This article describes Michigan State University’s “transformative engagement process,” an interactive process in which all partners – academic and community – apply critical thinking skills to complex community problems. Based on Mezirow’s transformational learning (1991) it is iterative in nature and informed by a university-wide model of engagement built on the land-grant tradition and by grounded principles from the literature and developing engagement practice. To be successful, partners must have appropriate and multiple ways – face to face and electronic – of making and sustaining connections to each other and to information that will help them move through transformations. The structures are designed to meet the needs of those engaged in partnerships while promoting evidence-based best practices in community agencies.

Brown, et al. (2006) The Transformative Engagement Process: Foundations and supports for university-community partnerships. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 11,(1), 9-21.