Community-Engaged Scholars’ Boundary- Spanning Roles and Intersected Identities: Korean Dual Language Bilingual Education Program in a Public Elementary School

Abstract

Neoliberal ideology and an overemphasis on generating quick results dehumanizes higher education community engagement by overlooking the multiple roles and identities of boundary spanners, individuals engaged in community-based scholarship. If university–community partnerships are to prosper and be sustained, their human aspect deserves more attention. We contribute to the literature by framing this research project as the collective stories of our research team, nine community-engaged scholars who have established a partnership with a public elementary school’s Korean–English Dual Language Bilingual Education program in the U.S. Southeast for the last 3 years. By drawing on pertinent literature about boundary spanners in higher education community engagement, we construct our narratives around how our fluid identities as females, immigrants, multilinguals, mothers, and professors have intersected with our boundary-spanning roles. Our nuanced stories provide insights and lessons to other boundary spanners in different partnership contexts.