Check out the CCE’s education and learning equity Community Building Internships in Kalamazoo this summer! Applications are open until April 9th, search “CBI” on Handshake for position descriptions and to apply. Contact: Felicia.Ford@kzoo.edu
The CCE is excited to share this article from the College Lux Esto magazine from last month. You can read about the over 25 years of community collaboration and neighborhood engagement through Building Blocks; originally founded by Professor Emeritus Kim Cummings as a student-neighborhood endeavor in 1995, Building Blocks has since developed into an independent organization that empowers residents, one block at a time, to enhance the quality of their neighborhood life. Kalamazoo College students have continued to engage with neighborhood communities across the city through courses and summer Community Building Internships.
Farmworker Legal Services is a CCE partner for almost 20 years in service-learning courses and Community Building Internships. Their advocacy for human rights for “essential workers” was highlighted recently in this piece from Michigan Radio: https://www.michiganradio.org/post/we-are-not-disposable-people-farmworkers-speak-out-conditions-have-led-outbreaks
We look forward to another successful CBI Summer as 25 grants of $4,000 per student have been awarded through a competitive interview and selection process with our local community partners. These internships are 6-8 weeks in length and are comprised of 240-280 hours. CCE Staff meets with the student interns for reflections once per week, and showcase their summer’s end reflection projects in an August Celebration. These internships are funded by the CCPD, anonymous donors and the SAGA foundation. In the CCE’s ongoing commitment to work toward greater equity in resource allocation, these internships are a competitive application process open only to students who meet eligibility criteria, i.e. first-generation college students (as self-reported to the College) and/or students with high financial need (as determined by the Financial Aid Office). For more information on CBIs, please visit: Summer 2021 Center for Civic Engagement Community Building Internships
