Portfolio and Certification Programs in Community Engagement as Professional Development for Gradute Students: Lessons Learned from Two Land-Grant Universities
Although growing numbers of graduate students nationwide express interest in developing and documenting boundary-spanning skills in community-engaged research, teaching, and outreach, formal opportunities to do so are often limited, especially at the large research institutions producing most future faculty members. This article focuses on initial steps being taken to provide professional development for graduate students through portfolio and certification programs at two large, public, land-grant, research-intensive, Carnegie-engaged institutions in different parts of the United States: Michigan State University and the University of Georgia. For each university, the authors describe the context and history; the specific steps being taken to support graduate students in community-engaged research, teaching, and practice; and the impacts, outcomes, and lessons learned to date from this work.