Michael J. Sharp , EdD

For close to seventeen years, Dr. Sharp has been leading Service-Learning at the University of Cincinnati, a program that connects stakeholders who support over ~4,000 student registrations per year (300+ classes taught by 200+ faculty), representing every undergraduate college at UC alongside some graduate and professional programs. Michael helped to create the Service-Learning Co-op program, providing students with paid opportunities to work virtually with not-for-profit organizations. Due to the success of the piloted program (2019-2025), including the securing of over $1.5 million in external dollars for it, Sharp was asked to take on leadership of the On Campus Co-op program (2023-2025), another key program falling under UC’s Co-op 2.0 umbrella. Sharp is an professor of Service-Learning and Experiential Education, teaching classes in the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies and the School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies. Sharp created and is leading a novel approach to service-learning called the Service-Learning Collaboratory,a class recognized via the Dean’s Award for Innovative Instruction. He introduced to the university the Jack Twyman Award for Service-Learning and the Bearcat Bond and has recently stepped away as executive director of Experience Magazine: Practice + Theory + Podcast. He earned a doctorate in Urban Educational Leadership at the University of Cincinnati. His dissertation, Critical Curriculum and Just Community: Making sense of Service-Learning in Cincinnati, focused on the importance of "critical pedagogy" created through campus-community partnerships, was awarded dissertation of the year by the Society for Experiential Education (SEE). This award-winning doctoral work has been contracted for book publication by UC Press and will be hosted on UC’s Platform in Social Innovation: Service-Learning and Transformational Pedagogies. Sharp also co-edited a second book titled Mapping the Future of Undergraduate Career Education: Equitable Career Learning, Development, and Preparation in the New World of Work (Routledge). In addition to being recognized for his Scholarship

EdD: University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio, 2017 (Urban Educational Leadership)

MA: University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio, 2005 (Communication Theory and Practice)

BA: University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio, 2002 (Communication Theory and Practice)

Firefighter A-B: Great Oaks Adult Education Cincinnati, Ohio, 2000 (Firefighting and Public Safety)

Emergency Medical Technician: Great Oaks Adult Education Cincinnati, Ohio, 2000 (Emergency Medical Technician and Public Safety)

2025 -2030 Professor, College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS) - , Effectively fulfilling all faculty expectations in the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS), including teaching, scholarship, and service. CCPS serves as a fully integrated career preparation hub within the University of Cincinnati. As the global birthplace of cooperative education, the division is a recognized leader in “real world” education. Within a thriving culture of collaboration, the division provides students, employers and partners a single point of contact for experience-based learning opportunities and transition-to-career services., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2013 -2025 Associate Professor, College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS) - , Effectively fulfilling all faculty expectations in the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS), including teaching, scholarship, and service. CCPS serves as a fully integrated career preparation hub within the University of Cincinnati. As the global birthplace of cooperative education, the division is a recognized leader in “real world” education. Within a thriving culture of collaboration, the division provides students, employers and partners a single point of contact for experience-based learning opportunities and transition-to-career services. , University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2017 -2030 Director, Service-Learning Program, College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS) - , Commendably leading the second largest experiential program at the University of Cincinnati, representing programing in every undergraduate college along with select professional and graduate school programs. Service Learning (S-L) is a specially designed learning experience in which students combine reflection with structured participation in community-based projects to achieve specified learning outcomes as part of an academic course and/or program requirement. Service-learning courses are offered in every college at UC., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2019 -2025 Director, Service-Learning Co-op (Co-op 2.0), College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS) - , Sharp led one of the largest experiential learning programs supporting Co-op 2.0 at the University of Cincinnati. S-L Co-op opportunities are designed to support students not being served through UC’s mandatory Co-op programming via off campus, paid employment in the non-profit space supplemented by academic reflection. , University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2023 -2025 Director, On Campus Co-op Program (Co-op 2.0), College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS), Due to the success of the S-L Co-op pilot, Sharp led another experiential learning program supporting Co-op 2.0 at the University of Cincinnati. On Campus Co-op opportunities are designed to support students not being served through UC’s mandatory Co-op programming via on campus, paid employment and supplemental academic reflection. , University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2011 -2017 Director, Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement, Division of Professional Practice. - , Successfully oversaw community-engaged teaching and learning within Academic Affairs including and the Division of Professional Practice and Experiential Learning. Responsibilities included the development of programs, resources, and assessment of service learning and civic engagement activities. Was also responsible for guiding the development, implementation, and assessment of interdisciplinary, community-engaged, and experientially grounded courses for a growing number of students throughout the university community and to otherwise facilitate campus-community partnerships and curricula. Some of the curricular themes of the program included Aging and the Elderly, Nature and Wildlife, Civic Engagement and Servant Leadership, Diversity, Social Justice, and Inclusion, Disability Services, Equity in Education, Environment and Sustainability, Health and Wellness, Hunger and Poverty, Public Safety, Addiction and Substance Abuse, Community and Contribution., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2013 -2013 (Interim) Director, Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarly Endeavors and Creative Practice, Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs - , As a centralized academic office at the University, led as an interim the office, which supports undergraduates and their mentors in all types of research, scholarship, and creative works. This includes social & scientific investigations & peer-reviewed publications; critiqued exhibitions & performances; and engineering, architectural, & planning designs, just to name a few. Focused on empowering students to be professional practitioners in their field. The primary resources provided by the office include the Ready for Research workshop series, the RECON peer mentorship program (Research, Education, & Creative Opportunities Network), the student-led Discovery Lecture Series, and the annual Conference each spring. The primary objectives of the office are to increase the visibility of existing opportunities, showcase student successes, and connect more students to research experiences. As interim director, responsibilities included successfully leading the undergraduate research conference and overseeing the graduate assistant assigned to the office., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2009 -2011 Director, Office for Community Engaged Learning, Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost. - , Efficiently oversaw the office for Community-Engaged Learning helped to develop community-engaged teaching and learning within Academic Affairs and continued the development of its programs and resources. This office was responsible for helping to guide the development, implementation, and assessment of interdisciplinary, community- engaged, and experientially grounded courses for a growing number of students throughout the university community., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2008 -2009 Associate Director of Academic Community Partnerships, Office of the Sr. VP and Provost. - , Continuing and sustaining the partnership forged with the Center for Community Engagement, this office developed collaborative relationships with a variety of related positions and offices, such as the General Education Program, the Integrated Core Learning initiative, the First Year Experience program, the Center for the City, International Affairs, the Honors program, the Action Research Center, and all relevant initiatives within Faculty Senate and Student Affairs. Some of the specific responsibilities included 1) working with faculty, staff, students and community to craft mutually beneficial on-going partnerships; 2) increasing faculty, student, and community support for a community-engaged learning academic model, 3) helping to assess outcomes for students, faculty, and community partners, 4) helping to disseminate ideas and findings to faculty, students, and community partners, representing the ongoing and emerging role of community-engagement and experiential learning within the Integrated Core Learning initiative and UC21 Academic Master Plan., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2002 -2030 Affiliate Professor, School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies, College of Arts and Sciences. - , Responsibilities include teaching a variety of Communication courses, including Introduction to Communication Theory, Communication Capstone, Effective Public Speaking, Persuasive Speaking, Communication Practicum, and Introduction to Rhetorical Theory., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2015 -2023 Affiliate Professor, Niehoff Urban Studios. - , Served as affiliate faculty for the Niehoff Urban Studio and Community Design Center, a unique interdisciplinary initiative undertaken to address urban issues that challenge the quality of life in Cincinnati. The studio endeavors to engage the community in an urban problem-solving effort., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2004 -2007 Annual Adjunct Instructor, Southwestern College. - , Responsibilities included teaching a variety of courses at this inner-city proprietary college, including College and Careers, Introduction to Sociology, General Education Degree Preparation, Speech and Public Address, Communication I, Communication II, General Mathematics, and Psychology., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2000 -2005 Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician. Delhi Township Fire Department., Delhi Township Fire Department, Delhi Hills, Ohio

2000 -2005 Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician (2000-2005). Delhi Township Fire Department., Miami Township Fire Department, Miami Township, Ohio

Grant: #SRS 006790 Investigators:Brown, Kathleen; Sharp, Michael 09-01-2009 -08-31-2010 Corporation for National and Community Service Pay it Forward: Strengthening Communities Through Student-Led Philanthropy Role:Collaborator $20,500.00 Closed Level:Federal

Grant: #SRS 007035 Investigators:Sharp, Michael 07-01-2010 -06-30-2011 Corporation for National and Community Service Pay it Forward: Strengthening Communities through Student-Led Philanthropy Role:PI $15,500.00 Closed Level:Federal

Grant: #SRS 007809 Investigators:Sharp, Michael 08-01-2011 -06-30-2012 Corporation for National and Community Service Pay It Forward: Strengthening Communities Through Student-Led Service Role:PI $2,000.00 Active Level:Federal

Grant: #2017-2018 Pay it Forward Investigators:Sharp, Michael 09-01-2017 -07-01-2018 Greater Cincinnati Foundation Pay it Forward Contract Role:PI $4,500.00 Awarded Level:Private Non-Profit

Grant: #BldgCap Co-Op (Sharp) Investigators:Clark, Willie; Harper, Paula; Sharp, Michael 01-01-2024 -12-31-2025 ECMC Foundation Building Capacity for Co-op to Careers Role:PI 197277.49 Hold Level:Non Profit

Academic - University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati  Ohio, Michael.Sharp@UC.edu