About CEL

TCNJ’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) is the primary administrative home to the College’s community engagement activities that integrate educational experiences with community service, student development, and civic participation. The Center is the home to two institutes: Community Engaged Learning (CEL) Institute and the Bonner Institute. Grounded in TCNJ’s mission to “empower its diverse students, staff, and faculty to sustain and enhance their communities,” as well as TCNJ’s commitment to the public purpose of higher education, TCNJ’s CCE develops lifelong learners who are prepared to lead lives of critically informed community engagement.

The CEL Institute oversees and coordinates TCNJ’s community engaged learning activities. CEL is an educational experience in which students engage in an organized community-based activity or project that addresses community-identified needs. CEL experiences are intentionally designed to advance the communities and community members with which they engage, while developing knowledge of and experience with civic responsibility, diverse communities, social issues, and social systems and structures. CEL at TCNJ takes three primary forms: a first-year community engaged learning experience; Introductory and Advanced CEL courses; and internships, and community engaged learning research and special projects.

Position Overview: The CEL Specialist supports the Community Engaged Learning Institute by managing the CEL Courses program with support from the CEL Director and assisting with First-Year CEL programming in coordination with the CEL Manager. This 10 month position is primarily responsible for collaborating with faculty, staff, campus partners, and community partners to design, implement, and assess meaningful community engaged learning opportunities, including CEL courses, CEL internships, CEL scholarship, and related community-based learning experiences. This role requires independent program coordination, strong faculty and partner collaboration, knowledge of CEL course design and best practices, and the ability to assess a complex program involving multiple stakeholders.

• First-Year CEL Program Support
  • Support First-Year CEL programming as needed in coordination with the CEL Manager, who oversees the First-Year CEL program.
  • Assistance may include supporting service logistics, helping with service experience coordination, supporting assessment activities, and providing back-up leadership of direct service experiences, including driving 15-passenger vehicles when necessary.
• Attend and participate in Professional Development meetings, trainings, and conferences.

• Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor's degree supplemented by a Master's degree (preferred) in a field related to the position to be filled or equivalency as determined by the appointing authority.
• Experience in familiarity with the culture of higher education institutions and experience working with faculty.
• Experience building and maintaining community partnerships, with Trenton-area community partners preferred.
• Experience organizing and managing records and assessments.
• Experience designing and implementing plans and projects.
• Experience with community-engaged learning theory and practice.
• Experience in training and public speaking
• Familiarity with civic engagement and social change topics
• Non-provisional driver's license

• Comprehensive benefit plans covering medical, dental and prescription plans
• Generous leave entitlements program and Energy Savings Program
• Employee and dependent Tuition Waiver and Reimbursement Program
• Pension, retirement, and deferred compensation plans, group life insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employee affinity groups
• New Jersey State Employee Discount Program (Pet insurance, cell phone plan discounts, discounted amusement park tickets, etc.)
• Access to extensive learning opportunities