At Saint Anselm, learning goes far beyond the classroom, and students were engaged across New Hampshire this past spring. Through community-engaged learning (CEL), students have the chance to connect what they’re studying with real-world experiences, helping them grow both academically and personally.
CEL is focused on building meaningful, reciprocal relationships between students and members of the greater New Hampshire community. With more than 50 community partner sites and 24 CEL classes offered in the spring of 2025, the program has become an important part of the Saint Anselm experience. Six of these classes are part of the new Pathways and Perspectives pilot program, which is designed specifically for first-year students.
This past year, CEL students completed 13,478 hours of service. In the spring, education students in “Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners (ELL)” gave one-on-one support to elementary school students in ELL settings. At the same time, psychology students in “Psychology of Adulthood and Aging” spent time with patients in both memory and palliative care. Students in a biblical theology course led by Professor Bede Bidlack engaged with the community in a variety of locations, connecting their experiences to Catholic social teaching.
Students in CEL courses typically complete around 20 hours of community engagement during the semester, while those enrolled in two CEL classes can complete 30 hours. These opportunities allow students to live out Benedictine values like community, hospitality, and love for one’s neighbor while gaining a deeper understanding of their course material.
“The value of CEL lies both in its reciprocity and the fostering of meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships between college students and community members and in its ability to deepen students’ understanding of course content through real-life experiences," said Allyn Doyle, Director of Community Engaged Learning in the Meelia Center. “Students who participate in community engaged learning have experiences that change the way they move through the world while they learn to apply the hallmarks of our Benedictine tradition. These values and the lessons students learn while working with members of the community are lessons that they carry with them well after their time on the Hilltop comes to an end.”
For many students, including Sage Valiton ’25, CEL has been a deeply personal and transformative part of their time at Saint Anselm.
“Being involved in community engaged learning both as a student and as a community partnership coordinator has made me feel more connected, not just to the Manchester community, but to myself.” Valiton said. “I’ve gotten to know the stories of hospice patients and people with dementia, shared laughs and moments of reflection, and even had the honor of being there in their final moments. It's something I’ll carry with me long after I leave St. A’s.”