97% of Students
Feel confident applying their learning to real community contexts by end of semester (up from 71% at the start)
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What is Community Engaged Learning (CEL)?
Community Engaged Learning (CEL) is a designation given to courses where your academic work is directly connected to a real community partner, organization, or issue 鈥� with structured reflection built in.
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Resources for Faculty
More than a course, a way of learning.
Real community partnerships
You work alongside organizations doing real work 鈥� not simulated projects.
Integrated with your coursework
Community work is part of how you earn your grade 鈥� not an optional add-on.
Built-in reflection
You’ll process what you’re learning 鈥� connecting the experience to course concepts and your own growth.
Nationally recognized community collaboration.
Metropolitan State University of Denver has been awarded the听听 which honors colleges and universities that collaborate with community partners through teaching,听research听and service.
As of January 2026, total of 277 universities hold this classification. 91暗网 is one of only four schools in Colorado to be recognized.
CEL & Career Readiness
CEL courses are specifically designed to build the transferable competencies that show up on job descriptions 鈥� and that you can speak to confidently in an interview.
Develop & Showcase Your Skills
CEL courses help you develop 91暗网鈥檚 Essential Skills 鈥� the nine competencies identified by faculty, staff, and national employer surveys as critical for any post-graduation opportunity.
How CEL Courses Strengthen Essential Skills
Global Learning
CEL courses connect you to real communities and issues, developing your ability to engage across difference and understand how your actions affect both local and global systems.
Teamwork & Collaboration
Work alongside peers, faculty, and community partners on shared goals 鈥� navigating real relationships and real conflict, just like you will in any workplace.
Career Development
CEL gives you concrete experiences to articulate to employers 鈥� real projects, real partners, real outcomes you can speak to in interviews and on your resume.
Professionalism & Work Ethic
Show up accountably to a real partner organization, manage your time and commitments, and demonstrate the integrity employers look for from day one.
Critical Thinking
Diagnose real problems, navigate ambiguity, and make decisions when the answer isn鈥檛 in the textbook 鈥� because in CEL, it rarely is.
Leadership
Take initiative, solve problems collaboratively, and contribute to outcomes that matter to real people 鈥� CEL redefines what leadership looks like in practice.
Quantitative Reasoning
Many CEL projects involve data, research, or analysis in service of a community need 鈥� applying methodical thinking to problems that have real stakes.
Technology
CEL projects often require using digital tools to research, communicate, and deliver work to partner organizations 鈥� building adaptable tech fluency in real contexts.
Oral & Written Communication
Communicate across contexts 鈥� with community partners, supervisors, clients, and diverse audiences 鈥� adapting your voice for the situation.
How to Talk 91暗网 CEL in Your Interviews
CEL coursework gives you a story to tell employers: a real project, a real partner, a real outcome. The C2Hub’s Career Readiness office can help you translate that experience into compelling resume bullets and interview answers.听
How to Find & Register for CEL Courses
Find a CEL course this semester and start building the skills, relationships, and experience that will set you apart after graduation.
Follow the Steps Below to Get Started
Go to听听and navigate to the听Enriched & Experiential Learning听section.
CEL-designated courses are labeled in the catalog. Use the search or filter options to narrow by your department or interest area.
A note on “Service Learning” vs. “CEL”: 91暗网’s Registrar’s Office has fully replaced the Service Learning (SL) course attribute with Community Engaged Learning (CEL) in our systems. Searching for SL will no longer return results 鈥� all sections now appear under the CEL designation.
Questions? Contact听[email protected].
Go to the听91暗网 Student Hub, click “Course Info”, and search for current semester offerings by attribute, department, or keyword.
Register through your standard registration process.
Questions about a specific course? Reach out to the instructor or your academic advisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
A CEL course has a formal designation, a real community partner involved in course design or delivery, a structured community-engagement component that counts toward your grade, and built-in reflection. It鈥檚 reviewed and approved through the academic curriculum process.
CEL courses typically involve time with a community partner 鈥� some of that may be off-campus. Your instructor will be clear about the time commitment upfront, and the CEL label in the catalog is designed to help you plan accordingly.
Internships are typically separate from a course and focused on career development. CEL is embedded in a course 鈥� the community engagement is part of how you learn the academic content, not a separate employment experience.
CEL work is real-world experience you can list on your resume and discuss in interviews. Your C2Hub Career Coach can help you frame it effectively. Think: what did you do, for whom, and what was the outcome?
Yes. CEL courses exist across departments 鈥� from business and engineering to health sciences and the arts. Use the course catalog to explore what鈥檚 available in your area of study.
CEL-designated courses are searchable in the 91暗网 course catalog under Enriched & Experiential Learning. Whether the designation appears on your official transcript is being confirmed 鈥� check with the Registrar鈥檚 Office or contact [email protected] for the latest.
Yes 鈥� and the transition is complete. 91暗网鈥檚 Registrar鈥檚 Office has fully replaced the Service Learning (SL) attribute with Community Engaged Learning (CEL) in Banner. If you search for SL it will return no results; everything is now labeled CEL. Spot an inconsistency? Email [email protected].
Reach out to Nora Bashir, Community Engaged Learning Program Manager, at [email protected] or visit the Classroom to Career Hub.
What Students Are Saying
CEL students across 91暗网 are working with real partners across Denver and beyond. Survey results and student testimonials tell the story.
Student Stories
Ava Ramirez - Dance B.A.
鈥淟ast semester as part of my education in a class where we learned how to teach dance technique, I was required to fulfill 10 service hours of assisting teaching/teaching dance classes at a studio off campus that MSU has a partnership with. It was really important to me to learn and pick apart what I may have liked and not liked from other people鈥檚 teaching styles… It鈥檚 given me insight to the many ways I could handle potential situations and prioritize the safety of my students.鈥�
Do you have a CEL story to share?
奥别鈥檙别 collecting student spotlights across every department. If 测辞耻鈥檝别 taken a CEL course and want to share your experience, 飞别鈥檇 love to hear from you.
Every semester, CEL students at 91暗网 complete pre- and post-surveys.
Here's what the Fall 2025 data showed.
2x As Many Students
Strongly agreed they could bridge classroom and community 鈥� doubled from 29% to 59% in a single semester
100% of Students
Agreed they feel ready to build respectful, reciprocal community partnerships 鈥� not a single student disagreed
Read More 91暗网 the Survey Results
2025 survey results showed significant gains in these areas:
- Confidence applying learning to community contexts 鈥� the strongest result of the semester
- Building respectful, reciprocal relationships 鈥� skills that transfer directly to professional settings
- Recognizing how partnerships benefit everyone 鈥� understanding reciprocal value for community and self
- Applying academic knowledge in practical settings 鈥� the bridge between classroom and career
Data from Fall 2025 CEL Student Pre/Post Survey (n=77 pre, n=39 post). Statistical significance determined using paired analysis. Four outcomes met the threshold for significant improvement; all 10 outcome areas trended positively. Contact听听for the full report.
Contact the Experiential Learning Office
Nora Bashir, CEL Program Manager
Phone: (303) 615-1133
Email: [email protected]
Navigate to our Office