UC undergraduate program renamed in anticipation of exciting additions

Currently known as Human Development and Community Engagement, the School of Education program (part of the College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Information Technology will, beginning in fall 2027, officially be known as Human and Community Development (HCD)—a subtle but notable adjustment.

“We are recognizing the fact that our graduates are doing more than simply engaging with the community, as the previous name implies,” explains program coordinator and associate professor of education Kelli Jette. “While we are an engagement-based program, our students are deeply impacting the community and the development of our communities in a positive way that proliferates constructive and beneficial social changes for our citizens, neighborhoods, the city and beyond.”

Founded on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, which posits that human development occurs via the influence of five interconnected environmental systems, the HCD program exists to help students drive social change and improvement for communities, families and individuals through involvement with community programs and non-profit organizations in urban settings.

“Human and Community Development prepares graduates with the knowledge of human development and practical experience in community-based organizations that will make them strong candidates for jobs in youth organizations, informal educational environments, community service centers, or for graduate or professional school,” says School of Education director Anna DeJarnette. “This is a highly individualized program that addresses the varying interests of each student."

The decision to change the program’s name came after school leaders solicited feedback from graduates and other leaders serving the region. The renaming accompanies additional enhancements such as redesigned courses and course outcomes to better suit the needs of agencies and institutions seeking future employees in specialized areas of service. Which is not to say everything is changing within the groundbreaking program, says Jette, and the mission to impact communities in positive ways remains at the program’s core. “Additions and restructuring have taken place to guarantee that our graduates are equipped with progressive and cutting-edge knowledge to be the most competitive they can be when entering the workforce.”

Starting in fall 2027, HCD students will gain opportunities for more field experience and workforce opportunity throughout the program. These changes were prompted by student feedback stating a widespread preference for hands-on experiences within the community.

“‘Human development and community engagement’ sometimes implies one pursuit or the other,” says DeJarnette. “In fact, people and communities are mutually informing—our graduates use knowledge of human development to inform communities, and knowledge of communities to support people. The strength of this program is that it is not a choice of one thing or the other, but rather an integrated approach to learning that equips graduates to impact people and communities.”

All changes are set to be implemented in 2027 for an HCD experience that builds on the program’s successes, already proven out by the positive impact program alums are having on communities close to home and far away. “The purpose of HCD is to prepare future leaders in the sector of non-profits and agencies/institutions that assist and bolster the community, from the micro level to the macro level,” says Jette. “Students have proven effective in their careers and roles at a neighborhood level, continuing to state and national/international levels.”

Featured image at top: Smiling students in a classroom setting. Photo: CECH Marketing