My first summer experience as a Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) Student Scholar began like a dance rehearsal full of uncertainty and curiosity. As a dancer, I’m used to entering unfamiliar spaces, hearing unfamiliar music, and trying to make sense of counts, movement, and intention. The early stages are always chaotic, but with time, repetition, and trust, that chaos slowly shapes itself into cohesion. My CEL summer felt the same. 

CEL brings together researchers from around the world to explore engaged learning in higher education through multi-institutional research seminars. The research seminar I co-lead is Learning on Location: Place-Based Pedagogies in Higher Education. During the first summer meeting, as a Student Scholar, my role was to offer the student perspective to participants. Alongside the other Student Scholar, Amelia, I was part of the leadership team that was eventually nicknamed the “lowk leaders.” Together, we spent weeks preparing for an intense “research summer camp,” when participants would finally meet in person to develop their long-term projects. During the seminar itself, we contributed to meaningful conversations, supported ongoing reflections, and engaged deeply in learning throughout the week. 

Finding the Rhythm

The first couple of days went well, though they were tiring because of how much thinking we were doing. Ideas were constantly being thrown around as we were getting to know each other. By the middle of the week, everyone had found their direction. And to give everyone a midweek break, Amelia and I had created a Scavenger Hunt – Learning on Location Edition, a fun way to help participants recharge and reconnect. By the final day, the groups were focused and ready to solidify their plans for their long-term research. 

 When I first stepped into the research seminar meeting, I was not entirely sure what I had signed up for or if I was prepared for it. But I kept an open mind and was ready to learn. As the weeks passed and we prepared for our participants to arrive, I developed a clearer understanding of my research seminar, what it meant to be a Student Scholar, and how my role fit within CEL. 

This summer experience evolved chaotically at times. But like any good dance rehearsal, it began to take shape cohesively. 

The Midweek Reset

To me, this research seminar week mirrored the process of learning a new dance. 

In the beginning of the rehearsal process, every dancer focuses on the structure. They are trying to learn the material, count the beats, and just trying to get a feel for the choreography. Nothing feels natural, but it’s all new, so it is okay.  This was exactly what the first two days of the research seminar week. Everyone seems a bit nervous, lots of ideas, and new people are all coming together.  

The one day that stood out to me the most was the Wednesday of the research seminar week. This day felt like it was the “cleaning” phase of the rehearsal. It is where the fine-tuning happens, making it the most tedious yet the most crucial part of the process. But because of this, this is where the problems arise. I noticed groups, including the leadership team, were stumbling upon mental exhaustion. Each group was so immersed in its research journey, its questions, methods, and goals, everything started to feel tangled.  

It reminded me of a common issue that comes up in the dancers’ cleaning process of a group dance. When you are so focused on trying to improve and actually doing the dance that you can almost forget you are dancing with other people. So, what seems to be a group dance that is supposed to be this huge cohesive piece where you dance together as a unit is now a whole bunch of different solos to the same song on the same stage. Some people are dancing to the different beats that are layered throughout the music, some may be dancing to the lyrics. This is when you need a break so you can take the time to recenter.  

So that’s what we did. Amelia and I led the scavenger hunt we had prepared. It was something intentionally fun, light, and unrelated to research. We hid clues across campus and sent the teams off to find them. Along the way, they talked, bonded, ran, and let their brains rest. After the scavenger hunt, dinner, and a good night’s sleep, everyone returned the next day refreshed and ready to finish the week strong! 

From Chaos to Cohesion

My main takeaway as a CEL Student Scholar was that the process will always be messy and chaotic before it comes together. Like dancers working through a rehearsal, it’s not always going to be perfect. But if you are immersed in the process, embrace the messiness, and keep going, the chaos turns into cohesion, and it’s lowk fun!  

About the Author

Sanai Crosby is a 2025-2027 CEL Student Scholar and Honors Fellow, double majoring in Exercise Science and Dance Science. Her work focuses on contributing student perspectives to collaborative research on engaged learning in higher education.

Learn more about the current Student Scholars.

How to Cite this Post

Crosby, Sanai. 2026. “Chaos to Cohesion: Reflections on Co-Leading Multi-institutional Research.” Center for Engaged Learning (blog). February 24, 2026. https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/chaos-to-cohesion.