Republished from the November 2025 issue of "The Burton Brief," an online newsletter for the College of Education + Human Development, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Working with community partners has provided an immeasurable number of opportunities that have impacted my teaching and learning here at the University of Minnesota. While that service is often working with students, teachers, and administrators situated in local elementary schools, I am also fortunate to collaborate with community partners whose work involves people from all over the world.

Since 2020, I have been a board member of a local organization called Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry (LPGM). Its core mission strives to “provide access to quality education for people at the margins—especially women and girls.” In my role as chair of LPGM’s program committee, I help advise the organization and its global partners with their goals related to educational programs. 

I recently returned from a trip to Tanzania where I worked with two of LPGM’s global partners, Mwangaza Education for Partnership and Eripoto for Girls and Women. Both organizations are engaged in incredible work that is making life-changing impacts on those they are able to serve. Eripoto’s tireless efforts provide young girls educational access and opportunities to follow their passions, free from harm and injustice. The staff of Mwangaza create and provide amazing high-quality, school-based training that focuses on the well-being of students and staff.

Their Safe Schools Program helps create safe and peaceful learning environments with each school partner. A large part of this work centers around the implementation of Peace Clubs. In these after-school clubs, Mwangaza staff, alongside teachers from each school, “help students learn to apply the principles of non-violence to key areas of their lives including standing up for their rights and the rights of others and advocating for environmental protection in their communities.” 

Inspired by Mwangaza, I am now in the process of working with local school districts to create after-school pilot programs that draw from this work and attempt to create similar learning opportunities for students to advocate for the needs of their peers, focusing on conflict resolution and highlighting the importance of kindness and empathy.

A core value that motivates my work every day is service. Service to others, to my community, and to this great big wild world we all share. I am proud to work in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction because we are a department full of amazing educators whose endeavors are continuously interconnected with our communities, both near and far. In these times of upheaval and change, I am inspired by my colleagues here in CEHD and all over the world who continue to live out their values of service, justice, and community.

Jeff Henning-Smith is an LPGM Board Member, Chair of LPGM's Program Committee, and a Senior Lecturer in the University of Minnesota's Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

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