News

Elena Klaw with Karthika Sasikumar, Photo by Robert C. Bain

CCLL Faculty Director Receives SJSU’s Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes a faculty member for exemplary service in a leadership capacity to the University and/or the community or profession that brings credit to San José State University.

Shamita Rai (left-most) and Ariza Ali (right-most) pictured with Cynthia Teniente-Matson and Mayor Matt Mahan

Service-Learning Helps Establish a Partnership Agreement with the City of San Jose

For the first time the university has a blanket agreement that enables curricular placements across all departments in the City of San Jose for all SJSU students. The long-standing agreements with the San José Public Library and the City’s Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services Department enabled SJSU service-learners to complete projects within those areas and served as proof of concept for the blanket agreement.

Symposium and Celebration of Reframing Community Engagement in Higher Education

Symposium and Celebration of Reframing Community Engagement in Higher Education

Contributors to Reframing Community Engagement in Higher Education edited by Elena Klaw, Andrea Tully, and Elaine Ikeda shared current challenges and best practices in community engaged learning as part of the college curriculum. They also addressed what they believe are the most important actions higher education institutions should take to create a better society.

SJSU Day Of Action

SJSU Day of Action: Restrict Guns Not Books

During our Center’s third annual Day of Action Against Gun Violence changemakers representing local and national organizations presented perspectives and opportunities to reduce gun violence and LET FREEDOM READ!

Book Cover for "Reframing Community Engagement in Higher Education"

Reframing Community Engagement in Higher Education edited by Elena Klaw, Andrea Tully, Elaine K. Ikeda

This timely book addresses assumptions and challenges inherent within community engagement as a catalyst for developing students’ sense of civic responsibility at a time of rampant social polarization. Promoting academic development and life skills through the high-impact practice of service-learning, the book explores a new ecological framework for reflecting on and improving practice. This book describes new models, offers advice on coalition building, and presents the narratives of community-engaged professionals and faculty, offering a sense both of tensions inherent in this work and examples of initiatives in local contexts. Chapters primarily reflect on what action is required for fulfilling our public purpose and what’s holding us back. This book provides guidance, examples, and benchmarks for best practices in community engagement that are particularly relevant to this time of crises and unrest and will be relevant to community-engaged professionals, higher education faculty, and college administrators.

Jose Luiz Sarabia Torres in black College Corps shirt

College Corps Fellow, Jose Luiz Sarabia Torres, featured in the Washington Square Magazine

They also give college students the opportunity to get a perspective on the real world. They’re always focused on academics, textbooks, exams — but they rarely put themselves out there and see life beyond the classroom. It opens their eyes to see what it’s like in another individual’s shoes, whether that includes struggling with food insecurity or a language barrier that prevents some families from helping their students succeed academically.

SJSU students making soul boxes

Second Annual Day of Action Against Gun Violence

San Jose State students, faculty and staff gathered in front of the Olympic Black Power Statue in April to attend the SJSU Day of Action Against Gun Violence event.

Read the full article in SJSU News

Ariza Ali in service at Children's Carnival

SJSU College Corps in EdSource Article

California formally launched its first tutoring initiative for K-12 students Friday when Gov. Gavin Newsom administered a pledge of commitment to hundreds of college students who are participating in a new state-funded service program, #CaliforniansForAll College Corps.

Learn more about a Lead Fellow’s experience at this link.

Our Fellow, William Ngo teaching a student about Computer Science.

SJSU College Corps Featured in the SF Chronicle

California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that, “he strongly believes that this little-known program has made him prouder than anything else he has done as a Governor".

Learn more on the SF Chronicle site.

Dr. Elena Klaw and Andrea Tully in College Corps gear

Research Results are a Testimony to the Power of Service-Learning

Center Director and Assistant Director lead research that explores the effects of service-learning and community engagement on college students, alumni, faculty, and community organizations.

Learn more in the SJSU Research Foundation’s Annual Report

Day of Action Against Climate Change Poster

The Art of Social Change

Artist, veteran and educator John Contreras, ’22 MFA Spatial Art, sees art as a conduit for dialogue and change. He assembled his sculpture of Winnie-the-Pooh stumbling across a dead Christopher Robin, gun lying by his side, as part of SJSU’s inaugural Day of Action Against Gun Violence, hosted by the Center for Community Learning and Leadership (CCLL).

Read the full article in the Summer/Fall 2022 issue of Washington Square Magazine.

CA Fellow assisting youth in after-school program.

SJSU Selected for Historic New California Service Program

"San José State University has been selected as one of the 45 colleges and universities partners for an inaugural service-based college opportunity program launched by the state of California. Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom and Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday announced the launch of “the largest state-level investment in a college service program in California history,” according to the California Volunteers, Office of the Governor’s official press release."

Read the full article on SJSU Newsroom

Five Civic Action Fellows meet with Josh Fryday during his visit to SJSU.

SJSU Civic Action Fellowship Recognized By California’s Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday

Josh Fryday, chief service officer for the state of California and head of the California Volunteers program within the Office of the Governor, visited San José State to meet with a small group of SJSU’s Civic Action Fellows. The student-fellows are part of the university’s inaugural cohort of the Civic Action Fellowship, a national service partnership between the California Volunteers, AmeriCorps and a coalition of public and private universities

Read the full article on SJSU Newsroom

Faculty group picture at CCLL 20th celebration.

Spartan Heritage: Service Centered for 20 Years—and Counting

The hub of San Jose State’s service learning operation is located in a converted Clark Hall classroom. Running on a high-octane blend of caring and inspiration, the small staff collaborates in exuberant bursts of conversation over the top of cubicle walls. Awards, posters and craftivism projects line the walls and tabletops. Every inch of space is used for student leadership development, consulting with faculty members and building partnerships with community organizations—and all activities are linked to the academic mission of the university. After 20 years, there’s no slowing down at the Center for Community Learning and Leadership.

Read this article in Washington Square.

Joanna Cyber Spartans mentoring youth.

Cyber Spartans Encourage Next Generation of Coders

The Center for Community Learning and Leadership (CCLL) and the Jay Pison STEM Education Program partnered this spring to offer a unique after-school program to students at Sherman Oaks Elementary School in the Campbell Union School District. Through the Cyber Spartan program SJSU students engaged as mentors and teachers to underserved youth while teaching them about cybersecurity and coding.

Read the full article on SJSU Newsroom.

group picture at 3rd street awards
Left to right: Elena Klaw, CCLL faculty director and psychology professor, Rosemary Baez, executive director of Third Street Community Center and Patrick Day, vice president for Student Affairs.

CCLL & SJSU Colleges Recognized by Third Street Community Center as 2019 Outstanding Community Partner

We are honored that Third Street Community Center recognized our Center and each college at San Jose State as its 2019 Outstanding Community Partner for our significant contributions. More than 70 percent of Third Street’s 2,102 volunteers since fall 2010 have been from SJSU.

More information about this honor is available in the SJSU Newsroom Article..

Service learning awards event group picture.

Service Learning Endowed Scholarship Fund

During Spring 2018, our Center received a $52,000 endowment from an anonymous donor to establish the Excellence in Service Learning Endowed Scholarship Fund. The endowment provides scholarships to students who have demonstrated excellence in service learning activities that made a positive difference in San Jose. The first scholarships were awarded to students at the 2018 Service Learning and Community Engagement Awards on Thursday, May 3rd, 2018.