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A dozen people paired up and chatting under a large shade tree. Text over photo says CEF State of the Art. Button to email event coordinator asks: Interested in joining Spring 2024? A small letter icon follows the question.

CEF: State-of-the-Art
November 18-21, 2025
Anacortes, Washington

 

"The Art of Social Learning Leadership"

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Since 2015, Western Washington University’s Community Engagement Fellows program has brought people together across organizations to expand the learning capacities of our communities. It has created joyful and practical learning for a wide variety of people, and new ways of living and working together.

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This special 10th-anniversary version of the State-of-the-Art workshop is for people who have helped enliven CE Fellows during its first decade -- those who have been co-conveners and Fellows.

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Together we'll:

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Our primary workshop site will be WWU's Shannon Point Marine Center in Anacortes, Washington. The workshop cost will be $400, which includes snacks and lunches each day, and transport for place-based field excursion(s) to the nearby San Juan Islands. A limited number of dorm-style rooms are available for workshop participants as well (see below). 

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Dr. Travis Tennessen, originator and lead convener of Community Engagement Fellows, will serve as the primary workshop facilitator.

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  • The Bellair Airporter Shuttle provides service multiple times daily between Bellingham and Seattle Tacoma airport, plus many other destinations including eastern Washington.

  • FlixBus offers intercity bus connections to Vancouver BC, Everett, Seattle, SeaTac airport, Tacoma, Olympia, Portland, Eugene and more.

  • Public transit, Greyhound and Amtrak can be used with a transfer to Link Light Rail in Seattle. The Link light rail travels to Sea-Tac airport.

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Travel
 

Lodging

We are excited to host the retreat in Anacortes, WA! For local accommodations, we recommend exploring hotel options on TripAdvisor.

A limited number of dorm-style housing options are available at the event site. If you're interested, please email laurel.hammond@wwu.edu for more details.

 

Information, Health, and Safety

Check Anacortes Tourism website page for up-to-date information and links to other handy resources. 

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International Requirements

Traveling into Canada or the U.S.? Find the latest information and border crossing requirements for both Canadian and American travelers.

                     Previous Retreats

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​May 10-12, 2023: State of the Art System Convener (Lakewood Center Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)

 

October 22, 2022: Learning Together in the Cascade Foothills (Deming, WA)

Co-hosted with Whatcom County Libraries

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July 19-22, 2022: Cultivating Communities of Practice (Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)

Facilitated by Beverly & Etienne Wenger-Trayer

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July 26-29, 2022: System Convening Across Boundaries (Tacoma, WA)

Facilitated by Beverly & Etienne Wenger-Trayer

 

February 19-21, 2020: State of the Art

(Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)

Co-hosted with Eastern Washington University, University of Puget Sound, and Whiteswan Environmental

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September 20, 2019: Learning Through Place from the Start (Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)

Co-hosted with Geneva Elementary School

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August 22, 2019: Learning Together in the Puget Sound (Tacoma, WA)

Co-hosted with the University of Puget Sound

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June 13-14, 2019: Community Engagement Fellows Coalition Gathering (Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)

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May 4-5, 2019: Learning Together in the Salish Sea,

(Galiano Island, BC)

Convening Team: Community Engagement Fellows, Galiano Conservancy, Whiteswan Environmental, WWU Center for Canadian-American Studies, and WWU Salish Sea Institute

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April 12, 2019: Learning Together in the South Sound (Chambers Bay, WA)

Co-hosted with Northwest Indian College and the University of Puget Sound

 

March 9-10, 2019: Learning Together in the Salish Sea (Friday Harbor, WA)

Co-hosted with Children of the Setting Suns Productions, Friends of the San Juans, Whiteswan Environmental, and WWU Salish Sea Institute

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August 1-3, 2018: Community Engagement Fellows Retreat (Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)

Co-hosted with Whatcom Community College and Whiteswan Environmental

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June 14, 2018: Salish Sea Engagement Retreat (Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)

"CE Fellows completely
re-oriented the way I think about community partnership and introduced me to incredible friends and allies."

 

Our programming takes place on the ancestral homelands of the Coast Salish Peoples, who have lived in the Salish Sea basin, throughout the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades watershed, from time immemorial. We express our deepest respect and gratitude for our indigenous neighbors, particularly the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe, for their enduring care and protection of our shared lands and waterways.

(For more information: WWU Tribal Relations)

WWU Center for Community Learning

Professional photo credit Jessie Bloss Photography

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©2022 Community Engagement Fellows

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