From its foundation, the Latino/a studies program has been fully committed to aligning the goals for college learning to public needs and interests. Latino/a studies is the first concentration in Kenyon that requires community engaged learning.
Community engaged learning (CEL) in the Latino community can take many forms. Some recent examples are listed below.
Students have worked with the Ohio Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, an advisory group in the state government. Activities have ranged from revamping the commission website to researching grant and scholarship opportunities for the Latino community — all with the goal of improving access to information and services.
Students have collaborated with the Farm Workers Organizing Committee of Toledo, Ohio, to research migrant worker conditions and apply their findings to the group’s efforts for social change. One focus has been a campaign to improve the lives of tobacco workers in North Carolina.
Students conducting research with the Adult Basic and Literacy Education program in Knox County, Ohio, found that local Latinos were not taking advantage of the agency’s services. So they created a “survival kit” for ESL.