Engaged Learning Graduation Requirement

Roger Williams University’s core purpose is “to strengthen society through engaged teaching and learning.” 91 embraces its social responsibility to partner with organizations, municipalities, and businesses to tackle the challenges facing local - and distant - communities.

Engaged learning enables us to connect beyond our campus borders to bring the real-world issues into the classrooms; it places our students out into the world for hands-on learning. Through this work students turn the concepts and theories they’re studying in the classroom into practical know-how. What results is a deeper understanding of academic content, the development of important hard and soft skills, and a richer and more meaningful transcript and résumé.  

At Roger Williams University all students are required to participate in engaged scholarship to satisfy the Engaged Learning requirement. The requirement, which must be completed prior to graduation, forms a part of the student’s transcript and is listed as the 0-credit FSL.999 course. 

Requirements

The Engaged Learning graduation requirement can be fulfilled through one or more of the following engaged learning experiences:  

  • An internship or co-op
  • Original research project (undertaken with a faculty sponsor)
  • A community engaged course (i.e., courses that involve collaborations with community partners)
  • An intensive volunteer experience (40-50 hours with a community organization)

Notify the Feinstein Center for Engaged Learning

Students must notify the Feinstein Center when they have completed their Engaged Learning requirement by submitting the , available on Hawklink.  Staff will notify the Registrar's office to note this on the student's transcript, viewable on Roger Central in the PROGRESS tab.

Important Notes

  • Transfer students who entered 91 with 24 or more credits are exempt from the requirement.  
  • For students entering 91 during the 2020-2021 academic year:  The Engaged Learning graduation requirement was waived due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on service locations. 
  • For students entering during other academic years, please refer to the section below that reflects your entrance year. 

Beginning with the class of 2025, students will satisfy the Engaged Learning graduation requirement by completing one (or more) of the following: 

  • A community engaged course (i.e., courses, including those offered through study abroad programs that involve collaborations with community-based organizations).
  • A public service internship (typically with non-profit or government agency, including through 91’s Washington Semester and Summer Program).
  • A community engaged research project (undertaken with a faculty sponsor).
  • An intensive volunteer experience (40-50 hours with a community organization).

Beginning with the class of 2025, students will satisfy the Feinstein Service Learning (FSL) graduation requirement by completing one (or more) of the following: 

  • A community engaged course (i.e., courses, including those offered through study abroad programs that involve collaborations with community-based organizations).
  • A public service internship (typically with non-profit or government agency, including through 91’s Washington Semester and Summer Program).
  • A community engaged research project (undertaken with a faculty sponsor).
  • An intensive volunteer experience (40-50 hours with a community organization).

Beginning with the class of 2025, students will satisfy the Feinstein Service Learning (FSL) graduation requirement by completing one (or more) of the following: 

  • A community engaged course (i.e., courses, including those offered through study abroad programs that involve collaborations with community-based organizations).
  • A public service internship (typically with non-profit or government agency, including through 91’s Washington Semester and Summer Program).
  • A community engaged research project (undertaken with a faculty sponsor).
  • An intensive volunteer experience (40-50 hours with a community organization)

Under the auspices of the philanthropy of Alan Shawn Feinstein, Roger Williams University in 1998 created a campus program, now known as the Feinstein Center, to support faculty and students as they engage in curricular and co-curricular community based learning. All undergraduate day students are required to record at least one of these service experiences on their transcript (as FSL.999) and is part of the degree audit. This is done through the Feinstein Center, who communicates completion of the requirement to the University Registrar.

Under the auspices of the philanthropy of Alan Shawn Feinstein, Roger Williams University in 1998 created a campus program, now known as the Feinstein Center, to support faculty and students as they engage in curricular and co-curricular community based learning. All undergraduate day students are required to record at least one of these service experiences on their transcript (as FSL.999) and is part of the degree audit. This is done through the Feinstein Center, who communicates completion of the requirement to the University Registrar.

A majority of incoming students complete this requirement through the annual Community Connections program, a special day of service involving the entire incoming class as well as 200 faculty, staff, and student group leaders. Roger Williams University community members serve with approximately 50 non-profit agencies and municipalities in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Projects address myriad community issues including sustainability, hunger, youth development, homelessness, housing, community development, and historic preservation.