Muhlenberg College
EN-9: Community Partnerships

Muhlenberg has multiple supportive partnerships: Many of Muhlenberg College's relationships with non-profit organizations and schools could be considered supportive. Muhlenberg collaborates with more than 17 different organizations and institutions to share resources, engage in mutually beneficial learning experiences and enhance all of our communities. Many of these partnerships have extended over a twenty-year time-span, evolving each year to meet the respective changes within communities. Programs support social equity and well-being In addition to economic opportunity.

Muhlenberg has partnered with Jefferson Elementary School for almost 25 years. Our relationship with the school ranges from before the school year starts through the annual field day Muhlenberg hosts. When budget cuts threatened to decrease art, physical education, library and music from the school curriculum, Muhlenberg students attended school board meetings to express their discontent. When the cuts were enacted, students sought to provide alternative programs so kids might still have access to the arts. College students partnered with teachers and families to plant trees and beautify school property. College faculty, staff and students work with the Jefferson school counselor and teachers to enact a campus visit day that exposes youth to collegiate life and encourages future dreams and goals. Bi-directional engagement allows for both Jefferson and Muhlenberg community members to regularly visit and co-create goals and opportunities

For more than 15 years Muhlenberg College has partnered with a small community in Costa Rica called Las Juntas de Abangares. Each year for several weeks students and a couple faculty travel to Las Juntas to engage with local communities and participate in on-site research.” This is the Costa Rica course, which we also counted as one of our immersive experiences.