The Center for Community Research and Education at Lewis University

The Center for Community Research and Education (CCRE) was founded by the College of Education & Social Sciences at Lewis University in August 2021. The Center’s mission is to serve the faculty and students of Lewis University and our local community through research projects, especially those focusing on evaluation needs of programs, policies, and practices for community-based organizations. The Center supports faculty activity in conducting original social science research that supports the needs of the community and partners with a community organization. Upon completion of projects, CCRE supports faculty in sharing their findings with partners and the broader community to create meaningful and lasting progress.

During our first years, the Center has partnered with several community organizations, such as United Way of Will County, the Spanish Community Center, Family Bridges, After the Peanut, Valley View Public Schools, and District 86 Public Schools.

In addition, to our research and community-oriented programming, the Center also focuses on providing professional development opportunities for local professionals.