Catalyst
NC Campus Engagement is pleased to partner with Wake Forest University’s Office of Civic & Community Engagement to launch Catalyst, a journal dedicated to elevating the multitude of voices within our field and cultivating meaningful dialogue among stakeholders to harness our shared potential in influencing the global conversation on the fundamental social value of higher education.
Call for Proposals
Issue One Theme: Sustaining Civic Joy in Challenging Times
We are currently seeking submissions for the inaugural issue. We invite scholars, practitioners, community leaders and partners, students, and lifelong learners to submit original articles, essays, case studies, and creative works that explore the theme of “Sustaining Civic Joy in Challenging Times.” For the full CFP and guiding questions, Author Guidelines, Formatting Guidelines, and Submission Guidelines, visit the main Catalyst page.
The inaugural issue is guest edited by NCCE Executive Director Leslie Garvin and managed by Allison Walker, Director of Community Partnerships & Experiential Learning at Wake Forest University.
Submission Deadline: December 31, 2025
Mission
Catalyst is dedicated to advancing the scholarship of service-learning and community engagement through an interdisciplinary, open-source, and peer-reviewed platform. We provide a space for critical inquiry, reflection, and dialogue, amplifying diverse voices and fostering collaboration among boundary-spanning students, faculty, staff, and community leaders.
Our journal strives to deepen understanding and practice in the field by sharing innovative research, creative works, case studies, and community-driven projects that promote social justice, civic engagement, and sustainable change.
Vision
Catalyst envisions a global community where higher education institutions and communities work together to address societal challenges, cultivate civic joy, and empower individuals from all backgrounds. We aim to inspire transformative learning and action, fostering resilience, equity, and social change.
Through our interdisciplinary approach, we seek to shape a world where service-learning and community engagement are recognized as essential to building inclusive, vibrant, and just societies.
Editorial Board
The Catalyst editorial board consists of nine practitioner-scholars representing the diverse institutions within the NCCE consortium. Members include community-engaged faculty, staff, and administrators from public and private colleges and universities, HBCUs, and the private sector.
Katelyn Bodwell, MA
Program Officer for Community Engagement Carolina Center for Public Service
UNC Chapel Hill
Patti Clayton, PhD
Executive Director, PHC Ventures
Practitioner-Scholar in Residence – NCCE
Senior Scholar – Institute for Community & Economic Engagement, UNC Greensboro
Justin Cook, PhD
Director of HPU Writing Center, Assistant Professor of English
High Point University
Bob Frigo, PhD
Director of Kernodle Center for Civic Life, Elon University
Leslie Garvin, MSW
Executive Director
North Carolina Campus Engagement
Emily Janke, PhD
Director of the Institute for Community & Economic Engagement, Professor, Peace & Conflict Studies
UNC Greensboro
Cara Kozma, PhD
Director of Academic Engagement for the Arts & Humanities Office of Undergraduate Education
Duke University
Lovelle McMichael, M Div M Ed
Director of Community Engagement, Division of Strategic Partnerships and Economic Development
North Carolina A&T State University
Allison Walker, MFA
Director of Community Partnerships & Experiential Learning, Office of Civic & Community Engagement, Instructor of First-Year Seminars
Wake Forest University
For questions or more information, please reach out to:
Allison Walker
Managing Editor
walkea@wfu.edu
336.758.3742