Leadership Development & Community Engagement Values
We ground our work in the following values. These values shape our approach to our work with students, campus partners, and community partners.
Social Justice
We commit ourselves to pursuing a just and equitable world for all people through our daily work, our pedagogy, and how we form relationships with students and partners. We support students' agency to make change and we believe we have a responsibility to engage in intentional action and education to dismantle unjust systems of power, privilege, and oppression. We recognize that humility and reflection are integral to this process.
Collaboration & Partnership
We believe the challenges facing our university, community, state, nation, and world are complex, and we seek to develop long-term, reciprocal partnerships that center community wisdom in our collective pursuit of justice. We value the strengths and assets of our community, and believe that our futures are inextricably intertwined. We practice open, authentic, and civil communication. We seek first to understand, and we partner in a collegial manner that is consistently professional, respectful, and empathetic.
Innovation
We look for creative and sustainable approaches to enhance our work, challenge assumptions, and promote strategies to advance transformative learning. We inspire and are inspired; we infuse energy and passion into the pursuit of our vision and mission, and we believe there is strength in diversity of thought and experiences. We ground our practice in reflection and critical inquiry, and we strive to create connections that advance our collective goals.
Integrity
We exercise the highest ethical and professional standards in our advancement of the student learning experience and in relationships with campus and community partners. We invite students, staff, faculty, and partners to be active participants in shaping the direction of our work. We are accountable to our students, campus partners, community members, and community partners.
Stewardship
We are committed to the sustainability of relationships and the projects those relationships foster. We strive to be thoughtful and responsible with our natural and institutional resources, facilities, and spaces, with an intention to use our resources to advance equity. We seek to create opportunities for students to thrive while exploring how to live authentic and balanced lives.
We follow the Principles of Ethical Practice in Community-Engaged Learning, Research and Service. These principles were developed by the Northwestern Community Engaged Scholarship working group.