Register Now - Gathering at the River: Connecting Communities,Expressing

******* PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WIDELY *******

Dear Faculty, Community Partners and Students Engaged in
Service-Learning,  

On behalf of the Educators for Community Engagement (formerly known as
the Invisible College) and the National Gathering Local Planning
Committee, I encourage you and your service-learning partners to join us
for the 9th National Gathering: "Gathering at the River:  Connecting
Communities, Expressing Cultures and Enriching Lives" in Minneapolis,
June 26-28th, 2003, hosted by the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.
 

The Early Bird Registration Deadline is May, 16, 2003
Discounted Registration for Teams of Three or More Individuals
(representing at least two categories - faculty/staff, community
partners and students).

For complete information and on-line registration for this summer's
National Gathering (NG) please see www.e4ce.org. 

A brief overview is included below: 

What is the Educators for Community Engagement? 
A national membership organization composed of faculty, staff,
community partners, and students, who strive within our various
institutions and positions to integrate learning and service within the
diverse communities in which we work and live. 

What is a National Gathering (NG)? 
The annual meeting bringing together our membership to engage in
learning, growth and change through participation in learning circles.
Learning Circles are at the heart of the NG - safe spaces where
individuals gather to engage in deep conversations, reflect on
experiences, share projects, ideas and strategies around a topic or
issue in service-learning. Past learning circle topics have included:
Institutions as Agents of Social Change, Campus-Community Partnership,
Diversity and Power, and the Voice and Power of Students on Campuses and
in Communities.  This year's NG participants will select from 14
learning circle topics and 13 pre-gathering workshop topics.  Some of
the many pre-gathering workshops include sessions on Community-based
Research, Economic Development, Funding Service-Learning, Reflection
Tools and Leading Learning Circles.  

Thursday, June 26, 2003 
9-4      Pre-gathering workshops (half or full-day sessions)
5-6      Reception 
6-7:30 Opening Dinner
7:45-9 Learning Circles I

Friday, June 27, 2003
9-12     Learning Circles II
12-2     Lunch and Campus Compact 2003 Ehrlich Faculty Award
Presentation
2-5       Learning Circles III

Saturday, June 28, 2003 
9-11    Learning Circles IV
11-12   ECE Business Meeting
12-2:30 Closing Celebration Picnic
3-6        Optional Community Outings

For information about the National Gathering please email:
lhirt@class.cla.umn.edu. 

I hope you will join us in Minneapolis!  

Peace, 

Laurel Hirt, 2003 National Gathering Host Coordinator 




Laurel  E. Hirt 
Coordinator, Community Involvement and Service Learning 
Career and Community Learning Center
345 Fraser Hall 
106 Pleasant St. SE 
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612.625.3344 (Direct)
612.626.2044 (Front Desk)
612.624.2538 (Fax)
www.cclc.umn.edu
lhirt@class.cla.umn.edu