Community Engaged Scholarship

The American Cultures Engaged Scholarship (ACES) Program offers students and faculty the opportunity to work with community organizations to develop cutting edge research projects associated with some of the nation's most pressing social issues.

The following are a collection of our growing ACES course offerings and previous student projects from these community-learning classes.

Since, January 2011, the American Cultures Engaged Scholars (ACES) Program has collaborated with over 50 community partners to offer students opportunities to learn about histories of oppression, racism and social justice in the U.S., by engaging with community organizations and experts on these very issues as part of their AC class and the university's public mission.

The ACES program appreciates the varied experience made possible by the participation of Community Partners, as differences among our Community Partners is what makes possible such diverse opportunities...

"ACES is critical in bridging classroom and community."

"This is the most supportive teaching environment I've ever been in"

"This past year [ACES] courses...worked with community organizations building student and faculty research into the developing fights for Environmental Justice, Prison Abolition, Indigenous movements, the fight for K-12 Education, and the Arts and Social Justice."

Throughout its decades as the campus's signature curriculum, the American Cultures Requirement has been featured in numerous publications including the the East Bay Express, the Daily Californian, the Berkeley News Center, and the California Report.

Five Years of American Cultures, October 1996

Sociologist Troy Duster Appointed to Lead An...