Professional Development Opportunities

What?

The Research with Impact Masterclass is a free, once-in-a-career opportunity to help you explore how you can communicate your work to a range of audiences using digital tools and innovative communication methods. It will also encourage you to reflect on how you can build networks, both in person and digitally, and connect more closely with your professional community.

Participants in the Masterclass will have limited-time access, facilitated by the modules’ co-author and director of the Institute for Community and Economic Engagement, Dr. Emily Janke.

As part of the Knowledge Production Corner, a regular offering in the Institute, participants will also enjoy continued support in implementing what they learn in the Masterclass after it ends.

Who?

The Research with Impact Masterclass is well-suited for scholars at any point in their careers who are seeking ways to improve their communication with and among fellow scholars, policymakers, and the general public.

This Masterclass is for all disciplines and is appropriate for faculty, staff, and advanced graduate students.

when?

For full consideration to participate in the Masterclass, please apply before 5 January at 11:59 PM.

Staff in the Institute for Community and Economic Engagement will guide four hybrid discussions during the spring 2026 semester to support the work of our UNCG colleagues chosen to participate.

While our discussions will offer a rough timeline for completing the online modules, participants will be able to do that work in their own time, with the only deadlines being our discussion dates and the closing date, all of which are noted below. The estimated time commitment is 40 minutes per module, and 60-90 minutes for our discussions.

Participants who attend discussions will be entered in a drawing for $250 in professional development funds to be held after 5 March.

details

5 January 2026

Applications due

12 January 2026

Modules open

15 January 2026, 12:00-1:00

Introduction to the Masterclass, overview of the modules and workshop expectations

29 January 2026, 12:00-1:30
First Discussion – focused on:
Module 1:  What does it mean for research to have impact?
Module 2: Thinking strategically about impact

12 February 2026, 12:00-1:30
Second Discussion – focused on:
Module 3: Partnerships and communication
Module 4: Sharing your impact with others

26 February 2026, 12:00-1:00
Final Discussion – focused on:
Identifying further action, evaluation of the Masterclass

next steps

Would you like to join us?

Selected participants will be notified on 9 January.

If you’re selected to join us, we’ll provide an acceptance letter, share calendar reminders for the discussions, and register you for FREE, limited access to the Epigeum Research with Impact Module.

Do you ever feel like you’re struggling to connect with your communities, your students, or even your work?
The Institute’s Knowledge Production Corner is partnering with Dr. Lalenja Harrington to offer a workshop you may find useful. 

On 23 February from 12-1:30, Dr. Lalenja Harrington will join workshop participants in an exploration of the techniques she uses in her classes to build deeply-connected, playful, and human-centered learning spaces with and for her students. She will introduce techniques and concepts participants can model in their own work, whether seeking deeper connection with others, or hoping to help students connect with each other and engage more fully with challenging material, regardless of modality. 

Dr. Harrington is a recognized community-engaged scholar, Partnerships and Pathways Grant fellow, and longtime practitioner of Legislative and Playback Theatre methods in the classroom.  

Participants are encouraged to join this online-only offering to build their toolboxes for classroom and community connection, and is open to faculty, staff, graduate students (particularly those who are in teaching roles) and community partners. Registration is required, but there is no cost to attend. 

When: 

23 February 2026, 12:00-1:30, Teams 

Save the Date – Application opens January 2026

Plan to join us in May 2026 for a funded, two-day, interactive course development and enhancement opportunity for full-time faculty at any experience level – from the newly curious to the lifelong practitioner – who want to integrate community connections and engagement into an undergraduate or graduate-level course. Grow your understanding of community-engaged (CE) course learning outcomes, community partnerships, critical elements of CE, assessment, and other components of sound community-engaged instruction based on participants’ interests and questions. Participants will leave the workshop with a framework they develop for a new or re-imagined community-engaged course. Opportunity for individual work time and consultation with CE scholars and faculty across disciplines will support a productive, cooperative working environment.

During our time together we will attend to, model, and provide instruction on key principles and practices, including individual and collective care, relationship building and healing, collaborative practices, drawing on art-based activities, and listening. Our hope is to (re)ignite commitment to forms of teaching and learning that value community-university mutual benefit, reciprocity, joyful engagement, shared responsibility, and deep connections to people and place.

Instructors will receive a $1,500 stipend upon successful completion of the 2-day workshop, and submission of a new or revised course that meets the standards for CE/SVL designation.

Outcomes:

• Establish new and renewed connections with fellow community-engaged instructors
• Become aware of resources and networks to support all levels of community engagement for any course
• Identify ways to integrate faculty roles of teaching, research/creative activity, and public/professional/community service, as applicable
• Strengthen competencies and confidence in developing and teaching community-engaged courses, from design to implementation and evaluation
• Develop a cadre of UNCG faculty who can support community-engaged teaching through their examples and mutual aid with others

Deliverables:

• Fully participate in in-person, two-day May workshop
• Submit, and have approved, a new or updated syllabus that clearly reflects changes related to community engagement, per the course designation rubric administered by members of the CE Council
• Participate in pre- and post-assessment of the workshop (questionnaire)

Eligibility

1. Full-time faculty at UNCG (academic professional track or tenure-track)
2. Department chair approval to offer the (re)designed course (undergraduate or graduate) no later than Fall 2027
   

This opportunity is made possible by the Community Engagement Council, and through partnership among the Division of Student Success, the Institute for Community and Economic Engagement, and the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement.