"The engaged learning experience pushed me outside my comfort zone ... provoking independent thought ... providing a unique opportunity to learn about myself, my community, and my colleagues."

"The overall CEL experience has increased my self-confidence ... helped design, execute, analyze results, and communicate results for a successful research project ... a unique experience that encouraged personal growth, unlike any other course I have taken."

"I feel that I have grown personally, professionally, and intellectually; I now market myself differently: instead of just supporting a program, I can fulfill a role where I assess a program's strengths and weaknesses and communicate it to a variety of parties."

"I honed my creative/critical thinking skills and established long-lasting relationships with classmates and community members. Overall, CEL was an unforgettable and incredibly rewarding experience ... I believe I am leaving the CEL course as a more open-minded person."

"CEL made me aware of the importance of the relationship between university and community; a unique opportunity for students to expand their frame of reference to the community people who are becoming increasingly distant in the age of the internet."

"If students are prepared to take initiative and demonstrate leadership, they will be rewarded with an incomparable CEL experience of personal growths and a chance to truly make a difference in the community with the skills they've acquired."

"It taught me about the exceptional capabilities my peers possess ... that it's best to delegate based on strength ... to collaborate ... and have clear lines of communication when something arises in your role that isn't your strength."

"We found ways to highlight each of our ideas and strengths; remaining cohesive and translating that cohesion onto paper was challenging, but also proved to be a crucial training task for our final deliverable."

"no student should go through undergrad without having a CEL experience ... this course validated how I value education and my belief that learning should be a priority, and not overshadowed by the pressures of evaluations."

"By connecting with experts in the field, my CEL experience brings the humanistic aspect back into university education, and ... a sense of purpose back into the work we spend so much time doing."

"CEL provided opportunities to develop unique skills that will be incredibly useful outside of the classroom ... I will tell [my peers] that CEL is one of the best ways to do meaningful work as an undergraduate student."

"What have I learned from CEL? Well, Community Engaged Learning reinforced that I love to teach and that there are new modalities (and support) to explore, so we can inspire our students/learners. Student learnings crave CEL and CEL can be not just for our students, but rewarding also for faculty. So, to my faculty colleagues: challenge yourself! To the Western CEL team, students, and community partners: thank you for one of my best teaching experience ever."