Teaching

The Lang Center works with faculty and the Registrar’s Office to designate certain courses as Engaged Scholarship, or “ESCH” courses. Engaged Scholarship—a term popularized by Ernest Boyer— connects “the rich resources of the university to our most pressing social, civic, and ethical problems” (1996). Engaged scholars direct their energies not solely toward an academic community, but also toward pressing public issues or shared problems.

Swarthmore College identifies ESCH courses as those that: address a contemporary issue of pressing public concern; build knowledge about how to ameliorate social problems; engage with various publics and/or include a community-based learning component.

Faculty who are unsure whether or not their course would or could qualify for the ESCH designation are encouraged to reach out to a member of the Lang Center team.

Sample Syllabi from Peer Institutions

Explore examples of Engaged Scholarship course syllabi from peer institutions:

• Campus Compact
• Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND)
• Project Pericles
   

Engaged Scholarship Teaching Grant (ESTG)

ESTGs recognize that teaching new Engaged Scholarship courses, or adding a public-facing orientation to an existing course, often requires extra resources. For the academic year, faculty can request funding for TAs to act as liaisons with community partners, as well as funds for equipment, travel, and honoraria for community partners.

Applications are due annually on May 1 for courses running the following academic year, though serendipity requests are considered on a rolling basis.