Professional Development
Our professional development connects you with fellow faculty members and experienced practitioners from many disciplines, so you can gain practical tools to improve your engaged teaching and research.
Learn how to:
- Build effective, lasting partnerships.
- Conduct community engaged research – and get it published.
- Use community-engaged teaching to energize your classroom.
- Integrate community engagement into a sustainable work plan.
- Fund your community engagement efforts with external grants and awards.
Upcoming Events
Brown Bag Lecture Series
This casual lunchtime series from noon to 1 p.m. is your chance to learn from NIU faculty and staff about their experiences in community engaged research, teaching and learning, and collaboration. Hear their stories, ask your questions, make connections, and leave with tools and inspiration to pursue your community engagement goals. The events are free, and registration is encouraged.
Creating Partnerships Overseas
Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025
Noon-1 p.m. | Online
Effective community engagement can happen locally or across the world. Professor James Cohen will describe several partnerships created over the past few years in Uruguay, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Costa Rica. Learn about how the partnerships were initiated, developed, and expanded.
Speaker Bio: James Cohen is a full professor of ESL/Bilingual Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the NIU College of Education. His research focuses on immigrant and bilingual education both in the United States and abroad. Professor Cohen works with teachers and administrators throughout the state of Illinois to increase their capacities to work with immigrant students. He also partners with schools around the globe, bringing international teachers to study at NIU and NIU education students (pre-service teachers) to teach in K-12 schools in Indonesia, Uruguay, and Kenya, among other places. Professor Cohen is a Presidential Engagement and Partnerships Professor in recognition of his dedication to equitable partnerships.
How to Create a Community Engaged Course
Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026
Noon-1 p.m. | Online
If you're curious about how to get started teaching community engaged courses, join us on February 19, 2026 at noon, when Dr. Schatteman shares her experiences with community engaged teaching and learning at NIU. Learn about the new NIU community-engaged course designation and find out best practices to build and teach a successful community-engaged course.
Speaker Bio: Alicia Schatteman is currently the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and a professor in the Department of Public Administration. She received her Ph.D. in public administration from Rutgers University-Newark and a master’s degree in communications management from Syracuse University. She also consults and conducts research in nonprofit strategic planning and performance measurement. Prior to returning to school for her Ph.D., she worked for 10 years in the public and nonprofit sectors as a communications specialist and then as an executive director.
Engaged Classrooms, Stronger Research: Expanding Faculty Capacity Through Teaching
Tuesday, Apr. 14, 2026
Noon-1 p.m. | Online
Practical strategies for embedding student projects into coursework to support faculty research
Discover how Dr. Duffrin integrates research and teaching—two pillars often viewed separately in academia. Over the lunch hour, we'll explore how experiential learning can transform your research capacity while providing invaluable experiences for students. This approach not only enhances student learning but also expands your research capabilities, diversifies funding sources, and brings fresh perspectives to your work.
By the end of this interactive session, you’ll walk away not just with ideas, but with the confidence and tools to put them into action. You’ll see how your teaching can fuel your research—and how your research can inspire your students. This is your chance to spark new collaborations, expand your impact, and take the first step toward turning vision into reality.
Speaker Bio: Melani Duffrin, Ph.D., RDN, is a professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Health Professions at Northern Illinois University. A registered dietitian and nationally recognized educator, she is the founder of the FoodMASTER Initiative, which uses food as a tool to teach math and science in classrooms across the country. Her research focuses on designing inclusive learning environments, fostering student engagement, and advancing open-access STEM and health education. In 2025, she was named a Presidential Engagement and Partnerships Professor in recognition of her leadership and community impact.
Engagement Executive in Residence
This fall we're pleased to welcome the Midwest Convening of Campus Compact to NIU and learn from keynote speaker Joelle Deleveaux, Strategy Officer of the Lumina Foundation, Innovation and Discovery.
Call to Action: Sustained Impact through Civic and Community Engagement
Campus Compact Midwest Convening @ NIU
November 17 - 18, 2025 | In Person
Creating an action plan and actualizing a culture for civic and community engagement is the focus of this exciting 1.5-day Midwest convening of Campus Compact. In a workshop environment, participants will engage in sessions focused on Campus Compact’s Campus Action Plan framework and the Curriculum Planning Guide, which highlight a strategic planning method for advancing campus-community partnership, integrating civic and community engagement into curricula, and expanding opportunities for students and educators to address real-world challenges.
Attendees will hear from a panel of national, field-level, and community leaders who will share their experiences with action planning and discuss why this type of planning is essential in rebuilding trust and confidence in higher education. Activities are designed to introduce participants to action planning in a way that can move them forward once they return to their campus, while also reflecting on how this process builds on current priorities and activities.
Don’t miss this opportunity to join your higher education colleagues for learning, planning, networking, and collective inspiration as we work to bring our universities’ missions to life through civic and community engagement.
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Past Engagement Executives in Residence have included:
- Diane Doberneck, Ph.D., Director for Faculty and Professional Development, Office for Public Engagement and Scholarship at Michigan State University. Her workshops and resources in the series titled, "Yes, You Can Get Your Community Engaged Work Published!" are available on our SharePoint website. Anyone with an NIU email address can access the link.
- Jim Woodell, Ph.D., CEO Venn Collaborative.
- Lina Dostilio, Ed.D., Vice Chancellor of Engagement and Community Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Kwesi Brookins, Ph.D., Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement and Professor in Ecological-Community Psychology at Michigan State University.