A Free Speakers Series on Community Engagement
How It Works
Spreading the Word is a speakers series that brings professionals from a wide range of disciplines and industries together with Community-Engaged Alliance member institutions to enhance civic dialogue, community engagement, and education.
Here’s how the process works:
- CEA member institutions submit requests to host a speaker in one of the four thematic areas.
- CEA matches the request with 3-5 presentations submitted by speakers.
- The requesting institution chooses a speaker and finalizes logistics, including day, time, duration, and location/format.
- CEA pays a set fee to each speaker who is selected to give a talk (set fees will range between $200-500 based on duration & modality of speaking engagements).
Become a Speaker
We’re looking for speakers in a wide range of industries and disciplines, from education to business to non-profit organizations with expertise in one of four thematic areas:
- Civic Literacy & Critical Thinking
- K-12 Engagement & Partnerships
- Promoting Civic Identity Through High-Impact Practices
- Service Learning & Community-Based Learning
Learn more about these areas below.
To get started, follow the link below and complete a simple application. We’ll reach out to confirm details and discuss next steps.
K-12 Engagement & Partnerships
Meaningful partnerships between higher education and K-12 partners instill a college-going identity for K-12 students, provide mentoring opportunities, and provide additional benefits to K-12 partners rather than simply serving as recruitment opportunities for specific higher education institutions. These presentations will provide insight on attending to the nuances of these partnerships that contribute to successful outcomes, navigating the bureaucracy involved, and the impacts these partnerships have had around the state and country.
Service-Based & Community-Based Learning
CEA has been a leader in building capacity for the creation and implementation of service learning and community-based learning projects for more than 30 years. As a result, we have a wide range of expertise in our network, including implementing principles of community-based participatory research, designing service-learning opportunities and curricula with communities who have identified needs, assessing outcomes in these service- and community-based learning activities, and employing strategies to reveal and articulate community assets.
Promoting Civic Identity Through High-Impact Practices
This theme explores how high-impact educational practices (HIPs), such as service learning, undergraduate research, and capstone projects, can cultivate a strong sense of civic identity among students. By integrating these practices into curricula and co-curricular activities, educational institutions can inspire students to see themselves as active contributors to their communities. Speakers will highlight innovative programs, share successful case studies, and discuss strategies for scaling civic identity initiatives in diverse educational settings.
Civic Literacy & Critical Thinking
Civic literacy and critical thinking are essential skills for navigating and contributing to a complex, democratic society. This thematic area emphasizes the role of education in equipping students with the knowledge and analytical abilities needed to critically evaluate social and political issues. Presentations in this thematic area will focus on interdisciplinary approaches, instructional strategies, and community partnerships that enhance civic literacy while fostering independent, critical thought. Speakers will share insights on designing experiences that prepare students to engage thoughtfully and responsibly in civic life.
2024 Spreading the Word Speaker Series Survey Results
Speaker Series Resources & Toolkits
Check out resources to help you promote your speaking engagements, timelines, checklists, sample social media post copy and more.