Partnerships
From community partners to students, CoLab welcomes everyone to get involved!
In the Community
CoLab serves as a hub connecting faculty, staff, students, and community partners to co-create knowledge, ethical practices, and action research projects, with the mission to make a tangible difference in the complex, wicked problems that confront the Monterey Bay region and broader domestic and international contexts. As a Community of Practice, we foster rich partnerships and prepare our faculty and staff with the necessary skills for a better community-engagement. Our approach aims to be Collaborative, Intentional, Social justice oriented, Relationship-focused, and Community-driven
Partnerships can take many forms, such as short consulting projects, student internships, or even longer-term projects such as Community-Engaged Research. CoLab’s network of students develop and practice key skills including but not limited to policy analysis, organizational assessment, program evaluation, and service-learning for technical assistance on tasks like grant-writing and communication. Together, we can bridge our campus expertise and your organization’s expertise to make a greater impact!
If you’re interested in getting involved as a partner or in pitching a project for CoLab’s network of faculty, staff and/or students to work with you on, please fill out the Community Partner Project Form.
For MIIS Faculty and Students
Learn more about Experiential Learning Student Opportunities. If you are interested in partnering with one or more of these projects, please contact one of our CoLab team members (Netta, Gabi, or Carolyn) or send an email to partners@middlebury.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a partnership consist of?
Partnerships are long-term relationships we hope to foster to bridge the divides between academia and community organizations and/or local governments. Using the skills and expertise both have to offer, we can co-create knowledge in a more meaningful way and make a difference on wicked problems that affect our communities.
What does a project consist of?
Projects can vary in length but include key goals and deliverables fulfilled by the end of the project term. Some examples include conducting research on a community-identified issue, completing an organizational assessment or a program evaluation etc.
What is Community-Engaged Research?
Community-Engaged Research is an umbrella term that encompasses various research approaches. For example, Community-based participatory action research (CBPR) or Participatory Action Research (PAR) are “partnership approaches that equitably involve all participants in all aspects of the process and in the governance of the research process, where each person shares their expertise in order to enhance knowledge and develop programs that will benefit the whole community” (Israel et al., 2008).
Do we have to be based in Monterey County?
While our long-term partners have historically been cultivated in Monterey County with hands-on and locally-impactful projects, students and faculty at MIIS typically work on issues and projects across the globe. CSUMB has a more hyperlocal approach through its mission and Service Learning Institute. CoLab aims to ensure that no matter what locale they take place in, community-engaged partnerships with our higher education institutions are authentic, non-extractive, intentional, and sustainable.
How does this process work?
Once you have filled out the Interest form, a CoLab planning team member will reach out to you for a meeting to create an initial connection and see how we can best match your organization with the right faculty/staff/student(s) depending on your needs. Next, discussions will take place around agreements, logistics, and project planning. For long-term projects, CoLab can assist with trying to find grant funding for the collective/partnership. For short-term commitments such as client projects, consultancies, service-learning placements and internships, these may be paid (by the organization or through institutional experiential learning funding) or unpaid (for credit or volunteering).
What are ways to get involved?
Explore our website, fill out the Interest form, contact us and/or get signed up for our upcoming newsletter by sending us a quick email at partners@middlebury.edu.