The Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) invites applications from current Elon University first-year students for a three-year (Summer 2025 – Spring 2028) research collaboration on Learning on Location: Place-Based Pedagogies in Higher Education. Place-based learning emphasizes hands-on learning experiences that connect students to a local community and environment, whether on- or off-campus. 

Accepted CEL Student Scholars will collaborate with three Elon University faculty – Lauren Kearns, Phillip Motley, and Jessie L. Moore – and two additional scholars – Ashley J. Holmes, Associate Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning at Oregon State University, and Susan Hrach, director of the Faculty Center and professor of English at Columbus State University in Georgia – to lead international, multi-institutional research on this engaged learning topic.

The Center’s 2025-2027 research seminar investigates:

• Student perspectives on and experiences with learning on location; 
• Multi-disciplinary, evidence-informed strategies for teaching with place-based pedagogies;  
• Partnership and stewardship with local parks, museums, community groups, and businesses for learning on location; and 
• Institutional level policies and practices that enable learning on location.  

The 2025-2028 CEL Student Scholars will collaborate with an international team of researchers to learn more about pedagogies that leverage critical engagement with place and space to deepen teaching and learning in higher education.

During three consecutive summers (2025, 2026, 2027), CEL Student Scholars will…

• Receive a $3,000 summer stipend as compensation for the Student Scholar’s work during the summer;
• Have access to double- or single-occupancy, on-campus, summer housing;
• Collaborate in weekly meetings with the seminar co-leaders and/or the CEL Director to advance the research project, collaborate on resources, and learn about strategies for studying engaged learning;
• Participate in a week-long research seminar meeting with faculty and staff participants from colleges and universities around the globe (July 13-18, 2025; July 12-17, 2026; and July 11-16, 2027);
• Attend (and during second and third summers, present at) the Conference on Engaged Learning; and
• Have opportunities to attend events with other undergraduate researchers.

During the academic years (2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028), CEL Student Scholars will…

• Receive a $1,000 stipend each semester as compensation for the Student Scholar’s work during the academic year;
• Participate in weekly meetings:
  • Collaborating in 1-hour meetings every other week with the seminar co-leaders;
  • Joining other CEL Student Scholars and the CEL Director for a 1-hour meeting during the alternate weeks to discuss engaged learning research and practices, strategies for studying engaged learning, and other cross-seminar topics; and
• Spend an additional 1-2 hours a week completing research tasks.

CEL Student Scholars will have opportunities to present and publish on their research and will join an international community of scholars interested in engaged learning.