A summary of our 2011 IARSCLE Conference in Chicago, IL.

1. th
11 Annual IARSCLE
Conference
November 2-4, 2011 Chicago, IL
Toward the close of this past year, Illinois Campus Compact in league with DePaul
University, National-Louis University, Loyola University Chicago, Columbia College
Chicago, Northern Illinois University and the International Association for Research on
Service-learning and Community Engagement proudly hosted the 11th Annual International
Association for Research on Service-learning and Community Engagement Conference in
downtown Chicago at the historic Palmer House Hilton hotel.
The conference was a huge success, where over 550 registered attendees traveling from 19
countries engaged in discourse concerning service-learning research that critically evaluates and
illuminates the long-term impact of service-learning and community engagement on students,
faculty, and community partners. Through various presentation methods, speakers and
attendees were able to highlight and discuss the important economic, political and social
impacts of service-learning research as well as share new methods and practices conducive to
advancing the field.

2. ;
Awards This year’s Annual Conference for the International Association
for Research on Service-learning and Community engagement or
(IARSLCE) carried the theme of “Advancing Scholarship
Distinguished through Social Change” and was honored to have three
Research Award - incredibly renowned pioneers in the field of service-learning as
keynote speakers. Attendees were witnesses to talks given by
Jeffery Howard Caesar McDowell, Professor of the Practice of Community
Development at MIT, Department of Urban Studies and
Early Career Research
Planning and president of Dropping Knowledge international,
Award – Dr. Tania Laura Rendon, Professor of Higher Education in the College of
Mitchell Education and Human Development at the University of Texas-
San Antonio and Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains, CSU Monterey Bay
Dissertation Research Professor Emeritus, Department of Visual and Public Art. These
Award – Stephanie amazing individuals enlightened our international audiences with
their wisdom, life experiences and teachings providing excellent
Stokamer
touchstones for each day of the conference.
Dissertation Research
The 11th Annual IARSLCE Conference also provided the perfect
Award, Honorable place for recognizing service-learning researchers who’ve made
Mention - Dr. Jennifer serious contributions to the field in recent times. We were proud
Domigal-Goldman to present the awards for Distinguished Research, Early Career
Research, Dissertation Research and Honorable mention for
President Award Dissertation Research to Jeffrey Howard, Dr. Tania Mitchell,
Recipients – Dr. Alvin Stephanie Stokamer and Dr. Jennifer Domigal-Goldman
respectively. Each award represented the immensely important
Goldfarb and Harold
work done by its recipient in hoping to pave the way for future
Wilde breakthroughs in the realms of both service learning and
community engagement.
Our 2011 IARSCLE Conference also featured a President’s Reception acknowledging our
dedicated members who have answered higher education’s call to social responsibility by keeping
their campuses actively involved in the civic mission carried by all colleges and universities. Along
with recognizing all of the Chicago host schools’ presidents, a Presidential Awards ceremony was
held during the reception to highlight Dr. Alvin Goldfarb, retired President of Western Illinois
University and Harold Wilde, president of North Central College for their long-standing
commitment to promoting the importance of civic engagement and service-learning initiatives
throughout their careers. Attendees were also able to relax and network with their fellow
researchers and service-learning advocates during the reception, making it one of the favored
events at the conference.
Overall, the 2011 IARSCLE conference provided a place for the attendees to engage with a
community of fellow scholars dedicated to raising awareness and support for service-learning
research and community engagement, an event perfectly in sync with the Illinois Campus
Compact mission of sustaining an invigorated commitment to providing resources, training, and
support to foster civic growth and responsibility within the many facets of higher education.
2

3. ;
We Celebrate and appreciate the many committee members, guest
speakers, exhibitors and volunteers RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THIS
conference a huge success.
THANK YOU ALL!
3