Program
Professional Development
The Office of Engagement offers professional development opportunities for Purdue faculty, students, and staff interested in meaningfully engaging with communities. This effort is led by Dr. Jason Ware, an Engagement Fellow.
What is it?
Professional development in community engagement at Purdue focuses on expanding knowledge and skills related to broader impact and the scholarship of engagement. Led by Dr. Jason Ware, these efforts include workshops, consultations, communities of practice, and grant opportunities all designed to integrate engagement into research, teaching, and service. These offerings aim to help faculty better understand and practice meaningful, community-centered work that reflects Purdue’s land-grant mission.
How does it affect me?
Whether you are a faculty member preparing for promotion, a researcher building community partnerships, or someone curious about integrating engagement into your academic work, these opportunities provide practical and tailored support. One-on-one consultations can guide you through logic models, proposal development, and promotion documents. Monthly Community of Practice meetings foster collaboration and peer learning, while upcoming online modules offer flexible learning options that fit your schedule.
Why are we doing it?
Purdue’s mission includes a strong commitment to engagement and public impact. This professional development initiative is a response to the growing recognition that community-engaged work is essential to solving real-world problems and advancing academic scholarship. By supporting faculty in this area, the Office of Engagement is helping to build a stronger, more responsive university that values knowledge co-creation and measurable community outcomes.
How can I get involved?
You can get involved in several ways. Start by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Ware to discuss your goals and explore resources. Attend the Community of Practice meetings throughout the academic year to learn from peers and develop your project ideas. Watch for the launch of the edX-based online engagement modules, where you can earn a certificate or explore topics of interest at your own pace. If you’re ready to dive into a collaborative research project, consider applying for the CERI Grant, which provides funding and structured support during specified project periods.
Pillar One: Broader Impact + Scholarship of Engagement Fellows Program
The Broader Impact + Scholarship of Engagement Fellows Program is a yearlong professional development opportunity designed to support faculty in advancing engaged scholarship and meaningful societal impact across Purdue’s mission areas of learning, discovery, and engagement. The program supports faculty who seek to thoughtfully integrate broader impacts into their research, teaching, and engagement activities, while also strengthening how that work is documented and evaluated for promotion and tenure.
Fellows participate in a structured cohort experience with mentorship from senior Purdue faculty who have demonstrated success in engaged scholarship and broader impact. Through workshops, mentoring, and applied project development, participants deepen their understanding of the scholarship of engagement, learn strategies for documenting and assessing impact, and develop skills for incorporating broader impact into grant proposals and community partnerships. The program emphasizes the alignment of scholarly outputs with community benefit, providing fellows with direct feedback on promotion materials and proposal concepts. By the end of the fellowship, participants are equipped with a strengthened engagement portfolio, clearer short- and long-term goals, and practical tools to sustain and scale impact-oriented academic work.
Read more about the 2026–2027 Broader Impact + Scholarship of Engagement Fellows Program.
Pillar Two: Engagement Community of Practice
This community brings together faculty who are interested in engagement. It supports professional development in both broader impact (BI) and the scholarship of engagement (SoE). The focus is on weaving BI and SoE into teaching, research, and engagement. The next program cycle begins in Fall 2026.
Community of Practice sessions are held on the first Wednesday of each month during the academic year. Session topics include faculty discussion, resource sharing, integrating engagement across mission areas, and panels on funding, partnerships, instruction, and evaluation.
Pillar Three: Presentations, Workshops, and Consultations
Faculty, departments, and promotion committees can request customized workshops, presentations, or one-on-one consultations. These sessions help strengthen understanding of engagement, broader impact, the scholarship of engagement, and how engagement can support promotion or tenure.
The Community Engagement, Research and Impact Grant
The Community Engagement, Research and Impact Grant is a faculty funding opportunity that supports the development of meaningful, reciprocal partnerships between Purdue University and communities. The grant is designed to advance collaborative, community-centered research that integrates discovery, teaching, and engagement while addressing real-world challenges alongside community partners.
This program encourages faculty to work across disciplines to co-create knowledge, generate scholarly outputs, and deliver measurable outcomes that benefit both the university and the communities involved. Funded projects emphasize shared goal-setting with community partners, thoughtful assessment and evaluation, and clear pathways to demonstrated impact. Grant recipients join a cohort of engaged scholars and participate in a community of practice that fosters learning, collaboration, and the advancement of engagement as rigorous, impactful scholarship. Through this initiative, Purdue reinforces its commitment to research and engagement that produces tangible change and enduring societal value.
Learn more about the 2026–2027 grant details.
Need More Information?
Reach out to Dr. Jason Ware