The Community Engagement Advocates (CEA) Program is a collaboration between the Carolyn Barber-Pierre Center for Intercultural Life and the Center for Public Service to support Tulane University’s mission to be a distinctive global university and our commitments to civic engagement in New Orleans, the Gulf South, and the world.
The CEAs are student leaders who facilitate professional development workshops that prepare Tulane students to be intercultural and global leaders. CEAs lead interactive, dynamic workshops designed to explore a wide range of topics promoting intergroup dialogue and community engagement to ensure that our community service and engagement efforts are respectful and embedded with cultural humility and empathy. In these workshops, student participants learn their role in preventing bias, discrimination, and harassment in Tulane living, learning, and working environments.
What Workshop Participants Can Expect
Workshop participants will participate in interactive activities and open dialogues designed to help them grow in their awareness of self, deepen their appreciation for diverse lived experiences, histories, and cultures, and assist with building confidence while engaging in community. The workshop fosters a collaborative learning environment that encourages both self-reflection and conversations that challenge assumptions and broaden perspectives.
- Entering Communities – In this workshop, service-learning students reflect on their role and impact in the Greater New Orleans community. It explores the relationship between Tulane and New Orleans while fostering ethical, respectful, and collaborative engagement.
- Campus Culture – In this workshop, participants explore intercultural competence, cultural humility, and recognizing bias, discrimination, and harassment in student life. Participants will engage in discussions and activities to deepen their understanding toward fostering a more inclusive campus culture.
- Ripple Effect – In this workshop, incoming students explore how their lived experiences and cultural backgrounds shape their student identity development. Students learn how they can participate in dialogues with people who have similar and different backgrounds than their own. This experience occurs during New Student Orientation for fall and spring incoming students.
Community Engagement Advocates are available by request to facilitate workshops for classes, service-learning courses, residence halls, student organizations and other Tulane organizations.
You may request workshops taking place on or after January 21, 2025 and on/before April 21st, 2025. The last day to request a Spring semester workshop will be April 4th, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.
If you cannot fit a dialogue in your class schedule, or want to offer your students another option, we offer Open Sessions within the first month of every semester. Visit our Wavesync to view availabilities! Community Engagement Advocates - WaveSync
Community Engagement Advocates commit to participate in a year-long training designed to help prepare them to facilitate intercultural competency and foster a campus culture where students from a broad variety of backgrounds and cultures can reach their full potential. CEAs participate in an intensive week-long training during the fall, and then engage in bi-weekly sessions focused on ongoing professional development around community engagement and intercultural competency throughout the year.
CEAs are expected to facilitate 6-12 workshops per semester, including larger events like New Student Orientation, Greek Life workshops, Entering Communities open sessions and more.
CEAs receive a stipend every semester.
The CEA program is open to undergraduate and graduate level applicants, and rising Sophomores are highly encouraged to apply. We are looking for students who are passionate about intercultural competency, cultural humility, service learning, and community engagement, and are interested in being a part of a community dedicated to fostering a welcoming and supportive campus for all.
To apply to be a CEA, be on the look out for advertisements about the recruitment process in Spring 2025. All applications require a resume and a letter of recommendation from a Tulane faculty member, staff member, or mentor.
