In 2010, JMU was classified as a Carnegie Community Engaged University. As one of only 361 of the more than 4,000 universities in the U.S. to receive the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, JMU’s commitment to engagement is obvious. This prestigious ranking recognizes the tradition of meaningful, valuable and sustainable community engagement built into the DNA of JMU. 

The Madison Center for Community Development offers a variety of assistance options to public service organizations. Government agencies, city and county governments, and nonprofit organizations have benefited from the expertise offered by program faculty and students. Program faculty and students have extensive knowledge in a number of fields relating to the various operations of government and non-profit agencies and can apply those skills in the community as part of their educational leadership and experience.

The concept of community-university engaged scholarship has emerged over the past two decades as part of the continuing dialogue on the nature of knowledge and the role of academic institutions in society. The goals of community-engaged scholarship are the generation, exchange and application of mutually beneficial and socially useful knowledge and practices developed through active partnerships between the academy and the community.

Each fellow is commited to a full-time, ten month position for which he or she receives a stipend and housing on university property. Fellows are placed with agencies where they work on projects designed to advance their capacity for engaged learning, community engagement or civic engagement. Fellows also participate in self- and group reflections intended to promote their personal and professional development.

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