Abstract
Researchers have recommended operative standards and ethical considerations to maintain the integrity of community engaged scholarship programs. This framework is valuable for guiding good practices and promoting enhancements. Implementation of these considerations in actual programs provides experiential knowledge and reveals additional considerations due to the distinctive nature of each program. This article presents a descriptive overview of the Monteverde Institute’s history and model in its application of community engaged scholarship in Costa Rica. As a reflective exercise, I discuss the Monteverde Institute’s successes and challenges as related to six principles put forth by scholars. As witnessed by its practices, the Monteverde Institute endorses these important concepts and I provide specific examples of the implementation and customization of these principles in different situations. As a result of this review, I outline the beneficial role provided by the Monteverde Institute as an intermediary, on-site institution in the facilitation of community engaged scholarship. The Monteverde Institute is an academic, research, and community organization that provides both academic structure and community project coordination to its partners. It views community engaged scholarship from different perspectives and guides the applicability of programs to real situations in the region. These actions enable the Monteverde Institute to co-create respectful and functional partnerships. This is important for long-term sustained cooperation and in-depth community engaged scholarship. The process is continual, and I end this reflection with the question, what now? Answering this question, as it relates to the Monteverde Institute, may reveal aspects applicable for the advancement of community engaged scholarship in other regions.
Highlights
Community engaged scholarship strives to advance a more continuous and creative interaction among the academic and civic cultures
This article serves as a reflection of the experiences in community engaged scholarship of a community-governed, non-profit organization in Costa Rica, the Monteverde Institute (MVI), over the last 33 years
Annual reports, course and project evaluations, strategic plans, and community surveys, this article reflects on the MVI experience and asks the questions: What has contributed to the success of community engaged scholarship programs of the MVI? What types of improvements could be employed? How do these findings compare with recommendations presented in the literature on community engaged scholarship? What might these reflections offer for other community engaged scholarship programs?
Summary
Community engaged scholarship strives to advance a more continuous and creative interaction among the academic and civic cultures. This article serves as a reflection of the experiences in community engaged scholarship of a community-governed, non-profit organization in Costa Rica, the Monteverde Institute (MVI), over the last 33 years. Its mission is to advance sustainable living at both a local and global level To realize this goal, the Monteverde Institute has combined academic courses, research, and community initiatives into integrated programs that promote mutually beneficial civic engagement. The Monteverde Institute has combined academic courses, research, and community initiatives into integrated programs that promote mutually beneficial civic engagement This has led to collaboration with over 60 local partners and universities, both national and international, in community engaged scholarship endeavors. Annual reports, course and project evaluations, strategic plans, and community surveys, this article reflects on the MVI experience and asks the questions: What has contributed to the success of community engaged scholarship programs of the MVI? What types of improvements could be employed? How do these findings compare with recommendations presented in the literature on community engaged scholarship? What might these reflections offer for other community engaged scholarship programs?
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