In the Liberal Arts Action Lab, Hartford community partners propose semester-long research projects to pursue in collaboration with student and faculty teams from Trinity College and Capital Community College. Each semester, students apply to join Action Lab project teams and enroll in two courses to learn research skills and digital tools while collaborating with their partner organizations. Our goals are to strengthen the city and its role in the region, spark social innovation, and support civic engagement and sustainability. See completed and current projects.

How to Apply:

• Community Partners: Previously, applications have taken place in October for the spring semester, and February for the fall semester. However, going forward we will be taking new applications just once a year in the summer/early fall, selecting projects for the entire upcoming calendar year. Sign up for our email list to be notified of the application deadline!
• Students: Applications typically take place in October-November for the spring semester and March-April for the fall semester. Trinity and Capital students will receive an email with details each semester. 
• Faculty: Applications for faculty fellows typically take place in November/December for the spring semester and May/June for the fall.

Our application matching process brings together teams that include a community partner (broadly defined as neighborhood groups, non-profit organizations, government agencies, social entrepreneurs, etc.), a Faculty Fellow (academic or staff experts from any Hartford Consortium for Higher Education campus), and 5-7 students from Capital Community College or Trinity College. Each semester, a total of 24 Action Lab students will learn research skills and digital tools in two afternoon courses. The Action Lab is based downtown at 1 Constitution Plaza, Hartford, CT. Please contact us to learn how to participate.

The Liberal Arts Action Lab is housed under the Center for Hartford Engagement and Research (CHER) at Trinity College. For questions on the Lab, please contact Director Laura Minor at Laura.Minor@Trincoll.edu.

 

 Header photo credits: Amber Montalvo (Trinity ’20), Jack Dougherty, Nick Caito