Click here for the most current list of current VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES in our region!
Our Commitment
We are committed to community engagement and civic action!
Owens Community College was first awarded the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement in 2015 with re-classification in 2020.
Information about the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement can be found here.
Owens will be re-applying for classification in 2026.
At Owens Community College, we define community engagement as the strategic practice of working collaboratively with community stakeholders to deepen relationships and achieve sustainable, equitable, mutually beneficial outcomes.
As the conduit to changing lives for the better in Northwest Ohio, it is our mission and responsibility to include the needs of the community when providing educational opportunities.
Utilizing mutual, collaborative decision-making, we will act as the connector between people, industry and dynamic growth in the region.
In considering the needs, aspirations and limitations of all participants, community engagement positions our college as an indispensable partner and a first choice for students, employers and the northwest Ohio community.
The practice of community engagement includes the following:
- Curriculum-based, community-engaged learning/academic service learning
- Co-curricular service/student leadership
- Internships/co-ops/clinicals/practicums
- Community-based research
- Volunteer work/activism/advocacy
- Civic engagement/civic responsibility
- Workforce/college/community partnerships
- Community building/intentional problem-solving
The outcomes of community engagement include:
- Strengthened democratic values and civic responsibility
- Advancement in critical societal issues
- Contributions to the public good
- Students’ development of a deeper understanding of subject matter
- Students’ integration of concepts from the classroom to real-world applications
- Students becoming more motivated to learn
The following organizations offer databases of opportunities by region or zip code:
For More Information
For more information about community engagement, please contact Krista Kiessling, Director of Campus and Community Connections, krista_kiessling@tif2005.com, (567) 661-2275.
