Community-based learning (CBL) gives students opportunities to address real-world challenges by partnering with local community organizations. Through their experience leading a community-engaged unit in environmental studies, Merricks and Bitting recognized that little research directly examines how CBL affects students from historically underrepresented STEM backgrounds (e.g., women, students of color, and first-generation college students).

Working with Akman, an expert in systematic reviews, the team analyzed existing research on whether CBL experiences influence students鈥� pursuit of STEM majors or minors, their career intentions, and their sense of belonging in STEM fields. From more than 500 publications published between 1999 and 2024, the authors identified nine studies that met the criteria for inclusion.

Their analysis revealed a major gap in the literature. Few studies systematically examined the impact of CBL pedagogies in STEM. Most did not compare CBL with other teaching approaches, making it difficult to draw strong conclusions about its effectiveness. In addition, only a small number of studies analyzed outcomes across demographic groups such as race/ethnicity, first-generation status, or gender. The authors conclude that more rigorous research is needed, including studies that compare CBL with other pedagogies and systematically examine outcomes across different student populations.

The 2020-2021 cohort of Leadership Education Faculty Scholars includes:

路听听听听听听听 Lisa Buchanan鈥擜ssociate Professor of Education

路听听听听听听听 Yanica Faustin鈥擜ssistant Professor of Public Health Studies

路听听听听听听听 Prachi Gala鈥擜ssistant Professor of Marketing

路听听听听听听听 Wen Guo鈥擜ssistant Professor of Arts Administration

路听听听听听听听 Prudence Layne鈥擜ssociate Professor of English

路听听听听听听听 Svetlana Nepocatych鈥擜ssociate Professor of Exercise Science

路听听听听听听听 Jonathan Poquette鈥擫ecturer of Music and Director of Bands

During the application process, faculty scholars outline a course that they would like to create or modify to include a leadership component. Leadership education faculty scholars develop a poster presentation that highlights their courses that is presented during Celebrate Week in the spring. Once admitted to the faculty scholars program, faculty members receive support to develop their courses. Selections for the program were made by Elena Kennedy, interim Faculty Fellow for Leadership Education, and Melanie Bullock Harris, Director of the Center for Leadership.