: CEL courses do not have any specific prerequisites beyond those for the course.
Community Partners
If your organization is interested in becoming a community partner, we invite you to complete our survey.
Benefits of community partnerships:
- Additional volunteer resources needed to achieve organizational goals
- New energy, enthusiasm, and perspectives from a diverse group of students
- Help in fostering an ethic of service and civic participation in students who will be tomorrow’s volunteers and civic leaders
- Help in increasing awareness of key social issues
- Opportunities for additional partnerships and collaboration with the College.
Alexander Lewis ’19
“I hope service learning courses will inspire students to take action and volunteer in their local communities.”
Amir Wright ’19
“This experience has opened my eyes and helped me understand how others view the world.”
Abraham Saint-Vil ’19
“For those few hours, that little time, I felt like I was making a difference for someone.”