Proposing a Scholar-Administrator Operational Paradigm

In this reflective essay, CUMU’s 2024 Holland Scholar-Administrator describes a framework for organizing, institutionalizing, and implementing community engagement in institutions of higher education and their surrounding communities. Three levels of community engagement are demonstrated using a metropolitan university in Ogden, Utah as a case study. The three levels of community engagement, although each with its own function, are not meant to operate in silos. The dynamic nature of employing the multi-level framework is explored and the benefits of operating on more than one level simultaneously are discussed. By engaging on more than one level simultaneously, community engagement administrators are able to nurture deeper relationships, identify and share resources across initiatives, and better sustain the work even when faced with transitions in leadership.