2023-24 Faculty Fellowships

Since 2008, the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) has organized a fellows program for faculty members who seek to transform or create a course with an integrated community-based learning (CBL) component. Fellows participate in a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) facilitated by CCE staff but driven by the interests and goals of the FLC members.

For the academic year (AY) 2023–24, the CCE is offering two specialized Faculty Learning Communities. Faculty may apply to both, but will only be accepted into one. All applications must be received by Friday, March 24 at 5 p.m.

CCE Faculty Learning Committees are open to any instructor who will be teaching at the University of Richmond in AY 2023–24.

Newcomers

Community-based learning (CBL) is a pedagogical strategy that connects students with on- and off-campus communities, immersing them in the class content in a way that promotes belonging and deep learning. We know that imagining and implementing CBL strategies takes time and support. In the Newcomers group, CBL fellows will learn together about opportunities to study and engage with the Richmond region and will also explore important parts of CBL pedagogy: critical reflection, grading options, and student engagement strategies.

The Newcomers FLC is for UR instructors who are either new to CBL or new(ish) to the University of Richmond. "New to CBL" includes instructors who have been at UR for any amount of time, but have no prior experience teaching community-based learning courses. "New(ish) to the University of Richmond" includes instructors of any classification who have been at the University for fewer than five years with or without prior CBL experience.

All fellows in the Newcomers FLC must teach a CBL class of any mode in AY 2023–24.

Newcomers fellows commit to:

  • Participation in half-day workshops on May 9 and May 11, 2023 (two workshops total)
  • Participation in a half-day assignment review in August 2023
  • Attendance at four one-hour FLC meetings in the Fall 2023 semester and four one-hour FLC meetings in the Spring 2024 semester (eight meetings total)
  • Participation in assessment activities

Newcomers fellows will receive a $250 stipend for their participation in the May workshops, a $250 stipend for their participation in the August assignment-review meeting, and $1,000 (adjusted for attendance) for their participation in all Newcomers FLC meetings across AY 2023–24. 

Apply

The Collaboratory: Cemeteries and Community 

Formed in 2017, the Collaboratory is a cross-institutional group that brings together university faculty and community members to document and support African American history and culture via the region’s cemeteries. This collaboration between UR and VCU faculty and community partners provides opportunities for new faculty and community members to join in AY 2023–24; previous Collaboratory members are also welcome to apply. The Collaboratory's mission is to "produce place-based knowledge that contributes to a community dialogue about our collective past." Please see our developing website for key resources and links to current projects, including a digital map and archive that serve as public resources for locating buried individuals.

The Collaboratory offers a supportive forum for members seeking to deepen their engagement with a broader community of scholars, artists, community members, students, and descendants who share a commitment to cemetery restoration and research. Collaboratory members pool resources and energies for special initiatives and events. Proposed activities may be, but do not have to be, connected to a particular class. Major projects moving forward include the continued mapping of various burial grounds, building out the archives and other formats of digital outreach, and constructing a guide document for university engagement with cemeteries. Throughout the academic year, the Collaboratory will meet to offer support, share collective wisdom, coordinate efforts, and plan a public-facing event. The CCE will support Collaboratory meetings and offer small grants to support Collaboratory projects.

Collaboratory fellows commit to:

  • Attend a half-day planning meeting in mid-May (date TBD)
  • Attend a half-day planning meeting in August (date TBD)
  • Contribute to the Collaboratory's ongoing work through connection to a class, research, or other project
  • Attend all Collaboratory FLC meetings (approximately one per month) across the academic year
  • Take part in an event to share their work with the public
  • Participate in assessment activities

Collaboratory fellows will receive a $250 stipend for their participation in the May planning meeting, a $250 stipend for their participation in the August planning meeting, and $1,000 (adjusted for attendance) for their participation in all Collaboratory FLC meetings across AY 2023–24. Stipends for participation cannot be made to organizations and must be made to individuals.

Apply