Submission Guidelines
Submissions will be accepted from August 1-December 31 and published annually in June/July.
- All submissions must be original and not previously published.
- Submissions are encouraged from students, faculty, staff, and community partners. Both individual and co-created submissions are accepted.
- A wide range of scholarly and creative submissions is welcome, including empirical research, theoretical essays, case studies, critical reflections, book reviews, community partner profiles, and community-engaged projects.
- Creative submissions—such as artwork, photography, creative writing, podcasts, films, and other media—that engage with the theme in innovative ways are also encouraged.
- All submissions should align with the interdisciplinary nature of service-learning and community engagement and offer practical insights or frameworks that can inform both practice and scholarship.
CATALYST JOURNAL
Dates for Consideration
Issue I Submission Deadline: December 31, 2025
Notification of Acceptance for Issue I: February 28, 2026
Issue I Expected Publication Date: June/July 2026
Submission Categories
The Editorial Board, comprised of practitioner-scholars from across the NCCE consortium, invites manuscript submissions from the following categories:
Research Articles
Empirical studies of community-engaged learning in higher education. Methodologies may include qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods, and may examine theoretical, conceptual, and/or practical approaches to community engagement.
Creative Works
We encourage submissions of creative nonfiction, poetry, visual art, photography, short documentary film, and podcasts relevant to the SLCE field.
Case Studies
A critical analysis of a community-engaged project(s) and/or program(s) in the nonprofit sector and/or SLCE field.
Critical Reflections
An analytical essay that explores a community-engaged experience, provides evidence to contextualize the learning process, critically examines underlying assumptions, and ultimately assesses its impact on both the writer and the broader community.
Book Reviews
Reviews of recent publications in the SLCE field.
Community Partner Profiles
A comprehensive narrative overview designed as an essential exploratory resource for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners aiming to understand and address the unique needs and challenges of a specific area. This profile offers a data-driven snapshot of the community partner organization, highlighting key demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors, as well as the social issues being addressed and the resources available in response to the needs of the community they serve.
Community Engaged Projects
A collaborative product that actively involves community members in identifying, addressing, and solving local challenges. The project fosters mutual learning and knowledge exchange between academic institutions and community organizations, with an emphasis on real-world impact by integrating service-learning, research, and action to promote community empowerment, social justice, and sustainable change.