Help solve real community issues.

The CCE provides a gathering space for faculty and students conducting research with our community partners. Research teams are currently collaborating on programs to address poverty in Columbus, eradicate invasive plant species in local watersheds, and build eco-tourism sites in Costa Rica.

Undergraduate Research Teams

Through the CCE, undergraduate students have the unique opportunity to work collaboratively with faculty in small groups to investigate and explore social issues and potential solutions to these issues. Please contact Melissa Gilbert to learn more.

Living Learning Laboratories

The CCE takes service-learning to a new experiential level through living learning laboratory spaces at the Otterbein Community Garden and wetlands, which are located at the Austin E. Knowlton Center for Equine Science. The Community Garden is a shared learning space, bringing together a diverse group of participants, from Otterbein students, to local Westerville City Schools students, as well as senior citizens, community neighborhoods, and local non-profit organizations. The Garden seeks to enrich the academic and co-curricular learning experiences of Otterbein students by creating a shared space for growth.

The Vernon L. Pack Fellowship

The Vernon L. Pack Fellowship was established in 2006 through the generosity of Vernon L. Pack, a 1950 graduate of Otterbein and a leader in the Westerville community. The award provides a financial award to students to pursue a project of their own design that meets a specific community-identified need.