John Zeigler Jr. is Director of the Egan Office of Urban Education and Community Partnerships (UECP) and adjunct faculty in Community Service Studies. He provides guidance in the Steans Center’s goal of advancing DePaul faculty and student engagement with public agencies and community-based organizations and schools. John focuses UECP on critical social issues through innovative scholarship, technical assistance and educational programming in schools and communities.

John has worked with numerous grassroots organizations internationally and initiatives across the country helping to create change that speaks to the community’s values. He recognizes that the most effective solutions to community issues should be community-driven and believes in the power of building effective social networks and creating opportunities for community partners to share their practices, promising ideas and challenges. John’s research interests are interdisciplinary and range widely. He is currently finishing his doctorate in education where his research interest is focused on authentic participation of black community-based organizations in the privatized environment of public schools.

John teaches an Inside/Out class at Stateville Correctional Center and is faculty for the Asset Based Community Development Institute. He also co-chairs the Steering Committee of the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research.​​