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The UW Tacoma Office of Community Partnerships (OCP) established this award in 2024 to support the creation of a culture that supports and recognizes engaged scholarship on our campus. We believe that the commitment of our faculty to impactful community engagement deserves acknowledgment, and we invite you to participate by self-nominating for this prestigious award.
SELF-NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2025 ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP AWARD ARE NOW CLOSED. Solicitation for the 2026 award will occur in January 2026
Submission Guidelines: To streamline the nomination process, we request that interested faculty members submit a self-nomination by March 15 2026. The nomination should include:
- Nomination Letter: Please submit a letter explaining the origin and content of your engaged scholarship. Highlight the significance of your work in fostering community partnerships, promoting community well-being, and contributing to the broader societal context.
- Published or Posted Materials: Include a copy of your published or posted materials that showcase your engaged scholarship. This may encompass a range of formats, such as books, articles, public scholarship, or policy pieces.
Submission Deadline: Nominations for 2026 will open in February
Submission Process: Email materials to ocp@uw.edu
Find examples of engaged scholarship here
Defining Engaged Scholarship
Engaged scholarship (ES) can be defined as scholarly activities focused on the social, civic, economic, educational, artistic, scientific, environmental, and cultural well-being of people and places beyond the academy. It involves the creation and dissemination of new knowledge to address social issues through collaborative relationships and shared activity between those in the university and those outside the university. ES aims for impact beyond publication in specialized academic journals and the number of citations in faculty publications. Research that is publicly engaged aims for the advancement and utilization of knowledge with societally-relevant outcomes and therefore is inclusive of a range of products that have value and relevance to public audiences.
While research is an important feature of ES, it should not be considered synonymous with it. Faculty take part in a broader range of creative intellectual work in the name of public engagement, collaborating with community partners outside the campus for the purposes of addressing community issues, improving teaching and learning, creating new and relevant knowledge, and developing civic learning opportunities associated with the public relevance of disciplines. Indeed, these scholarly activities connect the core functions of higher education – the generation and dissemination of knowledge – to the needs of the public. In this sense, public engagement can be clearly articulated and should be valued and rewarded in all areas of faculty scholarly work including teaching, research and creative activity, and service.
Source: Campus Compact. Defining Engaged Scholarship
If you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to contact the UW Tacoma Office of Community Partnerships at ocp@uw.edu.
2025 Recipients
Angel Cabrera Silva, S.J.D.
Assistant Professor
Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs
School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
Dr. Silva, is being recognized for his outstanding contributions. The committee commended his community-grounded, impact-driven approach, particularly his long-standing partnership with the P’urhépecha community. His co-developed projects with Indigenous communities—centered on promoting self-determination and human rights in Mexico—are a model of co-learning and co-production. The recognition he's received from Indigenous communities themselves speaks volumes about the depth and authenticity of his work. Learn more about Dr. Silva's work.
Tabitha Espina, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Culture, Arts and Communication
School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
Dr. Espina exemplifies the spirit of engaged scholarship. The selection committee was deeply impressed by the transnational scope of her work and her commitment to decolonial approaches. Her scholarship demonstrates a profound understanding of positionality and the role of critical self-awareness in community engagement. Her work not only bridges academic and community spaces but also challenges and reimagines them in powerful ways. Learn more about Dr. Espina.
2024 Recipient
Jessi Quizar, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
School of Urban Studies
This award recognizes Dr. Quizar’s ability as an engaged scholar to redefine the spheres of knowledge production, respecting the inclusive spaces of co-learning. Their engaged scholarship was viewed by the committee as mature, inclusive, reciprocal, and exemplary in its design and delivery. The review committee appreciated the diversity of communication venues in which your engaged scholarship was presented. Learn more about Dr. Quizar's engaged scholarship.