Over the past 30 years there has been a call for higher education to reprioritize the civic purposes of the university (Campus Compact, 2012). Community-based teaching and research have emerged as key academic strategies to enhance the student experience and increase the civic mission of higher education (Erlich, 2000; Eyler & Giles, 1999;…

Weerts' model of Institutional Commitment to Community Outreach and Engagement (2005) was adapted in this qualitative action research case study to fill a gap in the literature regarding: (a) a private university president's role in promoting "A Private University with a Public Purpose"; and (b) differences between public and private university…

This dissertation explores organizational narratives of engagement initiatives involving two comprehensive universities and the larger regional communities they serve. The purpose of this study is to develop a holistic description of engagement initiatives, reflecting data collected through interviews, documents and other artifacts from…