Welcome!

Welcome to Academic Civic Engagement. We are a resource for faculty to utilize service and civic involvement in their teaching and research and for students in courses with a service component.

Service-Learning is defined as a collaborative teaching and learning strategy designed to promote academic enhancement, personal growth and civic learning. During the COVID-19 crisis, we can continue in service-learning, albeit in different forms.  Faculty and students are encouraged to consider Minnesota Campus Compact's Social Change Wheel, seen above.  This tool reminds us that service can take many forms, particularly in unusual times like these.  Whereas we might normally improve the community via charitable volunteerism, the Social Change Wheel invites us to consider, for example, helping our elderly neighbors (mutual aid), organizing a virtutal meet-up (community building), calling our elected representatives (voting & formal political activities), and so on.  

For Faculty

Faculty Fellows

Faculty Fellows is a two-day workshop that offers App State professors a chance to learn more about civic engagement in the classroom and how to have a successful service-learning course. Participating faculty design a new or revise an existing syllabus to include a civic engagement component as part of cohort participation.

Don't Cancel That Class!

Don't Cancel That Class! Is a chance for faculty to avoid cancelling a class by having a Civic Engagement representative come to your class to discuss topics such as service, community engagement, and civic responsibility.

Service-Learning Council

The Service-Learning Council consists of faculty, students and community partners who contribute ideas to the civic engagement program. This group creates professional development for service-learning, brings community partners into conversations about community needs and reviews syllabi submitted for service-learning designation.

In-Class and Out-Of-Class Orientations

Civic Engagement staff are available to present to classes regarding the rationale and logistics of service-learning. We love invitations to visit classes for short or full-class presentations. Additionally, we schedule several out-of-class service orientations for faculty who would prefer to send their students outside of class time.

Civic Engagement Consultation

Want to bounce around an idea about including civic engagement in your course? Have an idea but you are not sure about the logistics? Need help finding the best local or international agencies to meet your course objectives? We are happy to meet to discuss.

For Students

Civic Engagement Certificate

A graduation certificate and honor for students who have completed the requisite number of designated service-learning courses.

Clinton Global Initiative University

Students may receive funding to undertake meaningful projects in the local or global community followed by an annual gathering of others who have made similar commitments.

For Staff

Serving our community provides an opportunity to explore your interests, contribute work being done by non-profit organizations, and enhance App State’s reputation around town.  

The campus community has a lot to offer; you have a lot to give. We want you to be a proud Mountaineer and to use your knowledge, skills, abilities, and passions to build our community.

Community Service Leave Page

App State wants YOU to engage in the community! 24 hours of Community Service Leave with pay is available to eligible staff to volunteer. We invite you to explore the needs of the community and the opportunities to get involved by using the links below.