The Power and Importance of Reciprocity in Community‐Engaged Research: Centering College Students’ Beliefs

ABSTRACT This article explores how college students’ beliefs about reciprocity are shaped through community engagement, particularly in the context of community‐engaged research. Recent studies highlight the central role of reciprocity in students’ engagement experiences; students not only seek reciprocal relationships and meaningful impact, but also define community engagement through this lens. Drawing on vignettes co‐authored by undergraduate researchers, this chapter illustrates how reciprocity functions in practice. The vignettes focus on students’ participation in an undergraduate research collaborative that examines how higher education institutions can foster more equitable and sustained relationships with the neighborhoods and communities that host them. Key takeaways from each vignette offer insights for designing and implementing more equitable approaches to community‐engaged teaching, learning, and research.