Community Learning Lab
Fall 2025-Spring 2026
University of Illinois student participants
community partners engaged
service hours contributed
projects completed
Community Learning Lab: Connecting Partners, Creating Impact
Representatives from Habitat for Humanity and the School of Social Work connect in support of community partnerships. Pictured are Allison Garrett, Chad Hoffman, Katie Shumway, and Chris Fleming.
The Community Learning Lab (CLL) connects community organizations with faculty and campus programs to develop reciprocal service-learning projects that benefit both students and the community.
"At its core, CLL is about connection, linking community partners with faculty and campus programs to co-create service-learning projects that matter," said Katie Shumway, senior director of community engagement. "These collaborations ensure students gain transformative learning experiences while community partners advance their work in meaningful ways."
One recent partnership paired Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County with Assistant Professor Chris Fleming after the organization submitted a project idea through CLL. The collaboration became part of Fleming's research methods course, where students conducted a housing-focused program evaluation that allowed them to apply classroom concepts to a real-world challenge.
"This project really allowed us to actively engage with the course content," Fleming said. "It gave students an opportunity to see a project through from beginning to end and think critically about how research decisions influence the evidence that is produced."
The evaluation examined Habitat for Humanity's impact on local families and found respondents reported improvements in financial stability, safety, neighborhood connectedness, and health after moving into their homes.
"I love that this project gave students a unique learning experience while also providing support to the community," Fleming said.
Shumway said the partnership exemplifies the power of community-engaged learning. "When the expertise of community partners is paired with the knowledge and energy of university faculty and students, the result is meaningful, sustained community strengthening."
CLL: Addressing Community Needs
Through Community Learning Lab (CLL) partnerships, students worked alongside community organizations to address pressing local needs while applying their classroom learning in real-world settings. These collaborations strengthened community organizations, expanded services, and produced meaningful outcomes for individuals, families, and surrounding communities.
Together, students and partners:
- Helped reduce food insecurity through food packing, distribution, and hunger relief initiatives.
- Supported children and youth through tutoring, mentoring, literacy programs, after-school activities, and early childhood engagement.
- Reduced social isolation among older adults and other vulnerable populations through relationship-building, social programming, and community engagement.
- Advanced disability inclusion by developing and supporting autism-focused social, recreational, and educational opportunities.
- Promoted environmental stewardship through conservation, restoration, sustainability, and community beautification projects.
- Expanded educational access and equity through initiatives serving incarcerated individuals and other historically underserved populations.
- Strengthened nonprofit organizations through program evaluation, grant writing, strategic communications, organizational planning, and capacity-building efforts.
- Contributed to community advocacy, policy research, public education, and outreach initiatives that advanced equity and informed decision-making.
- Produced practical, implementation-ready resources for community partners, including program evaluations, grant proposals and templates, policy briefs, advocacy materials, strategic plans, communications tools, and organizational recommendations.
From Campus to Community: The Foundations of Effective Leadership Training Series
When community organizations join forces with the University of Illinois, leadership development becomes more accessible, affordable, and impactful. This year, the School of Social Work's Community Learning Lab (CLL), in collaboration with the Champaign County Mental Health Board, the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois, and United Way, launched the Foundations of Effective Leadership Training Series in partnership with the University of Illinois Leadership Center. Through this collaborative effort, local nonprofit professionals, community members, and emerging leaders have access to practical, evidence-informed leadership training designed to strengthen organizations and the communities they serve.
The series grew directly from conversations with community partners.
"We've consistently heard from our community partners that, in addition to connecting them with students and faculty, they would value more opportunities for professional development and capacity building," said Katie Shumway, senior director of community engagement. "As a land-grant university, we're in a unique position to extend the university's educational resources beyond campus by working alongside community organizations to address needs they've identified."
The partnership itself reflects a shared commitment to strengthening local nonprofits.
"Every organization involved is invested in strengthening local nonprofits and our community, so our missions naturally aligned," Shumway said. "Rather than each of us working independently, this collaboration gave us an opportunity to break down silos, pool our resources, and create something together. Each partner brings a unique network and perspective, helping us reach more organizations and ensuring the topics reflect the needs and interests of our community."
The impact extends well beyond the classroom.
"When nonprofit leaders have the tools and support they need, their organizations are better equipped to serve the community," Shumway said. "Stronger leadership can lead to healthier teams, more sustainable organizations, and ultimately greater impact for the people they serve. Supporting those who do this important work creates a ripple effect that benefits our entire community."
Looking ahead, Shumway hopes to build on this collaborative model by continuing the leadership series and exploring new opportunities that combine the university's educational strengths with the expertise and priorities of community partners for mutual benefit.
Community Connections Corner
The Community Learning Lab (CLL) hosted its fourth annual Community Connections Corner during the academic year as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthening partnerships between the School of Social Work and community organizations. Held weekly throughout the semester, the initiative provided a dedicated space for Community Partners to engage directly with students, share information about their organizations and services, promote volunteer and employment opportunities, and highlight upcoming events. Community Connections Corner continues to serve as an important avenue for fostering collaboration, increasing awareness of community resources, and supporting meaningful connections between students and the organizations serving our communities. Participating Community Partners:
- University of Illinois National and International Scholarships Program
- CLU-W Hygiene Pantry of Champaign County
- The Land Connection
- DREAAM
- Illini Hillel
- Disability Resource Expo – Champaign County Mental Health Board
- Rosecrance Behavioral Health
- PACE Inc. Center For Independent Living
- Promise Healthcare
- Education Justice Project
- School of Social Work Student Affairs
- Illinois Center for Family and Community Engaged STEAMM
- Cunningham Township
- Housing Authority of Champaign County
- Champaign County Environmental Stewards
- DCFS
- RACES
- KOOP Adventure Play
- Champaign County Government
- Cunning Children’s Home
- The Center for Youth and Family Solutions
- Feeding Our Kids
- Strides Shelter – City of Champaign Township
- Brightpoint
- The Immigration Project
- The Refugee Center
- Education Justice Project / Reentry Resource Program
- The Urbana Free Library
- Community Health Partnership of Illinois
- UniPlace Christian Church
- Promise Healthcare
- Carle Health
- Chez Veterans Center
Learning our History initiative
Exploring Local Histories Through a Social Work Lens
Angela Rivers shares her insights with attendees of the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail.
Since 2021, more than 50 School of Social Work faculty, staff, and students have participated in the Learning Our History initiative, led by Associate Dean for Engagement and DEI, Kevin Tan and the School of Social Work Engagement Office in collaboration with community leaders and campus partners. The initiative explores how local history, policy, and place have shaped communities through experiences of racial injustice, including redlining, disinvestment, and school closures. Grounded in humility, relationship-building, and learning from community members, the tours help participants connect the social work profession's values of dignity, equity, and person-in-environment practice to the lived experiences of the communities they serve.
As interest has grown, the initiative has expanded beyond its original focus on African American history to include an arts-based local history tour and a K–12 education history tour. Small-group experiences encourage meaningful dialogue and reflection, often concluding at local minority-owned businesses. In June 2026, Chancellor Isbell, Provost Coleman, and other campus leaders participated in a special session highlighting the connection between local history, community engagement, and the University's mission. Supported by a 2026 Healing Illinois grant awarded jointly to Social Work and IHSI, Tan also hosted several community events focused on healing and education through local history.
Building on this momentum, Tan partnered with the Asian American Cultural Center to launch the Champaign-Urbana Asian American Heritage Trail, with its inaugural tour held in May 2026 during Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Inspired by the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail, the new initiative highlights the histories and contributions of Asian American communities while strengthening local partnerships.
Together, these efforts encourage students, faculty, staff, and community members to deepen their understanding of local history and engage more thoughtfully as partners in advancing equity and justice.
Public Engagement
School of Social Work Joins Campus Leaders at Public Engagement Summit
The 2026 Public Engagement Summit titled Publicly Engaged Solutions to 21st Century Societal Grand Challenges: Illinois Leadership and Innovation brought together faculty, staff, students, and community partners to share publicly engaged research, teaching, and service initiatives addressing complex societal challenges through collaborative, community-informed approaches. The event was sponsored by the University of Illinois Office of the Chancellor, Office of Public Engagement.
Faculty from the School of Social Work contributed the following presentations and expertise:
- Steven Anderson, Professor and Dean Emeritus and Chancellor Senior Advisor for Public Engagement, presented the Summit Roadmap for the event.
- Hyojin Cho, Assistant Professor, presented research on the impacts of social welfare funding cuts and policy shifts on human service organizations, highlighting how community leaders navigate financial instability, workforce retention, and shifting socio-political conditions.
- Amy Frederick, Associate Director of Professional Education, and Kevin Tan, Associate Dean, co-presented on a rapid-response model through the School of Social Work Engagement Office that provides professional development for social workers and communities responding to evolving federal policy contexts. Their session shared lessons on public engagement strategies and community-informed responses to socio-political change.
- Tuyet Mai Hoang, Assistant Professor, participated in a panel with community members, doulas, and researchers focused on sexual and reproductive health in Central Illinois, presenting collaborative work from 2023-2025 within the context of the changing reproductive health landscape and abortion restrictions.
- Jenna Mahoney, Teaching Assistant Professor, presented on a pilot practicum embedded in a school social work MSW course, developed in partnership with school social workers to strengthen students’ professional readiness in supporting P–12 students through applied, practice-based learning.
- Kevin Tan, Associate Dean for Engagement and DEI, also participated on a panel focused on local history as a pathway for ethical and sustainable public engagement. Panelists explored how place-based educational history initiatives and dialogues foster trust, reciprocity, and shared knowledge, and discussed lessons learned in co-creating initiatives that honor community expertise while advancing research, teaching, mentoring, and engagement.
Together, these contributions reflect the School of Social Work’s commitment to advancing collaborative, community-engaged approaches to addressing today’s most pressing societal challenges.
Beyond Borders: Global Mental health conference
Beyond Borders Conference Advances Global Mental Health Dialogue
The School of Social Work hosted its inaugural Beyond Borders: Global Mental Health Research and Services Conference, convening researchers, practitioners, community members, and people with lived experience from the Champaign-Urbana community and across the globe to explore innovative, culturally responsive approaches to mental health. Held in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, the two-day conference featured presentations on topics ranging from artificial intelligence in mental health care to the role of dance and the arts in healing, as well as a mindfulness walk, community connections hall, and artists alley.
Organized by Assistant Professor Dr. Flora Cohen, the conference reflected the School's commitment to advancing global, transdisciplinary perspectives on mental health that recognize diverse cultural understandings of healing and wellbeing. Discussions emphasized the importance of community-based solutions, elevating evidence and practices from the Global South, and fostering more equitable approaches to research and care. The conference also welcomed international speakers from South Africa and Bangladesh, strengthening global partnerships and creating opportunities for collaboration across countries and disciplines.
Made possible through support from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Vision 2030 Global Strategy Implementation Grant and several campus and community partners, the conference established a new platform for international dialogue and innovation while reinforcing the School's leadership in global mental health research, education, and community engagement.