NOTICE: Unfortunately, the EPA grant supporting this program was suddenly terminated, effective 5/1/2025. We received outstanding applications to develop student projects with community partners, and all those involved in creating and supporting the program remain committed to promoting its objectives. We are exploring alternative funding opportunities to relaunch the program—or a similar one—in the near future.
Full-time, permanent Baylor instructors are invited to apply to the Community Change Teaching (CCT) Fellows Program. The CCT Fellows Program is funded by a Community Change Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Federal Award No. 02F7601) and is led by Dr. Joshua King (English/Dir. of Environmental Humanities), Dr. Stephanie Boddie (Social Work), and Dr. Kevin Magill (Education) in collaboration with the Office of Engaged Learning, Academy for Teaching and Learning, Office of External Affairs, Baylor University Libraries, and the Mayborn Museum. The CCT Fellows Program builds on commitments of Baylor in Deeds by providing mini grants for two cohorts of Fellows (2025, 2026) to create student projects for classes or directed learning opportunities in partnership with local community organizations (hereafter “community partners”). Projects will advance and/or raise awareness about food security, sustainable agriculture, and/or climate resilience in disadvantaged Waco communities.
Applications are due April 21 for the first cohort of Fellows.
Address queries and applications to environmentalhumanities@baylor.edu.
Click for application form.
Program Information:
- Funding: Two cohorts of CCT Fellows will receive $1,500 grants to implement projects for classes or directed learning opportunities in 2025 and 2026 with community organizations (hereafter “community partners”). Funds will be shared between the instructor ($750) and community partner ($750) to promote equitable collaboration.
- Project Priority: Project proposals are encouraged that advance and/or raise awareness about organizations in the SCRAP Collective (Sustainable Community and Regenerative Agriculture Project) and/or local organizations with related missions (click here for information on SCRAP and related organizations).
- Exhibition: Student projects produced through the Fellows program will be eligible for display in a 2027 Mayborn Museum exhibition that will highlight the impacts of unjust food systems in Texas alongside examples of local food justice and resilience.
- Publication: Fellows and their community partners will be invited to contribute to an edited collection on community-engaged learning for local food and environmental justice.
- Curricular Integration: Fellows will be encouraged to consider inclusion of relevant courses from the CCT Fellows Program in the Environmental Humanities Minor and the Engaged Learning Distribution List of the College of Arts and Sciences.
- Instructor Support: In addition to project funding, fellows will be supported by . . .
- An ongoing Faculty Interest Group on engaged learning open to all Baylor instructors
- Fellows-only consultations with the Academy for Teaching & Learning to design projects
- Fellows-only workshops during and following project implementation to assess roadblocks and progress, support collaboration with community partners, and assist those interested in contributing to the Mayborn exhibition and edited collection
- Celebration and presentation of projects with students, instructor cohorts, community partners, program supporters, and wider public
Schedule of Application and Implementation (2025 Cohort):
Click for application form.
- January 30-May 1: Ongoing Faculty Interest Group on engaged learning, meeting monthly (Jan. 30, Feb. 20, Mar. 20, Apr. 24 in Spring 2025). Sessions will address best practices for designing, assessing, and developing a research agenda on engaged learning in the community. Attendance encouraged by applicants and fellowship recipients.
- Feb 27, 4:00-5:30 p.m.: Reception hosted at the Armstrong Browning Library Cox Reception Hall by the Office of Engaged Learning for Baylor instructors to meet leaders of relevant community organizations.
- April 21: Applications for first cohort of Community Change Teaching Fellows due to environmentalhumanities@baylor.edu.
- Note: Applications require signatures of instructor’s prospective community partner and immediate Baylor supervisor
- Applications reviewed by a Selection and Advisory Committee representing community organizations and supporting Baylor offices and programs
- May 6: Cohort 1 Community Change Teaching Fellows and community partners announced
- Summer 2025: Academy of Teaching and Learning virtual consultations with Fellows on learning design ahead of project implementation; one virtual meeting with Mayborn Museum to discuss exhibition expectations.
- Fall 2025: Cohort 1 projects implemented; EPA-funded mid-semester workshop with Cohort 1 Fellows and community partners for project assessment and support (October); presentation and celebration of projects (December)
- Jan 2026: Constructive assessment of projects by Selection and Advisory Committee