Welcome to the Center for Community Learning

The Center for Community Learning convenes people within and beyond WWU to learn together.

We play a central role in the university's work to engage with place, provide meaningful real-world learning opportunities for our diverse students, and serve communities throughout the state of Washington and beyond.

Our work includes communities of practice, forums, work parties, community-based student employment, tours, retreats, and more. We help people build meaningful relationships, develop collaborations, and discover new ways to do their work that responds to the past, present, and future needs of our region and planet.

Enjoy this video, produced for our Learning Together Trainings Series, which gives you a sense of the culture and spirit of our work:

Our programming also allows people to learn and practice social learning methods to help their classes, programs, and organizations thrive. Contact us to explore how we can work together.

Learn about upcoming ways to get involved on our public-facing website: www.cefellows.org

CCL Staff

Travis crouched on the ground holding a phone to record

Travis Tennessen PH.D.

Director, Center for Community Learning

360-650-2446
Travis.Tennessen@wwu.edu

Travis's childhood adventures in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin (Sauk and Meskwaki territory) and Alaska's Kodiak Archipelago (Alutiiq/Sugpiak territory) inspired his curiosity about people and place, and his eagerness to help our species live more peacefully, collaboratively, and gently. He received his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is an honorary member of the Wenger-Trayner Social Learning Lab. Travis's family has lived in Bellingham's Happy Valley neighborhood since 2015.

Some things Travis would love to talk with you about include:

Laurel posing for a portrait in front of some trees

Laurel Hammond

Program Specialist, Center for Community Learning

360-650-7542
Laurel.Hammond@wwu.edu

Laurel grew up in Western Colorado (Ute territory) and moved to the Salish Sea area (Lummi and Nooksack territory) to attend Western Washington University for her undergraduate and graduate work. She earned her Master's in Adult and Higher Education while developing Whatcom Community College's service-learning program in 2009. With over 15 years of experience working to center communities in higher education, Laurel continues to support learning partnerships and place-based explorations.

Some things Laurel would love to talk with you about include:

Ellie posed with her dog

Ellie Duncan

Program Coordinator, Center for Community Learning

360-650-3071
Ellie.Duncan@wwu.edu

Ellie Duncan grew up in Western Montana (Séliš territory) and spent her childhood immersed in the creeks, hills, and woodlands of the Bitterroot valley. Her desire to connect deeply with place led her to work on vegetable farms across the region and to study sustainable food systems and wilderness studies at the University of Montana. She moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2016 and has been running City Sprouts Farm, a food access focused urban farm in Bellingham since 2018. Her work is motivated by helping others pursue the joy and meaning that comes from connecting to the land and to each other.

Some things Ellie would love to talk with you about include:

  • Farming and gardening as catalysts for community engagement and social justice.
  • Community gardening and volunteer opportunities at York Community Farm.
  • Production farming in urban spaces at City Sprouts Farm.
  • Student employment and internship opportunities in urban agriculture.