About
Mission Statement
We CU supports service learning instructors in creating impactful learning experiences for students through project matching with community partners, trainings, mini-grants, and service recognition.
We accomplish this mission by:
- Supporting service learning instructors in the planning and implementation of community engaged teaching
- Training undergraduate and graduate students on ethical community engagement and recognizing those who make a positive impact in our community
- Partnering with the Community Learning Lab to foster long-term, reciprocal partnerships with community organizations in the Champaign Urbana area
Principles that guide our work:
- Reciprocity:
We CU centers the needs of local community partners and builds mutually beneficial partnerships between instructors, students, and community organizations. - Impact:
We CU supports instructors and students in meeting community needs. - Experience:
We CU offers students hands-on experiences and workshops that build new skillsets, perspectives, and networks.
Reciprocity
In alignment with the Campus-Community Compact, We CU is passionate about building bridges and trust with local communities. We CU recognizes learning as multi-directional, and our students and instructors engage local community organizations as equal collaborators. By joining We CU, Illinois students and instructors become part of a diverse group of peers who hold a deep appreciation for the agency and expertise of local communities.
Impact
Students and instructors involved in We CU become actively engaged in meeting community needs throughout their time at the University of Illinois. With the support of student volunteers, partner organizations advance their missions, serve more people, and strengthen the community at large. These co-equal connections between campus and community help the University of Illinois fulfill the vision of the Campus-Community Compact.
Experience
We CU views our local communities as full and equal partners in our students’ education. Through community-based work, students gain essential hands-on experience that complements and enhances what they learn in the classroom. Students may be connected with projects that both build practical knowledge in their area of study or diversify their skill sets. We CU students have an opportunity to graduate with an expanded worldview and a greater understanding of how they might contribute to our larger society.
We CU is supported by the Office of Public Engagement and the Campus Community Compact to Accelerate Social Justice. The School of Social Work, College of Education, Humanities Research Institute, Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute, and the University of Illinois Alumni Association also support We CU programming.