March 30, 2011 Press Contact: Hope Daniels 312-369-8157

SCHOLARS MEET IN CHICAGO TO ADVANCE SOCIAL CHANGE

(Chicago, IL) For the past ten years the International Association for Research on
Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) has presented an annual
conference devoted to the dissemination of innovations and research in the educational
discipline of service-learning and community engagement. Service-Learning and
Community Engagement classes encourage colleges and universities to become more
deeply engaged in the community, improves teaching and learning, and create socially
responsible knowledge benefitting all involved. Academics and practitioners committed
to promoting research and discussion about service learning and community
engagements attend from around the world to present their research in the field. This
year the organizing educational institutions include: the Illinois Campus Compact,
Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University, Loyola University, National Louis
University and Northern Illinois University.

Research for Impact: Scholarship Advancing Social Change is the theme of the 11th
Annual IARSLCE conference taking place November 2 – 4, 2011, at the Palmer House
Hilton in Chicago and early registration begins on May 15, 2011. “This is the single most
important conference on research for service learning and community engagement,”
said, conference co-chair, Howard Rosing, Ph.D., Executive Director, Irwin W. Steans
Center for community-based Service Learning & Community Service Studies at DePaul
University.

Service learning is valued as an important teaching and learning strategy around the
globe. Service-Learning classes are distinguished from other approaches to learning by
their intention to equally benefit the student and the non-profit community partner as
well as to ensure equal focus on both the service being provided and the learning that is
occurring. While community engagement places students in activities that primarily
focus on the service being provided to the non-profit community partner. In community
engagement activities students learn how their service and expertise make a difference
in the lives of the non-profit recipients.

Conference attendees are those interested in academic based Service-Learning for Pre-K
through PhD students, non-profit community partners and graduate students interested
in educational policy and community development. Conference attendees will learn
about the best educational practices in student retention, instructional technology,
interdisciplinary pedagogy, and social media to deepen service-learning and civic
engagement practices plus community development and assessment of community
partnership. Conference keynote speakers will offer presentations on access for student
success in service-learning and community engagement outcomes.

For more information visit the IARSLCE web site at www.researchslce.org/conferences.

The conference co-chairs are Kathy Engelken, Executive Director, Illinois Campus
Compact and Howard Rosing, Ph.D. Executive Director, Irwin W. Steans Center for
community-based Service Learning & Community Service Studies at DePaul University.
To schedule an interview with one of the conference co-chairs or for more information
on service learning and community engagement classes, please contact Hope Daniels at
312-369-8157.

About IARSLCE
The International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community
Engagement (IARSLCE) is an international non-profit organization devoted to promoting
research and discussion about service-learning and community engagement. IARSLCE
was launched in 2005, and incorporated in 2007. Its mission is to promote the
development and dissemination of research on service-learning and community
engagement internationally and across all levels of the education system.

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