Spotlight On

Mission:
The mission of the Center for Community Research and Engagement is to develop partnerships that integrate Seton Hall University faculty, students, and the neighboring communities through applied research, active learning, and action projects aimed at enhancing both the learning environment and community capacity.

Background:
Seton Hall University is a major Catholic university. In a diverse and collaborative environment, it focuses on academic and ethical development. Seton Hall students are prepared to be leaders in their professional and community lives in a global society and are challenged by outstanding faculty, an evolving technologically advanced setting, and values-centered curricula. The Center for Community Research and Engagement was created in 1997 to coordinate the activities of Seton Hall University as it implements service learning on campus. The Center for Community Research and Engagement is funded by the Lilly Project. The CCRE is implementing two initiatives: the SHELLS program and the Community Renaissance program. The SHELLS program supports service learning activities on campus and the Community Renaissance program engages our community neighbors, and Seton Hall faculty, students and staff in service through community building projects.

Current Programs:
The Seton Hall Experiential Learning and Leadership through Service (SHELLS) program is designed to expose students to careers and opportunities to serve in the nonprofit sector by expanding the undergraduate service-learning program at the university. The SHELLS program links classes with projects that assist nonprofit agencies operating in the greater Newark area.
For Faculty
SHELLS grants are available for Seton Hall faculty for curricular development in the area of service learning. Faculty are provided with support in designing the service learning component of courses and identifying relevant service projects.
For Students
The SHELLS program provides students with opportunities to serve their community while building practical skills for use in future studies and the professional world.
For Nonprofits
The SHELLS program gives local nonprofit agencies the opportunity to receive management and technical assistance from Seton Hall University graduate and undergraduate students. Each spring, agencies are invited to submit proposals for a variety of nonprofit management issues.

The Community Renaissance Program . This program is a University-Community partnership program designed to address the needs of the urban poor in Seton Hall's neighboring communities. The program is being conducted in the Vailsburg community of Newark, in partnership with Unified Vailsburg Services Organization (UVSO). A Steering Committee of university and community leaders has identified two areas where the resources of Seton Hall can be utilized to partner with Vailsburg on designing and implementing community building projects: the Vailsburg Neighborhood Plan and the Vailsburg Youth Program. Each semester, faculty and students from various disciplines conduct service learning projects as components of courses related to particular areas of the Vailsburg Neighborhood Plan and Youth Program.

Nonprofit Studies Minor. The minor in nonprofit studies is a program designed to prepare students for careers in management in the nonprofit sector. It consists of 21 hours of directed study, including two core courses: Philanthropy, Volunteerism, and the Nonprofit Sector, and Nonprofit Financial and Fundraising Management; one course in Organizational Theory, one course in Management, one course in Community and Social Issues and one course in Leadership.

Funding Needs:
Funding is needed for various mentoring and tutoring projects, which fall under the community outreach and service learning programs. Funds are needed for stipends for tutors, supplies (such as calculators) and transportation for Seton Hall students to the program sites.




Every month, the "Spotlight On" highlights the activities of a different 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in the tri-state region (NY, NJ, or CT). The selection of organizations for the "Spotlight On" is based on criteria such as programmatic interests, geographic focus, and size, to ensure the broadest possible representation of the region's nonprofit sector.

If you'd like to see your NPO in the "Spotlight," please use this submission form to send us a profile of your organization. Or e-mail a description of your organization, following the above format, to nyweb@foundationcenter.org, with "Spotlight Submission" in the subject line.