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Immersive Experiences

The Center for Civic Engagement sponsors Immersive Experiences that connect your passion for action with your academic and career goals. These opportunities help you explore interests and careers through real-world experience while benefiting others.

  • Community-Based Learning Classes: Earn academic credit while working with community organizations to fulfill their mission
  • Changemaker Certificate Program: Engage in community service while building professional skills
  • Madison Volunteer Ambulance Cadet Program: Explore emergency medicine and earn your EMT certification while assisting Drew’s local community
  • Alternative Breaks with Volunteer without Borders: Contribute to disaster relief and community development in high-need communities while building intercultural communication and competence skills

Community-Based Learning Classes

Want to build real-world, resume-ready skills? Like to make a difference in your community? Community Based Learning (CBL) classes, also sometimes called Service Learning Classes, foster the ability to connect academic learning with action in the world. At Drew, CBL classes strengthen community partners that serves the common good. They fulfill the immersive experience requirement for general education.

Fall 2022 Community Based Learning Course Listings

Spring 2022 Community Based Learning Course Listings

Fall 2021 Community Based Learning Course Listings

Innovation Action Lab

CE 270: Innovation Action Lab is a 2 credit course that students can enroll in which engages in creative problem solving applied to analyzing and developing a strategy to address a real-world problem that has social impact, is economically viable, and environmentally sustainable. Asks students to act, think, and collaborate across disciplines by drawing from the arts and humanities, as well as social and natural sciences in formulating potential solutions. Students will have the opportunity to connect with activists, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders outside of the university setting as appropriate to their project.

Changemakers Community Engagement Certificate

Morris Habitat for Humanity

The Changemakers Community Engagement Certificate is a semester-long immersive experience sponsored by Drew’s Center for Civic Engagement. The certificate can be completed more than once for maximum experience and growth.  To learn more, please visit the Changemakers page on our website, or contact [email protected]

Madison Volunteer Ambulance Corps Programs

Drew University and Madison Volunteer Ambulance Corps (MVAC) collaborated to create two programs for Drew students interested in assisting our communities and exploring potential careers in the medical and public health fields. Both are semester-long programs and can be completed as Immersive Experiences and/or credit-bearing internships, or in a volunteer capacity.

The Drew MVAC Cadet Program allows students to explore the roles and responsibilities of a member of an emergency services organization. Cadets are trained in CPR and Basic First Aid and then scheduled for shifts with MVAC ambulance crews. They commit to a minimum of 75 hours of training and shifts. Applicants who have a strong desire or intention to register for an EMT Certification program upon completing the Cadet Program will be prioritized. The total number of Cadets accepted to the program in any one semester is determined by MVAC and its capacity to manage the size of the program. Following completion of the Cadet Program, students may enter an EMT certification program and if successful, may apply for full membership with MVAC. 

The “Drew Crew” MVAC Program provides the Drew campus with an MVAC ambulance crew, comprised of at least one EMT and one Driver, to respond to medical emergencies on campus during Friday and/or Saturday nights. This coverage will allow MVAC to retain a separate EMT crew to respond to calls in the Borough of Madison, and provide MVAC with the crew from Drew for very urgent Code 4 calls. EMT’s and Drivers who join the program will be sworn in as full members of MVAC and, therefore, will be able to sign up for additional MVAC shifts throughout the week as needed and as their time allows. The Drew Crew may also be asked to cover events on the Drew campus when an on-site ambulance crew is needed to stand by. EMT applicants to the program must be certified in NJ or in a state with reciprocity. Driver applicants will receive CPR and Basic First Aid training and complete their CEVO certification. NOTE: Applications to the Drew Crew program is on hold through the fall of 2021 because of the limits imposed on MVAC operations because of the pandemic. It is expected that it will begin again for either the spring or fall 2022 semesters. Check back here or contact our Center at [email protected] for further updates. 

Alternative Breaks

Volunteer Without Borders Alternative Breaks

Every year, Drew students as part of Volunteer Without Borders travel both domestically and abroad to deepen their understanding of environmental and social justice issues and to assist with disaster relief while meeting community needs.  The trips are co-sponsored by the CCE with generous financial support from Drew Hillel and Student Engagement. Volunteers Without Borders has in the past traveled to New Orleans, Mexico, Puerto Rico, San Antonio, and Kentucky. Spring 2022 trips include an Alternative Spring Break trip to West Virginia and a summer trip to Mississippi. Applications for the 2022 Spring Break trip to West Virginia are now closed, but check back for applications for the May 15th-May 21st Mississippi trip! Contact [email protected] for more information.

Alternative Spring Break to Kentucky: Environmental Justice

WATCH THIS VIDEO ON PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES IN APPALACHIA: