Gephardt Institute for Civic & Community Engagement

Project Description

Background

The Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement works with undergraduate and graduate students at Washington University in St. Louis to ensure robust and high-quality civic engagement opportunities on campus and in St. Louis.

The St. Louis Fellows Program is an opportunity for approximately 40 WashU undergraduate students to work in nonprofit or civic internships, attend a range of community events, and engage in an experiential curriculum to understand St. Louis’ history, culture, politics, challenges, and opportunities. The Evaluation Center will conduct focus groups with internship placement site supervisors to better understand their experience with the fellows and the impact of the fellows on St. Louis organizations.

The Civic Scholars Program is a two-year program for WashU undergraduate juniors and seniors to develop their leadership in civic and community engagement. The program includes coursework, community building, immersion trips, a summer project, and professional skill development. The Evaluation Center will facilitate evaluation planning for this program and collaborate with the Gephardt Institute to develop a logic model, evaluation questions, and a methods matrix that describes the timing, data sources, and potential metrics that would help to answer priority evaluation questions.

Evaluation Center Activities

• Develop a focus group guide.
• Conduct focus groups with internship placement site supervisors.
• Analyze focus group data and create a final report.
• Develop focus group findings and recommendations.
• Develop an evaluation plan, including a logic model and methods matrix.

Our Products

• Focus group guide for St. Louis Fellows site supervisors
• Focus group findings report for the St. Louis Fellows Program
• Evaluation plan for the Civic Scholars Program, including logic model and methods matrix

Funder

Gephardt Institute for Civic & Community Engagement

Contact Person