Abstract
This article details a multifaceted academic-community partnership between the University of Dayton’s Department of English and the Mosaic Institute, a local nonprofit arts organization. Supported by a faculty fellowship through the Fitz Center for Leadership in Community and the Experiential Learning Innovation Faculty Fund (ELIFF), the partnership provided students in a writing course with real-world experience while supporting the mission of a community arts partner. Students contributed to a memorial mosaic in the Oregon District, developed successful grant proposals for a new mosaic park in East Dayton, created promotional materials for the institute’s anniversary, and led community members in creating a commemorative mosaic for the university’s Imagining Community symposium. The experience provided practical skills while connecting them to the Dayton community and the philanthropic sector. This reflection highlights the symbiotic success of the initiative, demonstrating a powerful model for experiential learning that fosters civic engagement and produces lasting positive impacts for students and community partners.
Recommended Citation
Keane-Sexton, Maureen (Molly) B.
(2025)
"Invited Reflection: Experiential Learning's Effects on Learning, Teaching, and Service,"
Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Vol. 3, Article 6.
Available at:
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/rrlthe/vol3/iss1/6