Choosing an Engagement Type
Use the links below to jump to the definition that best matches your project for the UNL Engagement and Outreach map.
What Academic Engagement and Experiential Learning Projects Belong on UNL's Engagement and Outreach Map?
Activities in which students apply learning in community settings, such as field-based professional preparation and applied classroom learning, in which students collaborate directly with community partners to address real-world issues.
Questions about the project:
- Are the UNL/NU students in your class involved in a project collaborating with a non-UNL community partner? (see definition of community partner below)
- If yes, then it belongs on the map!
- Examples of these kinds of projects:
- Capstone or class projects with community partner(s)
- Volunteerism projects with community partner(s)
- Introductory or issues-based research project as part of the class with community partner(s)
- Internships, student and practicum teaching
- UCARE, FYRE, or undergrad highest distinction projects with a community partner(s)
- Examples that do not belong on the map
- Job shadowing, or observation in a classroom; the UNL/NU participant must contribute something to the partnership
What Scholarship and Research-Engaged Projects belong on UNL's Engagement and Outreach Map?
Activities focused on collaborative knowledge generation, such as faculty and student research or creative work that aspires to be co-created with community organizations, schools, nonprofits, or industry partners, rather than conducted on them, to promote the public good.
Questions about the project:
- Does your research project involve a community partner? (see definition of community partner below)
- If yes, it goes on the map!
- Examples of these kinds of projects
- Parents and Teachers as Partners
- On-Farm Research
- Defend the Core, Grow the Core
- Field Guide to a Hybrid Landscape
- UCARE, FYRE, or undergrad highest distinction projects with a community partner(s)
- Examples that do not go on the map
- Secondary data analysis of community partner data (e.g., school/business data)
- Discovery research funded by a community partner (e.g., Cattlemen’s Association)
Grey area projects that do go on the map, but are categorized as Targeted Outreach Projects
Public lectures on or off campus
Events on or off-campus open to the public, that involve UNL faculty, staff, and students like concerts, research slams, data walks, community forums, and symposia.
What Targeted Outreach Projects Belong on UNL's Engagement and Outreach Map?
Activities focused on structured educational partnerships, services provided, and knowledge transfer, such as formal university-led programs, Extension programming, workshops, and certifications delivered to community audiences in an effort to solve problems, enhance skills, or promote economic/community development.
Questions about the project:
Are you bringing non-UNL people to campus for a service or programming?
If yes, then it belongs on the map!
Examples of these kinds of projects
Math Day
Language Fair
FEWS2 events
Child Nutrition Training Academy
Osher Lifelong Learning classes on campus
College of Law clinic events
Future Farmers of America Career Development Events
Professional Development workshops open to non-UNL-enrolled attendees on campus
Events on campus open to the public, that involve UNL faculty, staff, and students like concerts, research slams, data walks, and symposia.
Examples that do not belong on the map
Recruitment visits that only provide tours and information about campus
Are you traveling to a community in Nebraska to provide a service or programming?
If yes, then it belongs on the map!
Examples of these kinds of projects
Nebraska Extension programming (engagement map data is gathered through the PEARS platform)
College of Law Clinic events off-campus
Osher Lifelong Learning classes off-campus
Center for Children, Families, and the Law events
Northeast Nebraska Ag and Natural Resources Education Compact events
VITA events off-campus
What Public Service Projects Belong on UNL's Engagement and Outreach Map?
Activities focused on direct community support and advocacy, such as direct services and advocacy efforts that leverage university expertise to meet community-identified social, health, economic, and civic needs, often through long-term partnerships or volunteerism.
Questions about the project
- Are you or your UNL/NU students providing public service for/with a community partner? (see definition of community partner below)
- If yes, then it belongs on the map!
- Examples of these projects include
- Engage Lincoln
- Medical Students United with Neighbors Across America
- Dance Marathon
- Board service for nonprofits
- Volunteer projects that are not connected to courses or research projects, but affiliated with UNL
- Examples of these projects include
- If yes, then it belongs on the map!
Community Partner Definition
Definition of a community partner includes, but is not limited to: children and their families (including students, schools, and childcare providers), teachers, and administrators; business professionals; industry representatives; local and state government officials; non-profits; youth/community organizations; commodity groups; and the general public.
Community Resources Database
Do you have a community deliverable that doesn’t exactly match these examples like a podcast, website, practitioner or lay-person publication? We would love to showcase it on the Community Resources Database. Please fill out the following form: CRDB Survey