Community and CCEL

Announcing "Fordham In Community"

BronxNet stopped by Fordham's Inaugural Community Summit, sponsored by the Center for Community Engaged Learning, held in early May at the Bronx Zoo. Executive Director Dr. Julie Gafney joined Bronx Community Foundation CEO and President Dr. Meisha Porter GSE'21 to speak about the event and a new consortium between Fordham University and local institutional and grassroots partners called Fordham In Community/En Communidad.

Fordhamincommunity.org

Relationships matter. When Fordham works off-campus in local cities, neighborhoods and globally, we carefully attend to our philosophy of community. Philosophy of community is the fundamental nature of the institution’s knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language concerning the community where it will work. Fordham aims to work in concern with our neighbors toward mutually beneficial ends. We are stronger together. Get Involved!

Philosophy

Fordham’s philosophy of community frames the work of the center. The central elements of our approach include:

  • Development of local community assets;
  • Creation of a two-way street between the college and community members centered on long-term relationships;
  • Promotion of local education attainment, preferably at Fordham or with local institutions

Leveraging of local assets to attract new opportunities

Opportunities

The center hosts workshops, professional development opportunities, roundtable discussions, and events in collaboration with our community partners. We are also a conduit for partners to access institutional resources, such as space rentals, library workshops, sporting events or performances, tours, and more!

Community Engagement Network

The Community Engagement Network rests upon a systematized approach to community partner engagement and communication. Activities include:

  • Site visits
  • Community board attendance and, when applicable, hosting
  • Cultivation events
  • Professional development seminars

Program and initiative co-creation