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The Fierce Urgency of Now: Building Solidarity and Trust amid Emerging Realities 

The urgency of our current times reminds us of a powerful, guiding voice for justice, truth, and peace: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His warning reverberates in repeating cycles as history converges with the present moment. Dr King said, "There is such a thing as being too late… there is no time for apathy or complacency” and called for “vigorous positive action” to meet the “fierce urgency of now.

Many in our community feel the urgency of the current moment where shifts in social, political, global, and local climates are rapidly occurring. Whether it be technological advances like the emergence of GenAI or the pace of changes in the educational and research landscapes, the urgency of now is here. Through solidarity and trust, those of us working in SLCE can deepen our connections, rise to the current moment, and meet the challenges that lie ahead. 

As a global Association, events around the world impact us all. Now more than ever is the time to continue to center our work in a global context. Scholars and practitioners from across the globe are invited to share perspectives and evidence of responsive and adaptive practices that center solidarity, trust-building, and collective action that meet emerging and shifting realities. Scholars are encouraged to share, if applicable, how they are leveraging IARSLCE’s Global Research Agenda on Service-Learning and Community Engagement within their research, and/or to frame their global perspectives to address the conference theme. 

Virtual Participation Option

In response to the emerging realities and limited resources across the SLCE field, we are pleased to offer the opportunity to present in a virtual format for those unable to attend in person. Submit your proposal and indicate on the application that you are interested in pre-recording your session as a virtual presentation.

If your proposal is accepted, your pre-recorded presentation will be made available exclusively to registrants following the 2026 conference. This is your opportunity to share your scholarship with an international audience and connect with the global community from anywhere. 

Please note that we will not have an option to livestream and present remotely at the in-person conference. The virtual presentation will be a pre-recorded video for participants to view independently. As such, the asynchronous digital format is most suited to Research Paper or Lighting Talk presentations.


Sub-Theme Categories

Faculty Scholarship

  • Examining the contributions of faculty research in SLCE or collaborative research projects completed jointly between community partners and academic scholars. 

  • Showcasing studies that highlight the role of SLCE in promoting educational equity and social justice.

  • Reflecting on methodological innovations and interdisciplinary approaches in SLCE research.

  • Exploring the intersections between community and civic engagement.

Practitioner-Scholar 

  • Showcasing exemplary SLCE programs and initiatives from diverse institutional contexts.

  • Reflecting on program design, implementation, and assessment strategies.

  • Sharing lessons learned and best practices for sustaining impactful SLCE programs.

  • Emerging scholarly endeavors alongside program implementation.

Student Development

  • Investigating the impact of SLCE on student learning, development, and career readiness.

  • Highlighting student-led research and initiatives within SLCE.

  • Exploring strategies to enhance student engagement and leadership in SLCE activities, such as Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR).

Community Knowledge and Expertise

  • Centering community partners' perspectives and experiences in SLCE collaborations.

  • Sharing stories of community impact and transformative partnerships.

  • Discussing challenges and opportunities in fostering equitable and reciprocal relationships with community partners.

Primary and Secondary Education

  • Exploring SLCE initiatives within primary and secondary education settings.

  • Showcasing innovative programs that integrate SLCE into the primary and secondary education curriculum.

  • Addressing the role of SLCE in fostering civic engagement and social responsibility among primary and secondary education students.

  • Highlighting best practices in SLCE in primary and secondary educational settings.

Pedagogical Innovations

  • Highlighting innovative teaching practices and curricular designs in SLCE.

  • Examining the use of technology and digital tools in enhancing SLCE pedagogy.

  • Discussing approaches to inclusive and culturally responsive teaching in SLCE.

  • Examining the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and SLCE.

Presentation Categories 

The 2026 IARSLCE conference will include two primary session formats: Emerging Ideas and Deeper Dives. Emerging Ideas sessions offer opportunities for presenting projects that have yielded (at least preliminary) data/findings or evaluation results. The common thread among the Deeper Dive sessions will be sharing robust, completed research that has the potential to expand the field of service-learning and community engagement research.

IARSLCE Conference Submission Process 

Conference proposals must be submitted via the IARSLCE Conference Proposal Submission Site on Fourwaves. The abstract submission process requires the following components:

  • Selection of the appropriate proposal category; see below for detailed information about the requirements for each format

  • Author and presenter information, including contact info, professional affiliation, and a brief biographical sketch for each author

  • Proposal abstract: a short, 250-word description that will be used to describe your presentation in the conference program.

  • Proposal narrative: a 1000-word description of your proposal that will be used in the peer review process.


Proposal Review Process

The IARSLCE Scholarship & Publications Committee provides specific review criteria for each presentation type, based on the Call for Proposals (see below). All proposals will be evaluated according to the extent to which they:

  • are written in a clear, coherent, and compelling manner 

  • demonstrate a clear connection to the conference theme and an appropriate thematic track

  • present a strong research focus grounded in relevant scholarship 

  • address the methodological and ethical dimensions and implications of the research

  • engage with issues of significance to the SLCE field

  • show potential to engage, inform, and appeal to the conference audiences 

Each criterion will be evaluated using the following scale:

  1. The proposal does not adequately address or meet the criterion

  2. The proposal addresses or meets the criterion in some respects but would benefit from further development 

  3. The proposal clearly and comprehensively addresses or meets the criterion

  4. The criterion is not applicable or relevant to this proposal

Notes About Conference Sessions:

  • To ensure broad participation and the inclusion of diverse  voices, individuals may serve as the primary author on up to two (2) presentations, only one (1) of which may list them as  the lead presenter. There is no limit on the number of co-authored papers or projects for which an individual is a non-presenting author.

  • All conference sessions are 60 minutes in length.

  • Each 60 minute Lightning Talk session will include three presenters, with each having 20 minutes (15 minutes for the presentation and 5 minutes for Q&A).

  • Each Research Paper Presentation session will include  two (2) papers. Presenters are encouraged to use 25 minutes each, leaving a shared 10 minute Q&A at the end.

  • There will be one Poster Session. Posters should measure  48” x 36” and be displayed in a horizontal (landscape) orientation.


Important Dates 

  • Request for Proposals released: February 4, 2026

  • RFP opens: February 11, 2026

  • Deadline to submit: March 23, 2026

  • Proposal notifications: mid-April