Table 1.

Colorado immersion training in community engagement activities outline – general 6-month timeline. This table presents the basic outline of a full 6-month colorado immersion training in community engagement (CIT) timeline, including components of the week-intensive agenda. CRL = Community Research Liaison; CBPR = Community-Based Participatory Research

Month	Activity/-ies	Description
Month 1	Orientation	Once accepted into the program, the orientation is an in-person session that brings participants together to meet each other, Community Research Liaison (CRL) track leads, and the CIT program staff. Participants are provided with detailed information about the program timeline, requirements, and expectations.
Month 2	Online curriculum and discussion	Participants are introduced to the fundamentals of community engagement and Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) during this 4-week didactic reading and discussion section. In addition, participants learn about their chosen community’s history and geography, its residents, culture, and socioeconomic profile through CRL chosen articles, novels, poems, and videos. Didactic components are accompanied by interactive online discussions.
Month 3	Week-intensive community immersion	The week intensive, also called the community immersion, begins with a half-day session with other participants, CIT program staff, and CRL track leads. Participants spend the next 5 days with CRL track leads out in community where they connect and interact with residents and community leaders, visit community-based organizations and businesses, and attend cultural events. The week intensive is largely spent away from academic settings. Participants must commit to being fully immersed in community for five full days and evenings of learnings, activities, and events. Depending on the community track participants select, this could mean staying overnight in the Colorado community. Example week intensive activities: Organized by CRL track leads with additional support provided by local community guides, each community track allows participants to: Explore first-hand the history, geography, and culture of a particular community; Connect with residents, groups, and organizations, for example, leaders and providers of physical, mental, behavioral, and public health services; spiritual leaders and healers; health and human services; pre-k-high school and higher education schools; public and tribal governments; farmers, ranchers, livestock producers; law enforcement; retail business, and others; and Gain skills in engaging communities in research.
Months 4–6	Reflection and work-in-progress	Participants come back together for three sessions, one per month, to reflect on their experience, receive mentoring from program staff, track leads, and community experts to facilitate continued communication and interaction between the participant and their host community, and learn about funding opportunities for CBPR projects. Track leads and program staff assist with identifying partnership opportunities and next steps. CIT participants may also begin mentoring relationships with track leads which often lasts well beyond the program.