Engaged Liberal Arts + Sciences

For Students

• Increases relevant coursework by bringing academic instruction to life.
• Develops meaningful involvement with the local and regional communities.
• Prepares individuals to participate in internships and research.
• Applies concepts from the classroom to their service.
• Provides platforms to analyze and discuss civic values.
• Allows exploration of career options.
• Develops a sense of community and civic responsibility.
• Teaches workforce skills.
• Increases a sense of self-efficacy, analytical skills and social development.
• Develops connections with people of diverse cultures and lifestyles.
• Provides opportunities to accommodate different learning styles.

For Faculty

• Enriches and enlivens teaching by providing a new understanding of how learning occurs.
• Identifies new areas for research and publication, and thus increases opportunities for professional recognition and reward.
• Enhances student learning and teaching qualities.
• Increases awareness of current social justice issues as they relate to the academic areas of interest.
• Provides opportunities for application of professional expertise and research.
• Increases diversity in the classroom by accommodating a wide variety of learning styles.

For the Community

• Enhances positive relationships with the College.
• Provides awareness-building of community issues, agencies and constituents.
• Contributes to positive exposure in the community.
• Creates ways to expand current services.
• Provides opportunities for participating in the educational process.
• Develops short and long term solutions to pressing community needs.
• Creates ways to expand current services.
• Increases human resources for problem solving.
• Enriches roles for supervisors.

Promoting Active Citizenship

Each year, more than 300 Bard students enroll in ELAS courses that challenge them to develop creative and practical approaches to social, cultural, and scientific issues while partnering with community and civic organizations. CCE invites proposals from Bard and Bard Early College faculty to design and support ELAS courses that connect students’ classroom experiences with the community, enhancing learning and promoting active citizenship. Visit our Resources Library for course development tools.