Work on problem-solving.
Community-based research (CBR) allows students to work on projects responding to community needs. The collaborative research aspect fosters relationships between students and faculty and the community organizations they serve. For example, CBR benefits organizations in that it generates a body of knowledge to draw upon for grant writing, advocacy, and other improvements.
Involvement in CBR creates opportunities for students to:
- develop problem-solving skills,
- understand and appreciate complex issues faced by local communities,
- prepare for careers in community advocacy and development,
- make contributions to publishable work,
- and form connections with professionals in the field.
Wes Schmidt '08explains the use of aquaponics to an interested audience at Lynchburg Grows, an urban farm which produces organic food. Aquaponics involves the use of fish excrement as fertilizer. Wes' project aimed to create and measure the effectiveness of a sustainable source of organic fertilization for vegetables grown in the farm's greenhouses.
Of his work, Wes explained, "Everything I learned in the last four years of college about ecosystems is coming together with this project." While at LC, Wes majored in environmental science.
Since 2004, with support from grants from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund and Princeton University, the Center for Community Development and Social Justice at Lynchburg College has brokered more than 40 collaborative research and public policy projects among LC faculty, students, and not-for-profit community partners. Recent CBR projects have been integrated into courses in the following disciplines:
- sociology,
- social entrepreneurship,
- environmental science,
- chemistry,
- nursing,
- political science,
- internships and independent studies.
Students in the Bonner Leaders Program(a two-year service program which includes AmeriCorps Education Awards) have undertaken CBR projects as an advanced form of collaboration with their nonprofit community partners, and students enrolled in the minor in civic engagement complete a CBR project as their capstone experience. GS 307 - An Introduction to Civic Participation and Community-Based Research is a one-credit course open to all students.
Click here for more information about community based-research at Lynchburg College.