Road Map to the Future of Engagement for Both Land-Grant and Non-Land-Grant Institutions

Abstract

When planning a long trip, the first thing most of us do is consult a road map (in digital form today) to chart the best route and determine how long it will take to get to our destination. For those traveling the community-engaged scholarship path, that road map is becoming clearer than ever as we make our way through the ins and outs and ups and downs of the movement. As we join hands and look down the road through the many directions of community-engaged scholarship, our future looks very bright indeed. As one who has been an engagement advocate for the past 20 years, I believe an argument can be made that the success of higher education depends to a large degree on a strong commitment to community-engaged scholarship. It’s that basic and that important. While some colleges and universities struggle to gain the essential public and governmental trust that they need to thrive, a trust we once could take for granted, we are entering a period of greater support, vision, execution, and clarity, thanks to the nationwide commitment to engaged scholarship.