Center for Community Engagement

David & Frances Brain Center for Community Engagement

Contact

(440) 826-2403, BrainCenter@bw.edu

Campus Location

Strosacker Hall - Student Union
120 E. Grand St.
Berea, OH 44017

Follow the Brain Center

Office Hours

Academic Year: Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Information for Current Students

Current students should go to Community Engagement in Jacket Connect for program information and registrations and to apply for the Brain Center Leadership Team.

COVID-19 Policies and Guidelines

Brain Center Community Engagement Policies for 2021-2022

Student Volunteer Community Engagement Commitment & Safety Guidelines

About the Center

For more than 30 years, the David & Frances Brain Center for Community Engagement has upheld the University's mission of empowering students to become contributing, compassionate citizens of an increasingly global society. Formerly known as the Office of Community Outreach, the office was renamed in 2016 in recognition of the contributions of David and Frances Brain to support this on-going mission, allowing for an expansion of programs and resources.

The Center for Community Engagement offers a variety of ways for students to get involved and fulfill experiential learning requirements by serving at the local, national and international levels. Opportunities include one-time projects, weekly service, alternative breaks, international service, leadership positions and more. Students gain valuable experience in leadership roles as alternative spring break leaders, College Explorations coordinators, special projects team members, Super Saturday coordinators and coordinators for weekly programs.

2020-2021 Annual Report >>
2019-2020 Annual Report >>
2018-2019 Annual Report >>
2017-2018 Annual Report >>
2016-2017 Annual Report >>

Programs for Students

Service Programs: Weekly Programs

Weekly programs are an easy way for students to get involved serving the community.

Boys and Girls Club

BW students join the Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland in their mission to "inspire and enable young people who need us most to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens." BW students develop relationships with youth at the West Side Club while helping with homework and participating in recreational activities like kickball, crafts and games.

Esperanza, Inc.

Esperanza, Inc. is dedicated to promoting Hispanic education. BW students spend Wednesday afternoons assisting middle school students with homework and enrichment activities in partnership with Esperanza, Inc.

West Side Catholic Center

BW students serve at the West Side Catholic Center's women and children's shelter, where they provide a loving environment and fun educational activities for the children while their mothers attend group sessions.

Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities

The Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities provides a wide range of services to children and adults with developmental disabilities. BW students spend time on campus with adults from the Brooklyn Adult Activities Center as well as on field trips to the mall, zoo and more.

St. Pat's (WSEM Food Center at Near West)

The Food Center at Near West offers an evening meal three days per week as well as a food pantry and referral services for families and individuals in need. BW students serve dinner on Tuesday nights and offer activity options such as coloring and games for any children present at the meal.

One-Time Events

GIFT DRIVE

Each year BW students, faculty and staff make the holidays a little brighter for local children through the annual Gift Drive. Gifts are donated to children and families through local organizations.

MLK Day of Learning

Each year BW partners with Grindstone Elementary and Berea-Midpark High School to host a day of learning to recognize the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Students learn about social justice, peace and how they can make a difference in their communities.

Saturday of Service

Every fall, the Center for Community Engagement holds a campus-wide service day in conjunction with organizations in Berea and the Greater Cleveland area. Students, alumni, faculty and staff come together to serve with a number of different organizations.
Immersion Programs: Alternative Break Trips

The Alternative Break experience provides BW students with the opportunity to break from the norm and spend their college break serving with other students. Each trip is led by a BW student. A BW faculty or staff advisor also participates with each trip.

Alternative Break trips are a great way to make a difference, travel to another area, learn new skills and meet people with similar interests. Alternative Break trips are about service, reflection, teamwork and fun. Each of our AB trips are planned using Breakaway's Eight Quality Components Model. Learn more about the National Alternative Break movement. In recent years, BW students have made trips to Detroit (hunger and homelessness); Chicago (mental health issues); Miami, Fla. (women's empowerment); Biloxi, Miss. (rebuilding homes and restoring hope-hurricane recovery); Kissimmee, Fla. (give kids the world); and Atlanta (youth and homelessness).

Project Affinity

Project Affinity is an urban summer service program coordinated by the Center for Community Engagement. Through service and community events, students are able to explore social justice issues, develop a direct relationship with individuals in Brooklyn Centre and the greater Cleveland community, and gain an understanding of nonprofit work.
Academic Service Learning: International Service-Learning

BW is committed to developing globally active and aware citizens through international service-learning opportunities with partner organizations in Guatemala and Zambia. International service-learning programs are coordinated in partnership with the study abroad office.

Jacket Philanthropy Program

The Jacket Philanthropy Program is a student-led philanthropy program implemented through academic service-learning. Students in participating courses provide direct service to nonprofit organizations. In addition to their service hours, students have the opportunity to award grant funds to selected organizations.

The program focuses on three areas of need: children and youth programs; neighborhood development and revitalization; and hunger, homelessness and health issues. Students are responsible for developing an RFP (Request for Funding Proposal), preparing the grant proposal, and engaging in a group decision-making process to award the funds. Each class receives funding to distribute.

In the past six years, 382 BW students provided close to 5,000 hours of service and awarded $94,500 in grant funds.

Service-Learning Courses

Service-learning courses are offered across disciplines and majors and provide an opportunity to bring learning to life by connecting classroom content to community engagement opportunities. Students can take 2 "S" designated service-learning courses to fulfill the BW experiential learning requirements.
Political Engagement: Jackets Engaged: Political Engagement Team

This program works to engage BW students in the political process during election and non-election years. A student team hosts voter registration drives, debate watch parties and other issue education opportunities in order to develop active and informed voters at BW.

To encourage even higher student turnout, BW has joined more than 500 U.S. colleges and universities taking part in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. View BW's ALL IN Action Plan.

As an ALL IN participant, BW commits to working toward increased student voting rates and fostering active and informed citizenship. BW's Brain Center will convene a campus-wide ALL IN committee to develop and implement an action plan to encourage student engagement.

The University will also continue to participate in NSLVE studies to measure future student voter participation. Read the 2020 NSLVE report.

ALL IN awarded BW with a "Gold Seal" for the 2020 Presidential Election.
Student Resource Center: The BW Brain Center Student Resource Center provides one-on-one support, resources and community referrals to ensure all students are able to persist and succeed in their academic endeavors. Programs available to all BW students include:

Campus and Community Resource Referrals

The Student Resource Center offers campus and community resource referrals to students. Learn More.

Campus Plate

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has invested grant money in a Baldwin Wallace project that aims to harness technology to reduce campus food waste and food insecurity. BW faculty-student collaborators in computer science and sustainability are designing and deploying a mobile app (Campus Plate) that will result in the recovery of 5-10% of all food at campus events and dining halls during its first year of use.

Emergency Grant Fund

The BW Emergency Grant Fund can support students with groceries, transportation, technology needs and more.

Swipe Out Hunger

Swipe Out Hunger is a student-led nonprofit that addresses hunger among college students. Since traditional programs don't always work, 1 in 3 college students will go hungry. Students can help by donating their extra guest meals.

Technology Connection Program

The Technology Connection Program offers resources for students such as devices or wifi access to support remote learning.

The Student Resource Center is supported by Ohio Campus Compact, SERVE Ohio and AmeriCorps Ohio.
Civic LEAD Series: The BW Civic LEAD Series is a powerful platform for the BW community to connect with both academic and personal perspectives from trusted campus voices across disciplines, elevating our public discourse and opportunities for engagement around local and national issues.

Community Partners

The Center for Community Engagement partners with many community organizations throughout Berea and the Greater Cleveland community. Our philosophy is that service is reciprocal and therefore it is necessary to work in collaboration with our community partners to develop strategies and programs to meet identified community needs.

Throughout the academic year, the Center for Community Engagement develops community engagement opportunities through which students, faculty and staff can participate. By partnering with your organization, not only are we able to support your mission, but you are helping college students to foster important civic and leadership skills. Please contact us if you are interested in exploring other ways we can partner with your organization.

About David and Frances Brain

Frances Brain attended Baldwin Wallace on a small academic scholarship from 1941-1943. She was the first in her family to attend college and always regretted that she was not able to complete her education and earn her degree. She enjoyed every minute of her time at BW. She was in the work-study program and a proud member of Alpha Gamma Delta. David attended Baldwin Wallace on the GI Bill after serving in WW II. He was able to complete his degree in three years, working full time at night while supporting his wife, Frances, and their two daughters. David graduated from Baldwin Wallace in 1952, after which he pursued an MBA at Harvard Business School and went on to build a successful career in the insurance industry. David and Frances both gave generously of their time and talents to numerous community organizations and went on to found the Frances Hollis Brain Family Foundation, dedicated to providing for the basic needs of the underserved. In recognition of a transformational experience at BW, David and Frances established an endowment at Baldwin Wallace to teach and mentor undergraduates in leadership skills and promote the understanding that it is the responsibility of all leaders to give of themselves to enhance their communities.

Staff

Marsita Ferguson
Assistant Director of Community Engagement

Marsita Ferguson (she/her), joins the Brain Center as the assistant director by way of the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court's probation department. She holds a bachelor of science in legal studies and an MBA from Lake Erie College, is a founding member of Black Lives Matter Lake County and the Lake County Program Liaison for the Barack Obama Foundation: My Brother's Keeper program. Marsita's passion for civic engagement and social justice has led her to run for city council, become a subject matter on cultural sensitivity for the Ohio Attorney General's office, and a DE&I task force member and consultant for organizations dedicated to community improvement.

Phone: (440) 826-3728
Email: mlfergus@bw.edu

Adrian Griffin
Social Innovation Manger, David & Frances Brain Center for Community Engagement

Adrian (she/her/hers) joins the Brain Center for Community Engagement as the social innovation program manager. She came from Case Western Reserve University's civic engagement office (in the division of student affairs) and she is passionate about connecting students with the civic space. Adrian's education is in community organizing and nonprofit management; she has previously worked and volunteered in the fields of criminal justice reform and youth development. She loves to travel, dabble in the creative arts and take advantage of all the wonderful assets here in northeast Ohio. Adrian is eager to meet more of the BW community and collaborate in launching this exciting new social innovation initiative!

Email: aagriffi@bw.edu