Community Partner Handbook

"Student learning through community impact"

We serve as Stetson’s central connecting, training, organizing, and educating unit for community-engaged students, faculty, and partners.

We build reciprocal relationships with community partner organizations that leverage institutional and community resources to solve pressing challenges in our community through capacity-building efforts.

We prepare students to lead lives of significance by aligning their academic and career interests with community needs. -- “The Sweet Spot”

We instill the value of informed and engaged citizenship that prepares our students to be lifelong agents of social change in their local and global communities.

We recognize that our mission cannot be realized without an unapologetic and consistent focus on the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. To that end, our work is driven by practicing anti-racism.

We value the members of our community and embrace diversity in all its forms as a great asset. We value individuality, creative thinking, innovative problem-solving, collaboration, and community.

We seek to create a dynamic culture that is a force for change, growth, and equity. To ensure sustained progress towards these principles, we aim to foster an environment that truly celebrates the variety of backgrounds, capabilities, contributions, and perspectives of all members in our community, with a vision emphasizing unified strength through diversity.

Through our work, we continually gain an awareness of and appreciation for our differences and develop our skills in working across cultural lines. Additionally, we must acknowledge that our systems and structures are based on historical inequities and strive to fully understand and address how this impacts individuals.

We remain diligent in identifying and removing barriers to one's sense of belonging on our campuses by:

• Acknowledging that we are stronger because of our differences.
• Accepting individual responsibility for promoting a diverse and inclusive environment.
• Aspiring to be a diverse community that values inclusive excellence, and demonstrates awareness of how individual actions influence social impact.
• Acting as a steadfast learning institution that offers continuous opportunities to deepen mutual communication in ways that support inclusivity, equity, and respect.

We recognize that we still have progress to make in becoming truly inclusive and equitable. We unequivocally commit to creating a culture where each individual is welcomed and belongs as an essential part of the fabric of the Stetson community.

As we know too well, the absence of slavery has not guaranteed the presence of justice for Black and Brown people in our country. 
 
We know well, too, that the absence of slavery has not guaranteed the presence of justice for Black and Brown people, even in our own Stetson community. Stetson faculty and staff invited speakers to campus who actively supported the Ku Klux Klan at least through the 1920s, and the faculty themselves participated in blackface-wearing Minstrels at least through the 1950s. Stetson did not admit its first Black student until 1962, almost 80 years after its founding. Stetson’s expansions south and east have contributed to the gentrification and displacement of historically African American neighborhoods like Red City while building the assets of the University. Even today, Stetson’s students who are Black, graduate at a rate that is eleven percent lower than its students who are White, and 23% of Stetson community members who completed the 2016 Campus Climate survey reported experiencing exclusionary, intimidating, offensive, and/or hostile conduct.
 
As the staff of the Stetson University Center for Community Engagement, we are tasked with operationalizing both the academic and civic missions of the University – to not only help our students learn but to help them apply what they are learning to address the many pressing challenges facing our communities. The key word there is “communities”, for all our work is done with our community partners – partners who work in non-profits, businesses, government, and civic groups, and who are often different from our students in age, race, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and myriad other ways.

For us to meet our mission, we, therefore, must unapologetically and consistently center our work around the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. We can’t solve meaningful problems if everyone has the same lived experiences and therefore looks at the problems the same way – that’s why diversity is important. We can’t solve meaningful problems if some of our neighbors have to choose between participation and earning a paycheck because they lack the resources to take time off of work – that’s why equity is important.

We can’t solve meaningful problems if some voices are silenced and not given a seat at the table – that’s why inclusion is important. And, we can’t solve meaningful problems if we do not understand and then seek, structural changes to address the root causes of oppression – that’s why justice is important.
 
To that end, we commit to the following actions:

• We will require all students who seek recognition of their volunteer hours in the community – a process that is controlled by our department – to first participate in a training program focusing on power, privilege, and place through the lenses of identity development and anti-racist action.
• We will prioritize the development of partnerships and community-engaged learning opportunities that combat systemic oppression, especially through the focus areas of education, health, environment, civil rights, and economic development – including, but not limited to, community asset and needs mapping; studying and sharing the economic, health, and environmental impacts of annexing Spring Hill into the city of DeLand; creating a directory of Black-owned businesses and organizations; and supporting the revitalization of a Spring Hill business district.
• We will focus the work of our full-time AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers on addressing systemic inequities, with a focus on eliminating barriers to economic opportunity for Spring Hill residents.
• We will leverage funds from our endowments to create a stipend Community Development Fellowship, held by a community member who already works primarily in the Spring Hill community, to assist our office in short- and long-term planning that maximizes the benefit of our work with the Spring Hill and DeLand community.
• We will create and implement a Social Action Leadership Academy, available to all students, that will train students on the fundamentals of creating systemic change through non-partisan political affairs, including policy research and advocacy, voter registration and outreach, community organizing and mobilization, and running and winning campaigns.
• We will continue to deconstruct our own biases and assumptions, especially given that our staff is all white, through common readings and discussions, beginning with Layla Saad’s Me and White Supremacy.
• We will increase the number of students of color in our Bonner Program and in other cohort-based programs by doing more targeted recruitment at high schools and community colleges that have programs focusing on social justice and community engagement.

By owning up to our history, continuously reflecting on our personal biases and racist views, leveraging our assets, and focusing on policy change, our team stands against the forces of systemic racism and oppression that continuously harm Black and Brown residents of our community. But, as long as those systems of racism and oppression persist, so must we persist in reminding our community, through our words and deeds, that #BlackLivesMatter.

Kevin Winchell

• Director of Community Engagement
  386-822-8705  |  [email protected]
  Unit 8249

Taylor Hibel

• Assistant Director of the Bonner Program and Community Engagement
  386-822-7707  |  [email protected]
  Unit 8202

Ann-Marie Willacker

• Coordinator of Community Impact
  386-822-8713  |  [email protected]
  Unit 8249

Community Engagement is a way of life at Stetson University. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has awarded Stetson University its Community Engagement Classification in both possible categories: curricular engagement, and outreach and partnerships.

Community Engagement occurs in a variety of ways at Stetson University. Faculty, staff and students routinely volunteer their time in the community doing such things as:

• Tutoring elementary school children who are behind in their reading skills.
• Working with Habitat for Humanity to provide low-cost housing.
• Working with state and county officials to monitor and control invasive species in local springs.
• Building a marketing plan for a local low-cost health clinic.

There are several service organizations at Stetson University that regularly do volunteer work in the community such as PAWS, CAUSE, Into the Streets, and Greek social organizations.

Many members of the faculty require community engagement work as part of their course requirements; this requirement is known as service learning, a pedagogical tool with which the student is able to connect theoretical learning with practical community needs in an attempt to solve those needs providing a service for the community. For example:

• Students in a class on the Economics of Poverty might help low-income families properly fill out their tax returns to maximize their tax refunds, thus putting a personal face on poverty.
• Students in an advanced Spanish language class might work with local Mexican-American migrant workers to help them speak English better while at the same time sharpening their Spanish language skills.
• Students in a community-based research course might develop community profiles that help community leaders create after-school programs for children and young adults to provide productive activities for them, thus applying theoretical knowledge gained from surveys to a practical community problem.

There are many ways to get involved in the local community through Stetson University, whether through volunteerism or through coursework, individually or in groups.

 For Faculty:

• Represent the college for best teaching practices
• Further, engage students
• Partner with the community
• Incorporate diverse teaching styles
• Fulfill service requirements for tenure
• Obtain opportunities for research/publishing

 For Partners:

• Gain community development expertise
• Connect to University resources
• Acquire skilled volunteers
• Utilize invaluable people-power to fulfill community opportunities
• Inject fresh energy and creativity
• Strengthen advocacy efforts
• Enhance public awareness of community needs
• Build long-lasting relationships
• Identify potential employees

 For Students:

• Apply and understand concepts from class
• Build résumé
• Experience civic responsibility
• Prepare to lead lives of engaged, democratic citizenship
• Explore career options
• Learn about community organizations and their clients
• Gain awareness of social issues
• Develop life skills
• Broaden horizons

Since 2005, the Bonner Program has been a catalyst for student-led community transformation and social justice at Stetson University. The Bonner Program is designed to transform not only the students who are directly supported by the program but also the campus and community in which they serve and learn. As a school within the Bonner Foundation Network, Stetson University’s Bonner Programs aims to increase access to higher education for a diverse pool of students by providing them with financial aid and paid internship opportunities. Through a model called the “Sweet Spot”, Bonners discover the intersection between their academic, professional, and community interests through funded work with community partners who share their passions.

The Bonner program believes in educating the whole person, and that learning occurs in multiple contexts and developmentally over time. Learning doesn’t stop at graduation, and neither does our work. Bonners are committed to:

• Civic Engagement: exploring and participating intentionally in multiple forms and dimensions of engagement including service, political engagement, social action, and public policy;
• Community Building: creating and sustaining a vibrant community of place, personal relationships, and shared interests;
• Diversity: respecting the many different dimensions of personal and group identities (such as class, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, physical and mental ability) and creating opportunities to dialogue and learn across them;
• International Perspective: developing international and global understanding that enables individuals to participate successfully in an increasingly interconnected world, appreciate and transcend national boundaries;
• Social Justice: understand and advocate for fairness, impartiality, and equity in addressing systemic social and environmental issues;
• Spiritual Exploration: reflect on and explore personal beliefs while respecting the spiritual and ethical practices and values of others;
• Wellness: nurturing the development, resilience, thriving and sustenance of the whole person and of communities.

Central to the goals of the Center for Community Engagement is helping students find their Sweet Spot. We prepare students to lead lives of significance by aligning their academic interests and career goals with community needs.

The Center for Community Engagement seeks to build partnerships with other community organizations whose missions and values align with those of Stetson University and our department. Community Organizations that wish to establish a partnership with the Center for Community Engagement must be a currently registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization, governmental agency, or a public school. All Community Partners are required to maintain liability insurance for volunteers, have a secure volunteer sign-in and verification system, and participate in formal site visits as requested.

Community Partners - All of our Community Partners are invited to attend any of our Partner events throughout the year, such as our Non-Profit Leadership Summit and our semi-monthly Community Conversations.

In addition to Community Partner events, all partners have the following benefits:

• Ability to promote events, volunteer, employment, and training opportunities on our department’s social media platforms.
• Invitation to on-campus events that allow for organization promotion and networking.
• A link to your organization’s website in our Community Partner Directory on our website.
• Ability to list volunteer opportunities on our Give Pulse platform.

Bonner and Hatter Partners - Bonner and Hatter level partners are those that serve as active internship sites for Stetson University students. In addition to the above requirements, Bonner and Hatter Partners must:

• Maintain an up-to-date MOU with Stetson University.
• Participate in 2 annual site visits.
• Complete evaluations of all assigned student interns.

Our Bonner and Hatter level partners are also eligible to:

• Maintain a dedicated portal on our Give Pulse platform.
• Eligible for the Sweet Spot Awards.
• Eligible to reserve space on campus for events.
• Access to Community Impact Funds.
• Eligible to apply for the Community Partner Advisory Board.

 Good Community-Campus Partnerships require:

• Partners to have an agreed-upon mission, values, goals, and measurable outcomes for the partnership.
• The relationship between partners is characterized by mutual trust, respect, genuineness, and commitment.
• The partnership builds upon identified strengths and assets but also addresses areas that need improvement.
• The partnership balances the power among partners and enables resources among partners to be shared.
• Clear, open, and accessible communication between partners, makes it an ongoing priority to listen to each need, develop a common language, and validate/clarify the meaning of terms.
• Roles, norms, and processes for the partnership are to be established with the input and agreement of all partners.
• Feedback between all stakeholders in the partnership, with the goal of continuously improving the partnership and its outcomes.
• Partners to share the credit for the partnership's accomplishments.
• A commitment to the development and evolution of the partnership over time.
  *From Campus-Community Partnerships for Health, Principles of Good Practice for Combining Service and Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2015. 

Our Community Partner Advisory Board seeks to amplify partner voices and explore opportunities for more meaningful community engagement opportunities. Members of the Partner Advisory Board provide advice, information, and guidance to shape the strategic direction of the Center for Community Engagement. By using their skills, experiences, and knowledge, members of the Partner Advisory Board strengthen the Center for Community Engagement’s connection to partners, offer recommendations on specific initiatives, and promote best practices in community engagement among fellow community partners.

Students participating in our Bonner Program and similar Community Engaged Learning Cohorts can use the work component of their financial aid package to enable them to earn money for college through community work. Students have the ability to earn a four-year stipend from Community Service Federal Work-Study for 10 hours per week.

Bonner and CEL Interns engage intensively in service as well as training, education, and reflection (8-10 hours each week) during all four years of college. They serve in schools, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies to address community-identified needs and to tackle issues like education, safe and affordable housing, food insecurity, college access and youth development, environmental sustainability, and so on.

Bonner and CEL internship credit can not be given for any work for a private, for-profit company or organization or work on behalf of a political organization or campaign. Internship assignments must also not result in the displacement of an existing employee or job position within the organization.

Bonner Scholars engage in at least two full-time summer internships. Summer of Service Internships typically run from May to August at a community partner site anywhere in the world. Interns are expected to work on a capacity-building project around 40 hours a week for a minimum of 7 weeks to reach the required 280 total hours. The expectations for supervisors of Summer of Service Internships are the same as normal semester expectations and the type of work remains the same.

Non-Profit Leadership Summit

The Non-Profit Leadership Summit began in 2022 to provide our Community Partners with the tools they need to succeed. Held annually during the fall semester, the Summit focuses on different topics relating to non-profit management, networking, and fundraising. Topics are chosen based on the needs of our Partners as expressed during our annual site visits and other Partner meetings held throughout the year.

Materials from past Non-Profit Leadership Summits can be found on the Center for Community Engagement’s website and the Center’s Team is available to help your organization with feedback and provide recommendations on any of the Summit topics.

Community Conversations

Community Conversations are Community Partner peer-led discussions on a selected topic. Each Community Conversation will focus on a different topic ranging from administrative skill workshops to issue-area focus group discussions. Community Conversations are held the last Wednesday of every other month from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Lee's Garage.

Resources and information presented during Community Conversations can be found on the Center for Community Engagement’s website. Have an idea for a Conversation topic? Let us know by emailing us at [email protected]

Global Citizenship Fair

The Global Citizenship Fair is an annual event that happens on Values Day and it gives our Community, Campus, and Faculty Partners an opportunity to advertise involvement opportunities, such as internships and volunteer needs, along with service-learning opportunities, such as study abroad programs. The Global Citizenship Fair is planned collaboratively with the Center for Community Engagement, WORLD, and Career and Professional Development. 

Community Partner Breakfast

Our Community Partner Breakfast is held annually at the beginning of the academic year, giving Partners an opportunity to gather over breakfast and connect with each other. During this networking event, the Center for Community Engagement can engage with our Partners about our past work, let them know about our plans and events for the upcoming year, and thank them for all the work that they do with our Bonner and Community Engaged Learning students.

Annual Sweet Spot Awards Luncheon

At the end of the academic year, we host our Annual Sweet Spot Awards Luncheon recognizing the extraordinary accomplishments that community partners, students, faculty and staff have achieved throughout the year. Our award categories change every year but some previous award categories have been Community Partner of the Year, Faculty Partner of the Year, and Student Organization of the Year.

Bonner Speed Dating

The Bonner Speed Dating event is held at the beginning of the Academic Year during New Bonner Orientation. It allows our newest Bonner Program Students to explore possible Community Partner internship opportunities.

Community Partners that are active Internship sites have the opportunity to use on-campus spaces. The spaces available range from small classrooms to board/meeting rooms to banquet spaces. In most instances, standard facility fees are waived.

Event scheduling rules and guidelines:

• The Center for Community Engagement can sponsor up to 2 events per academic year for each Community Partner that has an active student internship program. Scheduling availability is subject to the availability of CCE staff on a first come, first serve basis.
• Attendance may include Stetson University staff, faculty, or students as well as guests not affiliated with the University. Any fees for entry/ticket fees are to be waived for Stetson faculty, staff, and students.
• All CCE-sponsored Partner events require a signed Facilities Agreement, a Certificate of Insurance naming Stetson University, and proof of background check for any events that involve minors.
• Room reservations are subject to availability.
• Room reservations are subject to cancellation/relocation as faculty requests are given preference.
• Room reservations are subject to the rules and regulations of the University. Some spaces on campus have additional rules and regulations.
• Some spaces on campus require additional set-up fees which may be passed on to the Partner organization. Site plans for spaces requiring special setup must be submitted 21 days prior to the event.
• Any special technical needs and associated fees should be discussed at the time of the reservation request and must be included in the Facilities Agreement.
• Due to the age of our campus, not all spaces on campus have full accessibility accommodations. Specific accessibility needs must be discussed while setting up the reservation.
• To make an event reservation request, email [email protected] with all the relevant event information.

The Center for Community Engagement is happy to advertise requests from the community seeking individual or group volunteers for one-time or ongoing projects that may not be met by Community Engaged Learning courses or current CCE programs and events. 

The Center for Community Engagement has a dedicated Involvement Intern who helps connect students and student organizations with volunteer opportunities through our online Give Pulse platform. Our Community Partners have the ability to list any volunteer opportunities on this platform.

Give Pulse serves as Stetson University’s Involvement Database. This platform creates a community of volunteers, professionals, civic leaders, and service-learning students. Give Pulse allows students to search for local events, groups, and causes that they care about. They can register for volunteer opportunities and keep track of the volunteer hours they have provided to the community.

CCE cannot guarantee a student response, but we will make a request known by advertising it on our social media and listing it on our website.

Please consider the following when making a volunteer request:

• The best time for your organization to submit a request is prior to the start of a given semester. January and August often serve as planning months; submitting requests prior to the start of the semester gives you more time to make your needs known.
• Although it is preferable to receive requests as early as possible, please submit requests no less than 3 weeks prior to the event date(s).
• Students will be directed to contact your organization directly. CCE staff does not handle any volunteer scheduling, training, or management.
• It is helpful to keep a list of responding students handy to contact directly in the future should a need arise.
• Individual organizations are responsible for volunteer insurance.
• Requests must be organization-based. We will not post requests for individual needs in the home, such as caretakers and drivers.

To list an opportunity on our Give Pulse platform please send the following information to [email protected] with “Volunteer Opportunity” in the subject line.

• Name of the Organization and Event Name if applicable
• Date, Time, and Location of the Volunteer Opportunity
• RSVP deadline and contact details
• A brief description of the type of work volunteers will be doing including any unique requirements for the opportunity (must have closed-toed shoes, must be bilingual, needs experience with Excel, etc.)
• Any marketing materials, graphics, and applicable website links (Instagram formatted graphics are preferred)

Bonner students can apply for the Community Fund on behalf of their assigned organization. The Community Fund can be used for service projects, resources, supplies, and training that is related to civic engagement.  Bonner students can apply for Community Funds once per academic year as long as funds are available. Community Fund distributions are micro-grants and must be used within 90 days of receiving the funds. 

 Student Expectations:

• Students will complete 7 to 8 hours a week with their community partners.
• Students will reach out to their partner within one week of the semester to set up a schedule for work and a meeting to go over any partner expectations or project plans.
• Students will submit a Community Learning Agreement (CLA) that describes their position title, position description, and goals.
• Students will send a check-in email or meet with their supervisor once a week to go over any progress on projects and get feedback.
• Students will communicate to site partner any absences or problems they encounter.
• Students will submit Service Accomplishments to reflect on goals.

Partner Expectations: 

• Partners will create a position description that describes what type of capacity-building work the student will complete in a given semester.
• Partners will provide a safe place for students to work.
• Partners will check in via meeting or email regularly with the student to go over project updates and give feedback. The frequency of meetings can be weekly or biweekly but students need consistent supervision, guidance, and feedback.
• Partners will communicate any concerns and questions they have about the student to the student’s campus advisor.

Orient. Train. Supervise.

Orientation should provide students with answers to questions like:

• • Where do I fit in?
  • What is expected of me?
  • How do I get support if my supervisor is not available?

Introduce them to other staff, give them a tour of the facility, and share with them your mission.

Training should ensure students have the required knowledge about your organization and its activities to perform their tasks.

Supervision should provide feedback to students on how they are doing and what can be improved upon. Supervision should also ensure that students feel their work is meaningful and that their experience matches the previously decided upon project plan.

Plan ahead.

Clear, well-thought-out descriptions outlining tasks, responsibilities, and skills needed are extremely helpful to the students. This should be part of the orientation process.

Plan around the Academic Calendar.

Ideally, students will be able to complete their project within the semester time frame of 12-15 weeks. If a project is something that will span semesters, organizations should take time to plan for disruptions in the schedule due to breaks between semesters and summer breaks.

Be a mentor.

The student-supervisor relationship is one of the most significant parts of the student's experience and often determines the success of the internship. The supervisor is a partner in the student’s education and should view themselves as an educator.

Talk to us!

Keep the Center for Community Engagement staff and the student’s professor informed of any concerns, problems, successes, or other pertinent issues related to the internship and/or student. We are here to facilitate the entire process and ensure that everyone has an amazing internship experience.

Each Community Partner that has student interns will have 2 site visits per year with the Center for Community Engagement Team.  These visits are typically done in the Winter and the Summer while students are on break.

During our visit, we will discuss the work your student interns are doing and any projects they are working on. This is your opportunity to provide feedback on your interns, both positive and negative.

While we always hope that our interns are working perfectly with your organization, we recognize that this is not always the case. Site visits provide you with the opportunity to speak candidly about your interns, the work they are doing, and any challenges you are facing. This feedback allows us to pass on constructive feedback to our students about the work they are doing and adjust any expectations as needed.

Organizations that partner with Stetson University's Center for Community Engagement are eligible to supervise Bonner Program Interns and Community Engaged Learning Students who may receive student employment (federal work-study) funds as part of their compensation. In order to maintain these relationships, all student intern supervisors are required to sign a brief contract on behalf of their organization acknowledging an understanding of student employment supervisors. 

Prior to the beginning of the academic year, all site supervisors must electronically sign the Federal Work-Study Site Agreement. Questions regarding this form or students’ community service student employment can be directed to the Center for Community Engagement at:

• Bonner Coordinator - [email protected]
• Community Impact Coordinator - [email protected]

Stetson University Institutional Information: 

• Nora Lewis, Student Employment Program
  386-822-7172 | [email protected]
  421 N. Woodland Boulevard, Unit 8379 DeLand FL 32723

Brief Job Description: Student employee will participate in off-campus service-related work, which may include, but is not limited to working with non-student community members, project or program coordination, administrative functions, and/or light manual labor. Individual jobs will vary by student employee and site, and specific job descriptions are managed by the Center for Community Engagement.

Work Schedule: Work schedule varies from week to week depending on the needs of community partners and the students’ schedules. In general, the commitment is for approximately 9 hours of work per week per student. However, no work will occur during times when students are scheduled to participate in academic, credit-bearing courses offered by the University or during holiday breaks in the academic year (i.e. Thanksgiving, winter holidays, spring break).

Student Participants: The number of students working with the Organization may vary due to student schedules, transportation, academic interests, career goals, and other considerations. As such, Organizations may have as few as one (1) student participant, but as many as fifteen (15). A listing of which students are participating at each organization at given times is managed by the Center for Community Engagement.