The Awards & Recognitions Committee is responsible for recognizing the outstanding work of scholars in the field of service-learning and community engagement. This includes reviewing and making recommendations to improve existing awards, soliciting nominations from IARSLCE members, reviewing and selecting nominees, and presenting the awards at the annual IARSLCE conference. The committee will also consider other strategies to recognize scholarship of service-learning and community engagement.

Committee Focus Area(s) for the year:

Reviewing existing awards and making recommendations for changes or additional awards to the IARSLCE board.
Soliciting diverse nominations from the IARSLCE membership
Identifying additional strategies to recognize SLCE scholarship
Planning recognition events at the annual conference

Time Commitment: The Awards and Recognitions Committee invites IARSLCE members to serve as reviewers for our annual awards. Participating on a review committee will involve 3-4 hours of work from June-August. Volunteers can indicate preferences for the award categories they would like to review – more details on our awards, including the 2022 winners, can be found here.

Contact: awards@iarsce.org

The IARSLCE Special Programming Committee is dedicated to shaping the Association’s vision for professional development in community engagement beyond the annual conference. This committee fosters ongoing opportunities for members to build community, enhance competencies, and apply collective expertise to advance scholarship and practice in the field. Key initiatives under its purview include the Practitioner-Scholar Community, which bridges theory and practice; the Global Research Agenda, which drives international collaboration on pressing research priorities; and Dissertation Dish, which supports emerging scholars in their academic journeys. Through these programs, the committee strengthens professional growth and innovation in service-learning and community engagement.

Members of this committee will be responsible for participating in monthly Zoom calls to provide ideas and guidance on professional development activities. Additionally, members will collaborate with committee chair and others to plan and implement programming. We will rely on committee members to conduct outreach to generate broad participation in our online and virtual offerings.

Contact: Cammie Jones at cammiejonesconsultant@gmail.com and Emily Phaup at ephaup@compact.org

The Conference Committee is charged with planning and organizing the program for the IARSLCE’s annual conference.

The Conference Committee consists of Association members, board members, and staff from the host institution/host city. The committee is charged with developing the conference theme, drafting the call for proposals, selecting plenary speakers, recruiting and training peer reviewers, making decisions about proposals, and developing the conference schedule.

Contact: conference@iarslce.org

The Graduate Student Network (GradSN) is open to all emerging scholars interested in service-learning and community engagement (SLCE) including current graduate students (master’s and doctoral), prospective graduate students, students in between graduate programs, or recent graduates.

The GradSN supports emerging scholars through:

Professional development workshops at the annual IARSLCE conference
Mentoring opportunities with established scholars
Professional development workshops throughout the year
A graduate student only listserv
Research advancement opportunities
Networking opportunities

Committee Focus Area(s) for the year: We invite all emerging scholars to participate in any of our monthly steering committee calls. We also invite all emerging scholars to join one of our committees:

Conference Planning Committee

Membership and Communications Committee

Professional Development Committee

Mentoring Committee

Time Commitment: All emerging scholars interested in SLCE are invited to participate GradSN offerings regardless of their participation in any committee work. This GradSN steering committee convenes once per month. Members who join additional committees will spend time between calls coordinating and working on their various projects.

Contact: gradsn@iarslce.org

The Cross Cultural Equity Committee is charged with responsibility for all activities related to the inclusion of global voices across the field of service learning and community engagement within the association. The duties of the committee may include advising other committees, reviewing communications, materials, and other association related documents to ensure that our organization holds true to its international mission. This includes promoting and helping to develop policies and procedures for non-English submissions, increasing membership outside of the United States, promoting IARSLCE programming globally, recruitment of board members from diverse backgrounds in the United States and those outside the United States, and promoting equity values within the organization. The Committee will be co- chaired by two Board members, one from the United States and one outside of the United States and have a suitable number of members to conduct its work with relevant expertise.

The responsibilities of this committee include:

Develop an annual equity plan
non-English submission for IARSLCE Journal
Recruitment of diverse board members and committee members
IARSLCE Equity values
Best Practices for Inclusion in an international organization
Communicate with other IARSLCE committees to propose recommendations that align with the annual equity plan
Track events/activities of IARSLCE and efforts for inclusion
Promotion of IARSLCE activities globally

The Cross Cultural Equity Committee Co-Chairs shall report to the Board of Directors at the Board’s regular annual meeting on goals for and outcomes of cross cultural equity plan, communications and outreach strategies, plans for the coming year, and any associated expenses.

Contact: cce@iarslce.org

The Membership and Resource Development Committee is responsible for strengthening IARSLCE’s membership base and securing resources to support the organization’s mission. The committee works to enhance member engagement, increase recruitment and retention, and develop sustainable funding strategies. Key responsibilities include:

Membership Development:

Create and execute a recruitment and retention strategy to grow IARSLCE’s membership.
Establish a network of Regional Ambassadors to foster cross-institutional collaboration and engagement.
Develop strategies for ongoing member engagement, including mentorship opportunities, professional development webinars, and research collaborations.
Conduct an annual membership survey to assess member interests, needs, and concerns, providing insights and recommendations to the Board.

Resource Development:

Formulate and implement a fundraising and development plan to ensure sustainable support for IARSLCE’s initiatives.
Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships and collaborations that align with the organization’s mission.
Oversee the financial stewardship and strategic direction of the Alliance of Engaged Universities and Colleges.
Provide recommendations and updates to the Board on resource development efforts.
Review and assess development activities to ensure progress toward annual and long-term funding goals.

By focusing on membership growth, engagement, and sustainable resource development, this committee plays a critical role in ensuring the long-term success and impact of IARSLCE.

Contact: Chris Nayve at cnayve@sandiego.edu

The Scholarship and Publications Committee coordinates and promotes community-engaged scholarship opportunities as well as the production and dissemination of associated publications to advance the Association’s mission. The Committee makes recommendations on scholarship and publication strategies, supports the work of the IJRSLCE Editorial Team, develops additional publication outlets, and encourages broad-based involvement of IARSLCE members as contributors to the Association’s publications.

Goals for Current Year:

Review, support, and strategize ongoing IARSLCE Research Agenda-setting work. This may include creating and promoting special interest groups/research communities for IARSLCE members.
Liaise with IJRSLCE and ensure that IARSLCE members are aware of pathways to publication and participation with the journal.
Provide support and a committee ‘home’ for the Practitioner-Scholar Community.

Contact: Susan Harris at scharris@usc.edu

The Governance Committee is charged with ensuring board effectiveness. The committee is charged with:

Oversees Board compliance with bylaws.
Reviews and updates IARSLCE’s bylaws to keep policies and procedures up to date.
Oversees the Board election and re-appointment processes.
Makes recommendations for committees and committee structures.
Conducts board assessments and makes recommendations on appointments.
Organizes new board member orientation, onboarding, and training.
Organizes continuing education and training opportunities for board members.

Contact: Stacey Muse at smuse@ucdavis.edu or Hector Opazo Carvajal at hopazo@ucsh.cl

Committees