Our team

Special Advisor to the Principal on Community Engagement 

鈥淐ollaboration between universities and community partners opens avenues for innovative projects with real-world applications and benefits, as well as shared learning experiences. All of which will contribute to a vibrant academic atmosphere that enriches communities. By adopting this framework, Queen鈥檚 can strengthen relationships and trust between academia and broader communities, nurture existing partnerships, and foster new ones that together enhance impact.鈥 

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Woman in a black shirt standing in front of stone steps
Dr. Michelle Searle

 

Principal鈥檚 Advisory Council on Community Engagement 

The Principal鈥檚 Advisory Council on Community Engagement was established to cultivate university-wide strategic planning at Queen鈥檚 University. The Council brought together members from the various leadership, faculties, and staff to guide operational trajectories and initiatives, enhancing community engagement across the three priority areas: partnerships, teaching and learning, and research. 

The Council is composed of 4 subcommittees and meets every 2 months to give feedback on the subcommittees鈥 work. 

Subcommittees

Goals:

  • Create a university-wide theoretical model for community engagement at Queen鈥檚.  

Goals:

  • Grow course offerings with community engagement opportunities for students.  
  • Build a new certificate program grounded in community engagement. 
  • Develop a mechanism for students to self-report their community engagement longitudinally.  

Goals:

  • Establish joint management mechanism for partnered projects. 
  • Develop policies and guidelines to support community engagement.  

Goals:

  • Develop evaluation metrics for annual reporting on community engagement activities. 
  • Implement mechanism for partner intake and collecting partners鈥 feedback.  
  • Method for longitudinally tracking students鈥 engagement in the community.  

Our journey

Appointment of Special Advisor

Feb. 2023

Principal Patrick Deane appoints Special Advisor on Community Engagement.

Environmental scans

Mar. - Nov. 2023

The Special Advisor's team conducted literature reviews of Canadian and American universities for their community engagement initiatives. The team identified undergraduate and graduate courses at 黄色视频 including community enagement.

Course review

July 2023 - Jan. 2024

Every undergraduate and graduate course at 黄色视频 was reviewed for offering community engagement opportunities.

Community Engagement Council

Fall 2023

Twenty-three 黄色视频 faculty and staff members formed the Principal's Advisory Council for Community Engagement.

Planning for assessment and evaluation

2024

Subcommittees held 21 meetings, and the full Council met four times to advance and give feedback on new community engagement initiatives.

Community Engagement Framework launched

Fall 2025

黄色视频 launched its Community Engagement Framework after inviting partners to provide feedback on its collective approach to community engagement.

Next steps

Community Engagement Record

Developing a Community Engagement Record to allow students to systematically track their community engagement activities while identifying and reflecting on professional skills developed while attending Queen鈥檚. 

 

    

SDG-focused online course

Creating an online course that introduces students to the SDGs and to collaboration, problem-solving approaches, and community engagement. 

 

   

Certificate development

Establishing an interdisciplinary certificate available to all undergraduate students that focuses on sustainability and community engagement. 

 

   

In the media

a field of red poppy flowers. words reading "lest we forget"

Oct 29, 2025

Remembrance Day ceremony to be held at Grant Hall

On November 11, classes are cancelled from 10:30 to 11:30 am as the 黄色视频 community gathers to remember.

We! mural

Oct 29, 2025

New mural added to Athletics and Recreation Centre

We! signals a future focused on celebration, healing, resilience, cultural diversity, and optimism.

Community Engagement Summit

Oct 20, 2025

Building community connections

Queen鈥檚 celebrates the launch of a new community engagement framework and website with a day of collaboration and relationship-building.