Community Engaged Learning
Connecting academia with communities to cultivate positive societal impact.
About CEL
Community Engaged Learning (CEL) at the University of Utah bridges academia and communities to create positive impact. For students, CEL offers courses and programs to help align education with community engagement, including a Certificate and Scholars distinction. For faculty, CEL is a hub for training, resources, and support to enhance quality community engagement in courses. For community partners, CEL is the gateway to connect with university resources and programs.
What's Happening in CEL
-
2025 Faculty Awards
The Office of Undergraduate Studies is proud to celebrate the winners of the 2025 Community Engaged Learning Faculty Awards. These outstanding faculty members have demonstrated exceptional dedication to fostering meaningful connections between the University of Utah and the wider community. This year’s Public Service Professor Award recipient is Dr. Udita Gupta, Associate Professor (Career Line), Urban Institute for Teacher Education (UITE), College of Education. The Distinguished Faculty Service Award honors Dr. Sonia Salari, Professor, Department of Family and Consumer Studies, and Dr. Leslie Francis, Alfred C. Emery Professor of Law, and Distinguished Professor of Philosophy.
-
Spring 2025 CEL Workshop Series
The Spring 2025 CEL Workshop Series will be on Community Based Participatory Research will be led by Dr. Ana Antunes who has recently published the book “All In: Community Engaged Scholarship for Social Change.”
-
Student Highlight: Akila Chalapathi
Akila Chalapathi, a fourth-year student at the University of Utah and a Bennion Scholar for three years, is collaborating with the International Refugee Committee (IRC) and Dr. James Bekker from the School of Dentistry for her Capstone project.
-
Student Highlight: Eliana Massey
Eliana Massey, a student in their final year at the University of Utah majoring in Philosophy of Science and museum studies, has been working on a capstone project developing a curriculum on culturally significant plants and foods that connect the Pacific Islands and the Americas for Pacific Heritage Academy (PHA), a K-8 charter school in Rose Park.
