Community Partner Placements
The success of the Community Engagement Fellows Program is represented by the opportunities and learning that come from serving with a local non-profit organization in a long-term capacity. Organizations that host Community Engagement Fellows must be non-profit or governmental. They must have a supervisor willing and able to mentor the students place with the organization and be willing to work within the developmental model for leadership.
All positions are located within walking distance of campus this Fall 2025 semester, except for the internship with Cumberland County Prison (CCP).
Ready to Apply? Applications are due .
Organizations interested in participating in this program can contact Sam Ha-DiMuzio at the Center for Civic Learning & Action (CCLA) at 717-245-1005 or hadimuzs@dickinson.edu.
Positions Open for Spring 2025:
to view the list of positions in a different format.
Community CARES - The Homelessness Program Intern & The Marketing and Development Fellow
Organization Website:
Organization Address: 201 W. Louther St., Carlisle, PA
Community CARES works to support the needs of the unhoused in our community by providing emergency shelter to those in need. CARES supports the community through a variety of programs such as our Men and Women shelter, Family Shelter, Street Outreach, Homeless Prevention Program, and our Cold Weather Shelter. Through our homeless prevention program, we have been able to change lives, by preventing evictions and utility termination notices in many homes within the community.
Community CARES is currently offering 2 CEF opportunities: The Homelessness Program Intern and the Marketing and Development Fellow.
The Homelessness Program Intern will have a well-rounded experience at our nonprofit homeless shelter that includes client facing opportunities. This fellow would focus on all aspects of nonprofit operations from front desk work, marketing and development, volunteer management, grant reporting, outreach services and direct program support provided to those who are homeless. The responsibilities for this intern would vary from week to week and have experience with client interactions as well as specific projects within the organization. Specific skills that would be beneficial in this role would be a student with an inclination toward human service, and skills with social media, someone willing to work with clients in conjunction with the programming staff.
The Marketing and Development Fellow will work on individual projects to promote our organization’s presence in the greater community through assisting with development of social media, graphic designs, and volunteer cultivation. This role will also assist with organizing major and minor fundraisers to fiscally support the organization. Through helping to plan, promote, and execute various fundraising events throughout the year, this role will learn about this significant aspect of non-profit operations. Specific skills that would be beneficial in this role would be a student with an inclination toward marketing, graphic design, and skills with social media.
Hours are during business hours, Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm.
Cumberland County Prison (CCP) - Therapeutic Community Programming and Activities Intern
Organization Website:
Organization Address: 1101 Claremont Rd., Carlisle, PA 17015
The Cumberland County Prison mission is to detain prisoners as directed by the courts, provide a physical environment that assures maximum possible safety for the public, prison staff and inmates and provide treatment services and programs that offer inmates the opportunity for positive personal change
The Therapeutic Community Programming and Activities Intern will experience how treatment and support are delivered to inmates in a correctional setting that is committed to the care, custody and control of inmates with a heavy emphasis on care. This intern would not only have the opportunity to go through parts of the CCP’s training academy, advancing their skills and readiness to work in criminal justice systems, but also the opportunity to apply those skills alongside the CCP’s team of mental health counselors. Interns will be trained to develop their own therapeutic activities, including art therapy, journaling, and book clubs. The CEF will also participate with their mental health counselor supervisor in the delivery of the 52-week curriculum for inmates that includes goal setting, decision making, communication, anger management, relationships, self-esteem, grief and loss and parenting. The intern will also support data collection for the Stepping Up Initiative, a national movement launched in May 2015 aimed at reducing the number of people with mental illnesses in jails.
Essential Skills/Qualifications:
- Confidence to be in a correctional setting
- An interest in social work, criminal justice, sociology or psychology
- Able to adapt to a fast-paced environment
Hours are flexible, Monday - Friday 8:00am-5:00pm.
Note: This placement is not within walking distance, so any CEF selected for this position would need to be willing to take the C-bus in front of the Courthouse, which would drop you immediately outside of the prison (fees covered by CCLA), or be willing/eligible to get van certified (3 years with a license).
Central PA Family Support Services - Criminal Justice and Reentry Program Assistant
Organization Website:
Organization Address: 320 S. Hanover St., Carlisle, PA 17013
Central PA Family Support Services seeks to positively impact the quality of life and the well-being of children, families, and individuals and instill hope and empowerment to make positive life changes using diverse programs. Our reentry support program is designed to help previously incarcerated individuals successfully transition into community living by empowering them with the skills and resources needed to independently address the difficulties and challenges they will face in day-to-day life.
The Criminal Justice and Reentry Program Assistant will interact with both the Cumberland County Reentry Coalition (CCRC) and its subcommittees and the Pardon Project of Cumberland County. The intern will help plan community outreach initiatives, assist with data collection projects, and participate in monthly meetings. This intern will also assist qualified individuals prepare their applications and navigate the pardon process and participate in Pardon Clinics held every October and April.
Essential skills and qualifications:
- Flexible
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Able to handle sensitive information with discretion
- Compassionate
- Organized and able to work independently
- Comfortable working a diverse group of people
Hours are flexible.
New Life Community Church/LifeWorks - Neighborhood Needs Coordinator
Organization Website:
Organization Address: 64 E. North St., Carlisle, PA 17013
New Life Community Church is focused on living out the love, acceptance, healing, and hope of Jesus seven days a week. We work to discover the gaps in our community an intentionally build partnerships to meet the needs of those who are marginalized and unseen.
This coordinator will work to connect relationally with neighbors in order to identify their needs and to then work with Pastor Ryan and other community partners to meet needs or build bridges that may not yet exist. Attending partner meetings, regular connections with NLC LifeWorks Intake coordinators, and other community needs meetings may be a part of this Fellow's schedule. A fellow that is open to working in a faith based organization is essential. Research and development will be a significant part of this internship.
Hours are flexible, with priority being Breakfast Table on Sunday mornings.
Cumberland County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) - CASA Child Advocate Fellow
Organization Website:
Organization Address: 1 Courthouse Sq., Suite 301, Carlisle, PA 17013
The Cumberland County CASA program recruits, trains, and supports volunteers to advocate for children in the foster care system through Cumberland County. The purpose of the CASA is to be a voice for the child in the system, to advocate for the best interest of the child, and to serve as the "eyes and ears" of the Court for the Judge to have enough information to make an informed decision about the best interest of the child.
This intern will develop the administrative capacity of the office by reviewing and preparing court paperwork to send to volunteer advocates regarding their assigned cases. Interns also get to observe dependency court hearings, discuss cases with staff, participate in some team meetings and trainings with our new volunteers.
Hours are flexible, Monday - Friday from 8:00-4:00pm.
United Way of Carlisle and Cumberland County - Success by 6 Early Childhood Coordinator
Organization Website:
Organization Address: 145 S. Hanover St., Carlisle, PA 17013
Success By 6, the early childhood initiative of United Way of Carlisle & Cumberland County, works to ensure that every child is prepared and ready to succeed by the time they enter kindergarten. Success By 6 brings together early childhood educators, public school administrators and teachers, businesses, health centers, advocates and parents to work toward this common goal.
This intern will support the Success by 6 program and other literacy initiatives through the planning of instructional materials and lesson plans for the Play and Learn program; designing and creating brochures and invitations; and setting up social media posts on Facebook and Instagram. The work will be relevant, timely and relate to all of our current initiatives. The CEF will also have an opportunity to help other staff in the areas of community impact and community resources.
Essential skills and qualifications:
- Competent in the use of technology, including Canva and social media
- Demonstrates an interest in education as well as helping the less fortunate in our community
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Able to proofread and edit documents
- Ability to work independently, remain on task, and work efficiently based on the deadline and degree of difficulty the project allows
- Strong interpersonal skills and enjoy working with the public.
Hours are flexible, Monday-Friday, 9am-4:30pm
Current & Past Placements
Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM) is °µÍø½ûÇø's community science center. Since 1986, ALLARM has collaborated with PA and NY volunteers and partners on stream monitoring efforts to support local, state, and regional clean water initiatives. ALLARM employs 10-12 °µÍø½ûÇø students as part time watershed coordinators. In addition to helping to conduct community workshops to teach people how to do stream monitoring, watershed coordinators work in several areas: research, lab, stormwater education, data analysis, and communications and outreach.
Learn more about ALLARM at /allarm.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region has operated under hte belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life for more than 30 years. As the largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the capital Region makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and children ("Littles"), ages 6 though 18, in communities across Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, and Perry Counties.
Learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region at .
The Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce has been serving the Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Area for more than 100 years. Our mission is to serve as a community catalyst that encourages and supports economic growth and stability. We help connect people to what they need to start a business here, grow a business here -- or even move a business to Carlisle. The Chamber plans, hosts, and partners in diverse networking and professional-development events. They also foster dialogue and communication with members and community partners, about how they can better support them. And, the Chamber offers exclusive advertising opportunities to members, that showcase their business.
Learn more about the Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce at .
Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC) serves and enriches the community by encouraging creativity and self-esteem through exploration and appreciation of the visual arts. It does this via classes and workshops, exhibits and participation in community events. Since its founding in January 1992, CALC has offered a variety of courses for children and adults in a number of settings, including the Carlisle YWCA, Carlisle Community Center, Hope Station, One West Penn, and Cumberland Crossings.
Learn more about CALC at .
Carlisle Victory Circle (CVC) programs are designed to teach minority and under-represented middle and high school students in the Carlisle Area School District to dream dreams, to set goals, to work to achieve those goals, to see themselves as necessary contributors to their community, and to see themselves as people who are worthy.
Learn more about Carlisle Victory Circle at .
Central Pennsylvania Conservancy (CPC) is a nonprofit, charitable organization with a mission to acquire, preserve, and protect local land and natural resources in South-Central Pennsylvania. Central Pennsylvania Conservancy is an accredited land trust. Active for over 35 years, the organization serves as the local land trust for a 5-county region (Cumberland, Franklin, Perry, Dauphin, Juniata Counties), plus Northern York County. Their vision is to create a local network of permanently protected and preserved lands by fostering a community committed to conservation and acquiring key lands and easements.
Learn more about CPC at .
Central PA Family Support Services instills hope and empowers families and individuals to make positive life changes using diverse programs. Central PA Family Support Services is also the HUB for the Pardon Project of Cumberland County which was created to secure pardons to members of our community who were once convicted of a non-violent crime, completed their sentence, and turned their lives around.
Learn more about CEntral PA Family Support Services at
Community CARES began as a ministry of Grace United Methodist Church in 2004 to provide overnight emergency shelter from November through March to those with nowhere else to go. Shelter was provided in host churches in the Carlisle area and staffed entirely by volunteers. In the first year of service, CARES provided shelter to 45 homeless guests. Since then, the organization has sheltered more than 1,000 homeless in Cumberland and Perry counties.
Learn more about Community CARES at .
Cumberland County Court Appointed Special Advocates Program (CASA) recruits, trains, and supports volunteer advocates for children involved in the child welfare (Children & Youth) court system of Cumberland County. The subject children are typically removed from their parents’ custody due to abuse and neglect concerns and are living in foster homes, group homes, shelters, treatment facilities, etc. Their volunteers focus on advocating for the best interest of the children to the Dependency Court system.
Learn more about CASA at .
Employment Skills Center helps individuals become more employable, productive and self-sufficient community members through education and training. The organization hosts English as Second Language courses, computer classes and help with resumes, interviews and other job necessities. They also help organizations become more efficient, safe and productive with Customized Workforce Training designed to deliver foundational skills to incumbent workers.
Learn more about the Employment Skills Center at .
Hope Station seeks to lift up the neighborhood surrounding Memorial Park by tackling the most difficult problems through education, technology, job development and, most importantly, teaching children to become leaders by learning to respect themselves and others. It provides programs such as Kids Cafe, where kids can get healthy snacks after school; Youth Growth Activity (YOGA), where students in 6th - 12th grade do fun and enriching activities after school; HIRE Plus, where adults learn basic job skills to improve their chances of finding work; and many more.
Leadership Cumberland is a nonprofit that works to develop effective leaders for the workplace and community. We do so through our adult and youth community leadership programs. We also host nonprofit trainings, educational webinars, community events, and run an alumni association for past graduates of our programs.
Learn more about Leadership Cumberland at .
New Life Community (NLC) continues to desire to be a primary place of connection and care for our community. During the week hundreds of people come in and out of their building to connect with services, volunteer, or attend NLC ministry centered activities. It is not possible to expand and continue to grow without the partnerships that they have with organizations like °µÍø½ûÇø.
Learn more about New Life Community at .
Professional & Educational Empowerment Center (PEEC) is a computer lab which offers daily drop-in hours for community members to use computers, wifi, phone and printer/fax machines. PEEC’s mission is to expand technological access by creating an inclusive space that connects community members to job readiness training, educational programming, and technical skill-building workshops, and is another resource for connecting social services, including housing and food support, for the Northside community, a low-income neighborhood that is the most racially and ethnically diverse in Carlisle.
Project SHARE’s mission is to reduce food insecurity for neighbors in the greater Carlisle area by offering access to nutritious food, programs, and a support network that promotes self-sufficiency, fosters dignity, and instills hope. Project SHARE of Carlisle is able to provide services to a family residing in the Carlisle area if they fall in the guidelines the Department of Agriculture has set with an income falling below 150% of the federal poverty level. In addition, they run a Farmstand that provides fresh produce to anyone in need in the greater Carlisle area.
Learn more about Project SHARE at .
¸é·¡´¡°ä±á! is an after-school program for students in grades 3-12 that strives to help students achieve greater academic success through performing arts. The program employs mentoring, tutoring, homework help and role modeling to achieve this goal. They believe that the discipline learned in performing arts can be applied to education, athletics, a healthy lifestyle and gaining relevant and useful life skills. The program serves over 100 students each year and provides educational assemblies at schools and other live performances throughout the community.
Learn more about REACH! at .
Safe Harbour provides a continuum of housing services for the homeless of Cumberland County. Their services include an emergency shelter for families and single females who are in need of a secure place to live while getting their lives under control, a bridge housing program for individuals and families in need of longer-term assistance to acquire the skills necessary for independent living and productive lifestyle and single-room-occupancy permanent housing facilities for single individuals that are not yet ready for independent living.
Learn more about Safe Harbour at .
The Cumberland County Historical Society is dedicated to collecting, preserving, interpreting, and promoting the rich history of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
Learn more about the Cumberland County Historical Society at .
The Carlisle Theatre was established in 1939 and renovated in 1993, the theatre remains Carlisle's downtown source of entertainment. The Carlisle Regional Performing Arts Center presents musical concerts, performances, films, live theatrical productions, and programming for children and families.
Learn more about the Carlisle Theatre at .
The United Way of Carlisle and Cumberland County's mission is to unite people and resources to build a stronger, healthier Carlisle and Cumberland County. They fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in our community. The United Way supports 35 programs and 23 partner agencies. In 2020-2021 (July 1 to June 30), United Way allocated $1,708,129 in programs and services to the community.
Learn more about the United Way of Carlisle and Cumberland Count at .
YMCA Carlisle works to promote personal growth, enhance family values, and provide community service through programs available to all. Programs include health, children and youth development, camping, after-school care and community groups.
Learn more about the Carlisle Family YMCA at .
YWCA Carlisle & Cumberland County operates Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Services of Cumberland County to support victims of sexual assault and their families. Their Community Impact Department features various youth empowerment programs (like Empower & Equip Programs, After the Bell, Storytellers, Youth Leadership Conference, Martin’s Mission, and more) along with Women’s Empowerment Programs. Their preschool is dedicated to providing quality early childhood education to all families in the community. Racial justice is a critical focus and one of the two mission pillars of the organization, and drives their partnership with Carlisle Hope Station, a local community organization working to empower the Memorial Park neighborhood. YWCA is involved with community outreach, trainings, rallies, panel events and discussions to address racial and social justice issues playing out in our region.
Learn more about the YWCA Carlisle & Cumberland County at .