Cultural Factors in Preparing Students for Community-Engaged Scholarship

Abstract

For over a decade, the authors of this chapter have heard from community partners that many college students are unprepared for community engagement. This chapter makes the case for student preparation and training by examining the current literature regarding student preparation and the authors' own research. The authors offer guiding frameworks, teaching strategies, and theoretical orientations to support student preparation before and throughout community engagement to build transformative community-based learning experiences. Using examples from their own practice, the authors illustrate strategies that lead toward successful student preparation for cross-cultural engagement.