Community Engaged Learning program

What skills, tools and perspectives do you need to help make change in your community? The program in community engaged learning (CENL) combines academic instruction and critical reflection with on-site, project-based learning.

Through collaboration with local community members and groups, CENL offers a rich and deep learning experience that will assist students in their understanding of what civic and social responsibility mean in the 21^st century

In CENL, the community is our classroom. The program places you in community settings (schools, health care, environmental organizations, local non-profit and charitable groups, and more) as a practical element of your academic courses. There, you will discover and help to promote such issues as community supported education, sustainable health care, local responses to climate change, community wellbeing, and equitable communities. In these classes, you will learn how to:

• Explore your own personal values in relation to social justice
• Recognize and promote the importance of equity and diversity
• Navigate complex community histories and contexts
• Collaborate with community partners to assist in addressing challenges and promoting strengths
• Design and execute community-supported projects

"The CENL program has changed my life, challenging me to reflect in new ways and understand my position within society. I now seek ways to engage in activism, empowered by the CENL program." - Lucy Isabel Rae ('25)

Announcing a new award for CENL students!

The CENL program is pleased to announce the establishment of the William Durant Community Engaged Learning Award. 

This award is given to a graduating student in Community Engaged Learning who models the compassion and service to the community reflected by the life of William ("Bill") Durant (1939-2022). The award is drawn from a fund established in 2025 in Bill's memory.

Bill was a longtime resident of Sackville, NB. His career in education spanned 35 years, and was spent at Tantramar Regional High School and Mount Allison University in their Department of Education.  Bill's influence on students and teachers was profound; in class he blended rigour with compassion, humour and wisdom. Convinced that the path to positive social change in the community was through education, after retirement he spent many years working to support schools, local educational initiatives, the town council and others. He was also an active supporter of many town organizations, tirelessly giving time and energy to the Drew Nursing Home, St. Vincent's Parish, the Sackville Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Christmas Cheer, and many others. Bill was also instrumental in guiding community volunteers who participated in the Sackville Schools 2020 movement and faculty who developed the Community Engaged Learning program.

In 2025, the award was shared between special majors in Community, Education and Social Change: Cassandra Gauthier-Downs and Kayla Hansen. In 2026, it was awarded to special major Anna Irwin.

Anyone can contribute to the award fund through Mount Allison's secure donation page.
First select "Other" in the "I would like to direct my donation to:" box, 
then enter "William Durant Community Engaged Learning Award" in the "If you selected other, please provide the fund name here:" box.

Thank you for your support!

What do a duck, a hockey rink, a teacup and a monster truck have in common? They are all part of The Tantramar Community Art Project, in which contributors display their answers to the question: WHAT DOES COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU? The installation showcases work from members of Salem Elementary, Daybreak, Pedvac, a local art group, Marshview Elementary School, Port Elgin Regional School, Westford Nursing Home, Mount Allison University, and Playschool Inc. The Tantramar Community Art Project is a component of this year’s iteration of CENL 3101, Community as Classroom. It can be viewed at the Town Hall ( 31 Main Street) or online here: https://tantramarartsproject.weebly.com/ 

Community as Classroom is a third-year course in the CENL program, which this year focused on asset mapping and the town of Sackville. (Asset mapping allows groups to identify available community resources that can be used to solve the challenges which community members may be facing.) The class was entirely self-directed, and the students worked out their own questions, projects and methods for sharing information. In particular, they were interested in what creative and artistic resources were available in the town. They interviewed a number of artists, creative practitioners, instructors, community organizers and organizations in order to ask a range of questions. These included:

·      How do you think public art impacts a community’s sense of identity?  
·      In your opinion what are the most pressing needs of your community?  
·      Could art be used to make change? How? Can you think of examples where this has happened? 

The Tantramar Community Art Project was a natural outcome of the mapping work of the class. The class decided that it would make sense to use art on a more global scale to see what people of all ages and in a variety of contexts thought or valued about their community. The results are wonderful!

Results of the class’s asset mapping can be found in their google earth document here: https://earth.google.com/earth/d/1ETdraq4j1qW-AMZEGLAltQBkeZK1LMg7?usp=sharing 

The google earth map also contains a link to a “What We Heard” presentation which summarizes the results of the interviews and conversations.

R-PEACE

The Community Engaged Learning program works closely with R-PEACE, a centre for engaged learning based in Sackville, NB. R-PEACE is a non-profit organization that researches and develops pedagogical initiatives for engaged learning through the creation of meaningful connections between Mount Allison University and the local communities of Tantramar, Port Elgin, Memramcook, Amherst, and others. R-PEACE seeks to support students’ development of themselves as engaged citizens of their communities.