This session will describe findings from an interdisciplinary learning community that convened in the Spring of 2018 to explore graduate-level service-learning and community engagement (SLCE) at a large research university. Members of the “Engaged Graduate Education” Learning Community (“EGE”), comprised of thirteen graduate students and three service-learning program administrators (“members”), met monthly and completed independent research projects on the state of SLCE in their departments and/or fields. Throughout the semester-long EGE, we utilized a mixed-methods “values-engaged assessment” framework (Bandy et. al., 2016) to analyze discussion notes, member assignments, and final projects, and to identify the dominant norms and values that might encourage or deter graduate students from participating in SLCE. Though values vary in important ways by degree program, we found that, for the most part, these norms limit graduate SLCE in pervasive and substantive ways. In this session, we will discuss our findings and propose both strategic and tactical (Hubrig, McWain, Meade & Shah, 2017) approaches for supporting graduate SLCE in research universities similar to our own with the goal of shifting dominant perceptions of graduate education and creating large-scale change. Such strategies for change include identifying allies, building communication channels, and making use of existing institutional structures.
