Kate Collins

Background

About Kate Collins

For over 20 years, I’ve built bridges between higher education, the arts, and the broader community. My work has always centered on the belief that learning is most powerful when it is connected to place, people, and purpose. — WHAT I DO — As Community Engaged Learning Specialist at Whitman College, I collaborate with faculty across academic disciplines to integrate community-based experiences into teaching and research. My own longstanding experience as faculty in the arts is an asset in this liberal arts setting—bringing a creative, inquiry-based lens to faculty development, curricular design, and community collaboration. I foster partnerships that connect classrooms with local and regional organizations, creating opportunities for reciprocal learning and meaningful impact. Faculty Development >> Support faculty in designing and sustaining engaged learning courses and projects | Build capacity for community partnership and reflective practice across disciplines Community Partnerships >> Steward established relationships and help cultivate new ones that reflect Whitman’s deep commitment to connection, belonging, inclusion, and mutual learning | Center equity and access in collaborative initiatives Program Support >> Advance college-wide efforts that promote civic engagement and experiential learning | Contribute to institutional strategies for student and community flourishing — MY APPROACH — I bring to this work a long-standing dedication to arts education, creative collaboration, and the transformative power of partnership. My practice combines strategic thinking with care, inclusion, and curiosity—values that continue to guide my work connecting people, ideas, and communities.