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Certificate of Community Engagement

Dr. Jeremy Posadas, Marchman Chair of Civic and Social Responsibility, Director

The Certificate of Community Engagement (CEC) allows students to connect what they learn in the classroom with concrete application in the communities they engage. This can help students recognize how their work is meaningful to the people around them as they contribute to addressing major issues in the community. The requirements for the certificate encourage students to reflect on the ethical implications of their work and develop skills that are important in their future careers, whatever field they pursue.

The Certificate of Community Engagement requires 4 units of community engagement courses, 100 hours of community service, and a capstone essay.

  • For the coursework, students must take (a) two courses that incorporate a significant service-learning component, and (b) two courses that devote a significant amount of theoretical attention to issues of community engagement such as social justice and environmental responsibility. No more than two units may come from the same department.
  • Students may complete the 100 hours of voluntary community engagement work through any service organization recognized by Stetson that is registered with Stetson's Center for Community Engagement, but the organizations for which the service is done must confirm the completed hours. Students may not submit more than 75 community service hours in any one academic semester and may not submit more than 50 service hours toward the completion of the requirement though the same community partner.
  • To complete the Certificate, students will write an essay in which they reflect critically on their experience of community engagement from both a theoretical and practical perspective. Essays will be submitted to the Marchman Chair and will be reviewed by a committee composed of faculty and staff members. Students whose essays are deemed unsatisfactory may rewrite and resubmit them.

The Certificate of Community Engagement will be awarded when all undergraduate degree requirements for graduation have been met and will be noted on the student's transcript.

Read more about the requirements for the Certificate and consult a list of courses approved for it.