college of liberal arts
community engaged co-lab
The Dean’s Office of the College of Liberal Arts (COLA) at Purdue University Fort Wayne invites applications from students who are enrolled in a COLA degree program and interested in participating in a 2026 Community-Engaged Co-Lab.
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY ENGAGED CO-LAB
Community Engaged Co-Labs provide a small group of students with a unique opportunity to work closely with a faculty member on a professional project that meets the needs of a specific community partner/sponsor. Designed to give students an opportunity to apply their academic knowledge to “real world” needs, Community Engaged Co-Labs will allow students to:
- Conduct research and consider the ways research is developed and utilized in practice
- Refine critical and strategic thinking skills
- Expand their problem-solving abilities.
- Innovate new idea
- Cultivate flexibility, adaptability, creativity, and effective decision-making
- Organize and manage a large project, including effective time management and task prioritization
Practice collaboration, including improving communication skills necessary for effective interpersonal relationships and cooperative efforts
Consider ethical standards and practices in business and organizational contexts
Build career networks and skills relevant to thriving in professional environments
WHO IS ELIGIBLE AND HOW TO APPLY
Student enrollment in each Co-Lab is competitive and by application. The eligibility requirements include:
✓ Enrollment in a major in the College of Liberal Arts and good academic standing
✓ Junior or senior standing during the period of the Co-Lab, though the faculty director may grant special permission for sophomores to enroll when appropriate to do so. Speak to the faculty director leading the project to inquire about an exception to the class standing requirement.
To be considered for the cohort, students will submit an application consisting of a cover sheet (email [email protected] to receive the cover sheet) and a 250-word statement explaining their interest in the project. Selection of students for each cohort will be made by the faculty director overseeing the project and responsible for the oversight of the project. Projects will be completed by December 2026. If selected, students will enroll in a 1-3 credit Co-Lab course, to be determined by the faculty director. Students are encouraged to reach out to the Dean’s Office or their advisor for questions about the placement of the Co-Lab in their plans of study.
2026 Community Engaged CO-Lab Descriptions
In this Co-Lab, students will work with Dr. Deborah Bauer and Dr. Ann Livschiz, along with staff members from the Fort Wayne History Center, to enhance the museum’s digital collections and educational presentations. Through a series of projects that will be determined based on student interest, Co-Lab participants will undertake a variety of tasks that might include: digitization of the History Center’s collections, organizing digitized records, updating the Center’s orientation video for elementary school students, and designing a digital exhibition based on the material collections already contained at the museum.
Ideal skill sets and interests include: use of specialized digitization equipment and software, research skills using both primary and secondary sources, recording technology and software, video editing, digital design programs. However, interested students should note that these skills are not required to apply, as training on specialized equipment and digital technologies will be available. Students will need transportation to the History Center in downtown Fort Wayne on a regular (likely weekly) basis.
This Co-Lab is ideal for students with an interest in careers in preservation, collection, digital design, museum work, and public education/instruction. The skills developed over the course of this Co-Lab will allow students to offer future employers the talents of research analysis, identifying material of interest to a wider public, and analyzing and distilling information in a way that is digestible to a variety of public audiences. These skills would be valued by any museum, library, or company interested in preserving and sharing its collections with interested stakeholders.
Prerequisites/other information:
- Successful completion of COLA’s second-year writing requirement (which can be fulfilled by any of the following ENGL 23301, ENGL 20201, HIST 21700, ILCS 30000, POL 20700, or WOST 23000)
- Interest and willingness to work collaboratively
- Be enrolled in no more than 15 credits for Fall 2026 (including this class).
Working with Dr. Mike Wolf, this Co-Lab brings students and their advanced research skills together with the Fort Wayne League of Women Voters (FWLVW) to develop tools for improved voter participation and productive civil discourse. After researching relevant foundational topics, students will contribute to the completion of the large project by working on one or more of the following tasks:
- Researching data trends in voter engagement from existing and newly created data to find sociodemographic patterns in participation and identify barriers to participation
- Creating social media content that leverages FWLWV resources for voters, such as Vote411.org
- Crafting a number of short-form videos with content focused on encouraging participation among lower participating groups in the community.
- Facilitating in-person, participatory events that develop best practices for facilitating civil discourse and public deliberation.
Students will develop advanced skills in data analytics, communication, critical thinking, as well as content creation across different media: social media, video, and written findings from public deliberation events. Content will come in different media forms focused on increasing participation, engagement, and civil public discourse, while other content will be reporting findings to FWLWV for future programming. The Co-Lab will result in developing key applied research skills for students across all professional environments, as well as addressing low participation rates, citizen engagement, and the polarized political discourse in contemporary America.
This Co-Lab is directly relevant to all disciplines in the College of Liberal Arts. Students will study social groups, political culture, historical trends, communication media, power and persuasion, to produce cutting-edge digital and public humanities content. Real-world problem-solving through applied research is exactly what employers look for across business, non-profit, government, and entrepreneurial sectors. Students will also tackle a problem vexing America—how we can improve our civil discourse and democratic participation—with one of the most renowned, nonpartisan civic organizations in American history, and they will produce high-profile content that will be seen and employed by hundreds for the entire community.
Other considerations:- Interest in working collaboratively with students from other disciplines is required.
- Interest and willingness to work collaboratively
- Students will work flexibly across spring and fall semesters to best fit schedule demands.
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT EITHER CO-LAB?
If you have questions or just want to hear more about these opportunities, please reach out to one of the faculty directors: Dr. Bauer ([email protected]), Dr. Livschiz ([email protected]), and Dr. Wolf ([email protected]).