Toward a Replicable Operating Model for Community-Engaged Applied Mathematics Courses

Community-engaged learning courses in undergraduate mathematics are increasingly discussed, but remain uncommon in practice. A central barrier is operational: the logistical and pedagogical details required to run such a course are rarely documented with sufficient precision to support replication. This presentation draws on a semester-long implementation at a regional liberal arts university to present a transferable operating model for a community-partnered applied mathematics course. The model addresses partner acquisition and onboarding, structuring open-ended projects within a fixed semester timeline, aligning authentic external deliverables with academic assessment, and sustaining student engagement across the semester. The goal is a practical blueprint that applied mathematics faculty can adapt across institutional contexts.