This workshop from the 2022 Bonner Fall Directors and Coordinators Meeting focused on how to use Power Mapping as an organizing strategy for advancing community engaged learning. The session was especially targeted for teams involved in the Pathways and Paradigm Projects to discuss institutional change strategies. Developed and led by Ariane Hoy, Bonner Foundation, and Paul Schadewald, Bringing Theory to Practice.

1. 2022 Bonner Fall Network Meeting: November 1, 2022
Power Mapping and
Discussion
Ariane Hoy and Paul Schadewald
Bonner Foundation and Bringing Theory to Practice

2. ● Introductions and Warm Up
● Steps and Example of Power Mapping
● Let’s Try It: General Education and/or Tenure Change
● Broader Applications: Audit Exercise and Discussion for
Campus-Wide Engagement
● Insights and Needs for the Future: Discussion
We welcome dialogue!
Outline

3. Introductions
• CEL and Pathways Project: Team-driven project
currently involving 8 institutions who are working to
create integrative pathways. Our aim is to ensure that a
quarter of graduates at each institution have had
sustained, multiyear involvement in community
engagement including capstone level work.
• Paradigm Project: Multiyear project to support
innovative models of engaged, integrated and inclusive
education that bridges silos on campuses, among higher
ed. institutions and between higher ed and community.

4. Friend of a Friend
• Think of a time that you worked through a
friend or colleague to make something happen.
It could be personal or professional.

5. ● A framework for addressing issues and problem solving
through leveraging relationships and networks.
● Conceptual strategy of determining whom you need to
influence, exactly who can influence your target, and
whom you can actually influence to start the dominoes
in motion.
● Based on the assumption that networks of relationships
(between individuals, organizations, institutions, etc.)
are critical resources, and that stronger networks yield
stronger solutions.
A Great Tool for Organizing!
What Is Power Mapping?

6. ★ Step 1: Identify the Problem or Issue you want to
address. What do you want to achieve or change (and
why)?
★ Step 2: Map major connections. Identify key
decision-making individuals or positions that are
related to that change effort.
● In higher education contexts, you think about
internal units, offices, departments, positions, as
well as external influencers (funders, networks,
etc.)
An Iterative Process
Steps in Power Mapping

7. Goal: Create and pass a Course Designator
Example

8. ★ Step 3: Map departments or influencers associated with the key
individuals. Put the names of 2-3 individuals who you
currently know as allies (or potential influencers).
★ Step 4: Map all other associations with these individuals. Think
about people they know connected to these key
individuals.
★ Step 5: Determine relational power lines. The next step is to
step back and conceptually review the networks that
your team has mapped out.
An Iterative Process
Steps in Power Mapping

10. ★ Step 6: Target priority relationships. Analyze some of the
relationships and connections elaborated and make some
decisions.
★ Step 7: Make a Plan: The next step is to create some action
steps for what to do.
○ Campaigns: used to identify where to spend time, money,
and effort
○ Higher Ed (Organizations): helpful to formulate strategies and
tactics, as well as work for change through relationships
An Iterative Process
Steps in Power Mapping

12. ● Especially focus on
influencing - and even
engaging - individuals who
may oppose your goal but
have much influence.
● Make sure to involve and
keep happy individuals who
support your goal and have
a lot of influence.
Organizers Recommend

16. Three Horizons

17. Emerging Models
Bringing Theory to Practice
● Have an established foundation of significant and innovative work reflecting
inclusive, holistic, and engaged education that bridges boundaries within
institutions, among higher education institutions, and / or with the community.
● Aspire to broader change within their own institution but may be constrained by
current cultures, practices,or structures.
● Point to possibilities for change in higher education and are willing to share their
stories for shared learning, action, and movement-building.
● Seek to build relationships with other innovative higher education networks and
leaders

18. Emerging Models
Bringing Theory to Practice with Bonner!
● Communities of practice among participants for shared learning and work.
● Connection with a broader network of changemakers within and outside of the
Bonner network.
● Opportunities to situate individual work within a broader context of higher
education innovation and movements for change.
● Strengthened capacity to tell story of individual projects and their impacts to
multiple audiences.
● Possibility for other forms of engagement, including shared writing, conference
presentations, grant proposals, and organizing initiatives with other campuses and
networks.

19. ○ Our common theories of change include a focus on
relationships and the power of the individual at any
level to drive change and make an impact.
○ Our projects and the strategies and tactics they use
involve thinking like a community organizer or
campaign leader.
○ Our initiatives recognize the complexity (and
resistance) to change in higher education, but they also
understand how change agents work through networks,
and how networks (inside and outside the institution)
can help to propel change.
Paradigm and CEL/Pathways Project
Broader Connections

20. ○ What are the reasons behind your outreach and
involvement of certain individuals?
■ Senior Leaders
■ Faculty
■ Staff
■ Partners
■ Student Leaders
■ Others (i.e., Funders, Spouses/Partners, etc.)
How Might Power Mapping Sharpen Your Approach
Reflecting on Your Allies/Team

21. ○ Would it be helpful to have more support for power
mapping for your CEL and Pathways work?
○ What kind of networking and communication across
our institutions would advance our collective work?
○ What are the biggest challenges and examples of
resistance that are happening for you?
○ What other tools and resources would be helpful to
support your work integrating community
engagement across campus, especially with
curriculum?
○ What information about the Paradigm Project would
be helpful for next steps on your campus?
And Some Questions for You
Next Steps

22. ○ Community-Engaged Learning Initiative RFP
○ Bringing Theory to Practice Website
○ BTtoP Podcasts
○ MURAL Board for Pathways Project
○ MURAL Board for Course Designator, Making the
Case Guide
○ Bonner Wiki (Pathways Examples & Faculty
Curriculum)
for More Information
Links