At Marymount College, we learn and grow by studying ourselves and the communities we serve, and by responding to our findings. This form of practice-based research is known as “Action Research” and has been central to the development of the College’s mission, program development and organizational culture. Action research at Marymount is supported through Centers and Institutes that promote inquiry, dialogue, education, and scholarship around their themes and vision. Each Institute brings an interdisciplinary and global dimension to its theme:

	The Center for Community Studies, whose focus is on community renewal in both urban and rural settings, with longitudinal study in San Pedro and Lake County, California. The institutional commitment to longitudinal studies in the communities we serve directly supports interdisciplinary applied research in our undergraduate and graduate programs. Current proposals include GIS mapping of San Pedro business redevelopment and Marymount initiatives and a similar baseline assessment project in Lake County.
	The Medeem Institute, whose focus is the study of community- and ownership-based development models in international settings, starting with a land title program in West Africa. Initiatives since the establishment of the Institute in 2011 have centered on awareness, education, and promoting partnerships. Events have included panel presentations on social entrepreneurship and exploratory visits to three universities in Accra, Ghana.
	The Teaching and Learning Institute, whose focus is the scholarship of teaching and learning. Assessment, curricular, and professional development initiatives energize instruction and directly impact our programs. Projects activated in 2011 include redesign of the developmental education curriculum, assessment of academic literacy, and participation in a national Degree Qualifications Profile (DQP) pilot program supported by the Lumina Foundation, CIC, and WASC.
	The Peace Center, whose focus is on educational programming, scholarship, and service to promote intercultural competencies and understanding. Originally established by students in 2009, it has hosted programs on a range of cross-cultural and topical themes. It is currently exploring assessment, professional development, and action research strands around internationalization of the curriculum and student experience to more intentionally promote global understanding and the development of intercultural competencies.
	The Intentional Conversation, whose focus is a series of annual conversations in Los Angeles. Established in 1998 and stewarded by Marymount College since 2008, this Institute has sponsored conversations at the Los Angeles Cathedral and at the Huntington on a range of topics of societal interest. The series is open to Marymount faculty and graduates.
	The Center for Service Learning promotes excellence in teaching and learning through service. Each year Marymount students, faculty and staff perform hours of service in the greater Los Angeles community in order to help others while applying what they learn to the classroom curriculum. This powerful form of education benefits all involved. Learn more at the Office of Service Learning