This book, offered by "practitioner-scholars," is an exploration and
identification of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are
central to supporting effective community engagement practices between
higher education and communities. The discussion and review of these
core competencies are framed within a broader context of the changing
landscape of institutional community engagement and the emergence of the
Community Engagement Professional as a facilitator of engaged teaching,
research, and institutional partnerships distinct from other academic
professionals.
This research, conducted as part of Campus Compact's Project on the
Community Engagement Professional, seeks to identify the shared
knowledge and practices of Community Engagement Professionals by looking
to empirical practice literature. Chapters include an exploration of
competencies applicable to those in Community Engagement Professional
roles generally, and also to those specializing in specific areas such
as faculty development, partnership facilitation, and other areas of
responsibility. The authors trace the evolution of engagement
administration over time and the role of those facilitating
community-campus engagement toward a "Second Generation" professional
who is at once a "tempered radical, transformational leader, and social
entrepreneur."
Central to the work is a presentation of the core competency findings,
along with suggestions for continued exploration. Dostilio and her
colleagues argue that Community Engagement Professionals should claim a
professional identity grounded in a set of core competencies, values,
and knowledge, and through association with a community of scholar
practitioners similarly dedicated. Additional work to understand and
empower Community Engagement Professionals in their role as distinct
from other higher education professional types will enable both broader
impact for institutions and communities now with a view to prepare those
coming to the role for a dynamic and demanding environment without
distinct boundaries.
