Higher education group names Elon a lead institution on civic engagement

A professional organization for college administrators who work directly with students has selected Elon University to take part in its national initiative to promote civic engagement on university campuses.

Elon joins nearly 100 schools – including Stanford University, Wake Forest University, the College of William & Mary and Cornell University – in a program led by NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

NASPA’s “Lead Initiative” brings together schools committed to civic learning, democratic engagement and community problem-solving. Participating schools have access to resources, materials and assessment tools through NASPA, which also offers professional development and networking opportunities.

Mary Morrison, assistant dean of students and director of the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement, represents Elon University in the program. The university’s selection into NASPA’s “Lead Initiative” reflects its commitment to civic engagement through programs and initiatives that include:

• The Kernodle Center for Service-Learning and Community Engagement, which last year coordinated or assisted with students performing more than 127,000 hours of service for nonprofits and other agencies both locally and abroad.
• The Periclean Scholars Program, annual cohorts of rising sophomores who spend the next three years increasing civic engagement and social responsibility on campus by creating and sustaining meaningful global and local partnerships.
• Participation in TurboVote, a project of Democracy Works, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve democracy through greater citizen participation in the electoral process. TurboVote makes voting easy through a simultaneous online voter registration and ballot request process.
• A close relationship with North Carolina Campus Compact, a nonprofit organization hosted by Elon University whose mission is to develop civically engaged students at college campuses across the state.
• The creation nearly a decade ago of the Council on Civic Engagement, a blend of academic and student life professionals that hosts programs and encourages collaboration among departments across campus.
• The introduction last year of a Faculty Fellow for Civic Engagement, currently Assistant Professor Jason Husser in the Department of Political Science and Policy Studies, who gives leadership to a campus initiative on civic dialogue and managing controversy with civility. The faculty fellow oversees the “Community Connections” program now in its second year.
• Development of the university’s Center for Access and Success with innovative programs for kindergartners through college-aged students who may be the first in their families to attend college or who demonstrate financial need.

“By joining the Lead Initiative, Elon will be able to share with other schools the many programs we’ve created to help students connect with their communities,” Morrison said.  “Civic engagement is more than just casting a ballot. It is a mindset where people seek out meaningful relationships and opportunities to make a positive difference in our world.

“This is what Elon fosters in its students and I look forward to creating new partnerships with colleges and universities across our country that promote the same values.”