​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Steans Header

  Irwin W. St​​​eans Center​

Welcome to The Steans Center

The Steans Center is DePaul University's source for community engagement opportunities through curriculum, research, internships and scholarships. We are here to support DePaul faculty, students, and community partners. The Center hosts the Egan Office for Urban Education and Community Partnerships, the Institute for Restorative Educational Engagement, and the nonprofit Asset-based Community Development Institute

Learn more about Community Engagement at DePaul

Collaboratory logo


Steans Center in the News

Upcoming Events

Community Engagement Forum
August 14, 2024​ (11:00 AM - 3:00 PM)
Lincoln Park Student Center

Workshop: Authentic and Productive Community Partnerships
October 4, 2024
10AM - 12PM via Zoom 
Steans Center Fall Workshops

Workshop: Diversified Approaches to Reflection
October 18, 2024
10AM - 12PM via Zoom 

Workshop: Negotiating Identity in the Classroom and the Community
November 1, 2024
10AM - 12PM via Zoom
The McCormick Internship:
Priority Deadlines for 2024-2025 
Winter 2025: Tuesday, November 12, 2024 
Spring 2025: Friday, March 7, 2025

The Community Service Scholarship: 
Deadline for applications: April 15, 2025

Richard J. and Joan M. Meister Scholarship: 
Deadline for applications: March 6, 2025

John E. Brennan Memorial Endowed Award: 
Deadline for applications: Thursday, March 6, 2025​

Service Speaks 2025
May 19, 2025 
10AM - 2PM
Lincoln Park Student Center

Collaboratory Frontpage

Telling DePaul’s Community Engagement Story​

DePaul's mission states that the university supports the integral human development of its students "through its commitment to outstanding teaching, academic excellence, real-world experience, community engagement, and systemic change."  In 2021, the university launched  Collaboratory, a powerful tool for documenting and researching the institution’s commitment to community engagement through teaching, research and service. 

Collaboratory is an online platform that provides a space for faculty and staff to collect and share work essential to the university's mission. This includes courses that integrate service learning pedagogy and research, technical assistance and advocacy activities done collaboratively with community partners across Chicago and the world. Collaboratory is essentially a place for DePaul to track, report, connect and plan community engagement and public service activities.

Read more...

conference banner 
DePaul University is proud to host this third iteration of the Conference on Community Engagement and Service Learning in partnership with Australian Catholic University (ACU).  Since 2019, our two institutions have worked together to share information, lessons learned, successful practices, and innovative ideas to deepen engagement with our respective communities. In doing so, we have furthered our collaboration with each other and deepened our practice of community engagement.
Learn more...​ 






Harrison I. Steans Graduate Fellowship 

OCE Frontpage

watch video



Apply for Graduate Funding

Deadline for Winter Quarter 2025:

November 10, 2024

The Harrison I. Steans Graduate Fellowship supports DePaul students accepted and enrolled in any graduate degree program.

Awards are $1800 per quarter (masters) or $2000 (doctoral) per quarter for up to three quarters ($5400 or $6000 total).

Fellowship projects are designed collaboratively with off-campus organizational partners, focus on social equity, and draw inspiration from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 
To apply, click here