11th Annual IARSCLE Conference

November 2-4, 2011 Chicago, IL

Toward the close of this past year, Illinois Campus Compact in league with DePaul University, National-Louis University, Loyola University Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, Northern Illinois University and the International Association for Research on Service-learning and Community Engagement proudly hosted the 11th Annual International Association for Research on Service-learning and Community Engagement Conference in downtown Chicago at the historic Palmer House Hilton hotel.

The conference was a huge success, where over 550 registered attendees traveling from 19 countries engaged in discourse concerning service-learning research that critically evaluates and illuminates the long-term impact of service-learning and community engagement on students, faculty, and community partners. Through various presentation methods, speakers and attendees were able to highlight and discuss the important economic, political and social impacts of service-learning research as well as share new methods and practices conducive to advancing the field.

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Awards Distinguished Research Award - Jeffery Howard

Early Career Research Award – Dr. Tania Mitchell

Dissertation Research Award – Stephanie Stokamer

Dissertation Research Award, Honorable Mention - Dr. Jennifer Domigal-Goldman

President Award Recipients – Dr. Alvin Goldfarb and Harold Wilde

This year’s Annual Conference for the International Association for Research on Service-learning and Community engagement or (IARSLCE) carried the theme of “Advancing Scholarship through Social Change” and was honored to have three incredibly renowned pioneers in the field of service-learning as keynote speakers. Attendees were witnesses to talks given by Caesar McDowell, Professor of the Practice of Community Development at MIT, Department of Urban Studies and Planning and president of Dropping Knowledge international, Laura Rendon, Professor of Higher Education in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Texas-San Antonio and Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains, CSU Monterey Bay Professor Emeritus, Department of Visual and Public Art. These amazing individuals enlightened our international audiences with their wisdom, life experiences and teachings providing excellent touchstones for each day of the conference. The 11th Annual IARSLCE Conference also provided the perfect place for recognizing service-learning researchers who’ve made serious contributions to the field in recent times. We were proud to present the awards for Distinguished Research, Early Career Research, Dissertation Research and Honorable mention for Dissertation Research to Jeffrey Howard, Dr. Tania Mitchell, Stephanie Stokamer and Dr. Jennifer Domigal-Goldman respectively. Each award represented the immensely important work done by its recipient in hoping to pave the way for future breakthroughs in the realms of both service learning and community engagement.

Our 2011 IARSCLE Conference also featured a President’s Reception acknowledging our dedicated members who have answered higher education’s call to social responsibility by keeping their campuses actively involved in the civic mission carried by all colleges and universities. Along with recognizing all of the Chicago host schools’ presidents, a Presidential Awards ceremony was held during the reception to highlight Dr. Alvin Goldfarb, retired President of Western Illinois University and Harold Wilde, president of North Central College for their long-standing commitment to promoting the importance of civic engagement and service-learning initiatives throughout their careers. Attendees were also able to relax and network with their fellow researchers and service-learning advocates during the reception, making it one of the favored events at the conference.

Overall, the 2011 IARSCLE conference provided a place for the attendees to engage with a community of fellow scholars dedicated to raising awareness and support for service-learning research and community engagement, an event perfectly in sync with the Illinois Campus Compact mission of sustaining an invigorated commitment to providing resources, training, and support to foster civic growth and responsibility within the many facets of higher education.

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We Celebrate and appreciate the many committee members, guest speakers, exhibitors and volunteers RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THIS

conference a huge success. THANK YOU ALL!