Mark Chupp, PhD

Associate Professor
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
Founding Director
Community Innovation Network
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
Education Coordinator
Social Justice Institute
Chair
Concentration in Community Practice for Social Change
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences

Mark G. Chupp, MSW, PhD, is an associate professor at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences of Case Western Reserve University, where he chairs the concentration in Community Practice for Social Change in the masters of social work program. He is also the founding director of the Community Innovation Network, a resource for communities and practitioners seeking strength-based approaches to community change. His work over the past 25 years has focused on appreciative inquiry, community building, community development and inter-group conflict transformation. Mark served as co-director of the Social Justice Institute at Case Western Reserve University from 2020-2023 and continues as the SJI Education Coordinator. 

Dr. Chupp began his career in restorative justice, directing the first Victim Offender Reconciliation Program in the US. Dr. Chupp is an international consultant and trainer in conflict transformation and peacebuilding. He lived in Costa Rica and Nicaragua from 1988 to 1991, where he worked extensively throughout Central America. He also provided leadership in the establishment of the Culture of Peace Program and a UN Local Zone of Peace in post-war El Salvador. Mark holds a PhD in social welfare from Case Western Reserve University. He has published numerous theory and practice oriented articles, manuals and book chapters. Mark is a founding trustee of the National Peace Academy, an adjunct faculty at the Summer Peacebuilding Institute of Eastern Mennonite University, and a member of the faculty of the Asset Based Community Development Institute based at DePaul University.

Biosketch
Curriculum Vitae
Google Scholar

Why I Chose This Profession

I have been on a vision quest throughout my career, seeking to build community across identity groups. I spent years as a practitioner in community building, community organizing and conflict transformation. Social work provided the strongest theoretical and practice foundation for this work. I pursued this quest for community-led social change in both my social work practice and studies. Having initiated several change movements and nonprofit organizations, I realized the capacity to affect change was much greater through training, teaching, applied research, and writing.

Research Information

Research Interests

  • Community building and social capital in community development
  • The transformation of inter-group conflict, especially across identity groups
  • Citizen participation in democratic decision-making and public deliberation
  • Appreciative Inquiry in nonprofit organizations and communities 

Recent Funding

2020
Consultant, External Committee on Community Engagement and Social Impact
Think Big Seed Grant, Case Western Reserve University
$10,000

2018-2021
Principal Investigator, Build Capacity - Strengthen Communities
George Gund Foundation
$100,000 (over 3 years)

2019-2020
Consultant, Community Engagement Capacity Building with an Asset-Based Approach Community Foundation of Elkhart County, Elkhart, IN
$25,000 + $25,000

2019-2020
Consultant, Development of a place-based community engagement strategy using the ABCD framework in Baltimore, MD.
Bainum Foundation, Baltimore, MD
$80,635

2018-2020
Consultant, Case Western Reserve University Community Engagement Planning
George Gund Foundation, Cleveland, OH
$75,000 (portion of $1,000,000 capital grant to Case Western Reserve University)

2018-2020
Scholarships for neighborhood residents, Foundations of Community Building
Office of the Provost, Case Western Reserve University
$17,500 + $17,500 (2 cohorts)

2018-2019
Co-Principal Investigator, Promoting Effective Neighboring
St. Luke's Foundation, Cleveland, OH
$20,000

2018-2019
Training Grant, Beyond Conflict Management
City of Lakewood, OH
$16,000

2018
Training Grant, Common Ground Facilitation and Training
The Cleveland Foundation
$10,000

Publications

Recent Publications

Chupp, Mark, Madden, Jennifer, Yankey, John. (2022) Strategic Planning.

Chupp, Mark G., Fletcher Adrianne M., Graulty, James A. Toward authentic university-community engagement.

Jewett-Tennant, J., Collins, C., Matloub, J., Patrick, A., Chupp, M., Werner, J., Borawski, E.A. (2016). Partnership among peers: Lessons learned from the development of a community organization/ academic research training program. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 10/3, 461-470.

Chupp, M. G., & Joseph, M. L. (2010). Getting the most out of service learning: Maximizing student, university, and community impact. Journal of Community Practice, 18, 190–212.

Chupp, M. G. (2009). "Task groups as agents of community change." In A. Gitterman & R. Salmon (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Social Work with Groups. pp. 269–272, New York, NY: Routledge.

Presentations

Recent National and International Presentations

Chupp, M.G. & Garcia Zembrana, I. (2020). “An Analysis of Six Power Ladders, Wheels, and Progressions: From Non-participation to Community Control and from Victims to Producers,” Presentation at the Global (Un)conference, Co-Creating Our Future Stories of Hope and Action, online, June 24. 

Chupp, M. G., Garth, G., & McDonnell, K. (2020). “Connecting institutions, nonprofits, researchers and people on the frontlines through strength-based approaches to community change,” presentation at the National Community Leaders Summit, Essential Partners, online, June 26. 

Chupp, M. G. & McKinney, S. (2020). “Effective Neighboring across Difference: Lessons Learned in Participatory Action Research,” e-poster presentation, Society for Social Work and Research, Washington, DC, January 17. 

Chupp, M. G. (2018) “Facilitating Racial Equity in Funding the Arts,” presentation, National Coalition on Dialogue and Deliberation Biennial Conference, Denver Colorado, November 2. 

Chupp, M. G. & Broadus D. (2018) “Bridging the Divide: Urban Universities and the Communities They Serve,” International Conflict Resolution Education Conference, Case Western Reserve University, May 25. 

Education

Doctor of Philosophy
Case Western Reserve University
Master of Social Work
The University of Michigan
Bachelor of Arts
Goshen College

Additional Information