About the Annual Showcase
The Annual Community-Engaged Learning and Service Learning Showcase (CELSL Showcase) is a dynamic event where university students present their service and community-based projects (service-based fieldwork, academic internships, volunteer experiences, etc). The showcase provides a platform for students to share the impact of their service-learning experiences, reflect on their contributions, and demonstrate how academic knowledge is applied to address real-world needs. This event is to foster dialogue, collaboration, and recognition of the meaningful connections between higher education and the community.
The Stan State CELSL Showcase has been shaped by various showcases and symposia from the service learning and experiential learning departments of the following universities: CSU San Marcos, Mount Aloysius College, University of Central Florida, University of Kansas, and Wichita State University.
Wednesday
April 22nd, 2026
11 AM to 2 PM
Location TBA
Welcome
Poster Presentations
Closing Remarks
Important Information
- Register to Present by Friday, March 6, 2026
- Information required for registration:
- Name(s) of Student Participant(s) - Maximum of 4 students per poster
- Course Information, Student Program, or Campus Organization
- Faculty/Staff Advisor Name and Email
- Community Partner Name
- Title of Presentation
- Abstract (100 words or less)
- Information required for registration:
- Completed Poster Deadline Wednesday, April 1st, 2026.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
|
Wednesday, October 8th |
Fall Drop-In Information Session |
| Wednesday, February 11th 11am to 1pm |
Spring Drop-In Session Information Session |
| Friday, March 6th | Last Date to Register |
| Wednesday, April 1, 2026 | Last Day for presenters to send in completed posters to be printed by the Office of Service Learning. |
| Wednesday, April 22nd 11am to 2pm |
Annual Community-Engaged Learning Showcase |
| Monday, April 27th | Notification to Award Winners |
| Wednesday, May 6th | Announcement of Awards at the End-of-Year Recognition |
Eligibility and Responsibilities
Students must:
- be enrolled at Stanislaus State
- complete a service project related to academic studies
- present at the showcase
- have a faculty member assist/support their project
Faculty/Staff Advisor Role:
- be a full- or part-time faculty or staff member at Stanislaus State
- recommend being familiar with service learning or community-engaged learning
- assist/support the student(s) throughout their service project and development of their poster
Steps to Participate
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Participate in academic-based community service.
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Submit a PDF of your poster presentation
by Wednesday, April 1st, 2026. -
Watch your email for more information about the showcase and poster set-up.
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Arrive at the Showcase to set up your poster and present.
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Enjoy sharing your service project and networking with others.
Guidelines & Poster Criteria
| Minimum Criteria |
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|---|---|
| Poster Formatting |
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| Other Recommendations |
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Evaluation Criteria
| Category | Description | Questions to for self-review |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation Design |
Ease of Viewing: Clarity, creativity, organization, references, relevant visual aids, consistent font/style, logical structure, and readability. |
Is the poster well organized? Does my poster look professional? Is the font consistent and a good size? Did I include important graphics and charts that add meaning? Is the reference properly and consistently formatted? Can the project be understood solely from the poster? |
| Academic Alignment | Clear academic learning: The project includes and enhances the course objective and the service learning outcomes (SL outcomes). | What academic concept connects with this project? What concepts would assist in enhancing community efforts? Was the course/academic connection mentioned on the poster? Did I include the important concepts related to the social needs associated with the project? Did you properly cite your resources? |
| Community Impact | The project added value and assisted in moving forward the agency and/or the larger community goals in a collaborative manner. | Did I explain the community impact? Did I include important statistical information related to the project (number of people, trees, bus rides, etc)? Why did the community support this project and these efforts? What feedback did the community share? How did this project assist the community? Why was this project important? |
| Critical Reflection | Communicates what was learned and how the learning will inform future community service. Communicates complexity and various perspectives associated with the service, as well as strong analysis. | Were the self-reflections included? Is the reflection supported by evidence? Did I address how the project impacted my sense of community responsibility? Did I share how this project increased my community awareness and how I will incorporate what I learned moving forward? |
Poster Presentation Scholarship Awards
As a thank you and recognition of the hard work of all the students, we would like to highlight those who went above and beyond at the Annual Community Engaged Learning Showcase. Additionally, these awards include a $200 scholarship for the students who achieve one of the recognitions for their poster presentations.
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Best Overall in Showcase
- This award acknowledges the service and presentation that went above and beyond. As well as thoroughly highlighting both the academic and community aspects of the service-based project.
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Most Community Awareness and Impact
- This award celebrates outstanding achievements in fostering community awareness and driving positive change within the community while highlighting the active community leaders.
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Excellence in Collaboration & Leadership
- This award recognizes those who fostered teamwork, built strong relationships, promoted open communication, cultivated a positive and inclusive environment, and drove positive change through collaborative efforts with the community.
Updated: October 01, 2025