Cardinal Course Development & Funding
The Community Engaged Learning and Research (CELR) team supports faculty with development and implementation of Cardinal Courses through:
Cardinal Course Faculty Workbook
The Faculty Workbook is designed to support faculty in developing a community engaged learning experience as part of a new or revised course.
Cardinal Course Tagging
Cardinal Courses are officially "tagged" as such and are searchable in Explore Courses. Currently, there are more than 170 Cardinal Courses, representing 50 departments and programs across campus. For questions regarding Cardinal Course tagging, please contact Shoshanah Cohen.
Apply for course tagging and grants
Cardinal Course Grants
Cardinal Course faculty are eligible to apply for grants of up to $3,000 per course. We recommend meeting with a member of the CELR team before submitting a grant application. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis leading up to each quarter.
2025-26 deadlines for grant reviews are:
- Autumn: September 3, 2025 (applications open August 18, 2025)
- Winter: November 12, 2025
- Spring: February 18, 2026
- Summer: May 13, 2026
- Sophomore College: June 24, 2026
If you have a strong justification for requesting additional funds beyond what you are awarded through the Cardinal Course grant process, we will consider requests of up to an additional $1,000 to be used on line items essential to the project/partnership. Please submit your request by email to one of the Directors of Community-Engaged Learning (DCELs) and CC Sarah McShea. The Cardinal Course team will review requests and make determinations on a rolling basis. Your request should include the following:
- Reason(s) why the partnership/project requires additional funding
- Itemized budget outlining specific uses for additional funds
- Anticipated impact of additional funds on course outcomes and learning goals
- Confirmation that you were approved for the main Cardinal Course grant
Cardinal Course Assistants
Community Engaged Learning Coordinators (CELCs) are undergraduate students employed to support Cardinal Course faculty. They are typically students who have previously taken the course or have an existing relationship with the faculty member or community partner. CELCs gain valuable experience in community engaged learning pedagogy, program management, and public service; faculty can rely on their CELC to reduce their administrative workload, enhance class discussions, and help students with projects.
Faculty who would like to request a CELC and students who are interested in serving as a CELC should contact Sarah McShea.