Relationship, leadership, action: Evaluating the framework of a sustainable campus-community partnership

Abstract

ABSTRACT Campus-community partnerships are a beneficial service learning staple for students, communities, and nonprofit partners. Although many such partnerships are established, it is less likely that the connection weathers student turnover, leadership changes, and misalignments in process or purpose. The Nonprofit Excellence and Transformation (NExT) Program at the Siena College Center for Academic Community Engagement pairs interdisciplinary teams with local nonprofit partners to work on organization-specific projects. The Wildwood Programs project, conducted by a NExT team from 2019–2021, is an ideal template for a long-term, student-led partnership. Themes from community development literature were identified and compared to student experiences to establish reasons for the partnership’s success and sustainability. Best practices found through this study aligned with the three main pillars of the NExT Program: Relationship, Leadership, and Action. This categorical framework can be adapted by scholars, students, and practitioners to improve longevity and quality of future campus-community partnerships in higher education.