The MSU Model of Engagement
Michigan State University advocates a scholarly model of outreach and engagement that fosters a reciprocal and mutually beneficial relationship between the University and the public. The MSU model involves the co-creation and application of knowledge, a relationship that increases both the community's and the university's capacity to address issues.
MSU holds a unique position in the state's educational system. As a respected research and teaching university, it is committed to intellectual leadership and to excellence in both developing new knowledge and conveying that knowledge to its students and to the public. As a pioneer land-grant institution, MSU strives to discover practical uses for theoretical knowledge, and to speed the diffusion of information to residents of the state, the nation, and the world. In fostering both research and its application, this university continues to be a catalyst for positive intellectual, social, and technological change.
For more information about the MSU model of engagement, visit the Engaged Scholar Magazine Web site, Volume 1: What is an Engaged University.
Quotes from Students
Illustrating Mutually Beneficial Relationships between Partners
"We helped to harvest some Jualilama tea, but more importantly we became more educated. With our new knowledge we can promote change and spread the word."
~Costa Rica 2008 participant
"We supported the community by providing them with income and our awareness of the problem. On a basic level we helped them with their food supply. We learned so much from the people there that it is really important for us especially to bring back what we learned from the farm to share with others. Through the work we got a bigger message that is much more important than any service we could ever do there."
~Costa Rica 2008 participant
"Our project was simple, and we had fun completing it. I think that the relationships we built with the people we worked with and for was one of the most valuable outcomes. We all discovered by building those relationships that we have the power to help even more than we imagined."
~Honduras 2008 participant
