For the sixth year in a row, Binghamton University has been selected as a NASPA Lead
Initiative Institution. The Lead Initiative on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement
comprises a network of NASPA member colleges and universities committed to encouraging
and highlighting the work of student affairs in making civic learning and democratic
engagement a part of every student's college education. A full list of the 96 participating
institutions is available on the NASPA Lead website.
Binghamton University values civic and community engagement as an institutional priority, reflected in our mission statement, strategic planning goals and throughout the curriculum and co-curriculum. While this work is carried out across campus, much of the groundwork toward creating a campus culture of civic and democratic engagement is led by the University's Center for Civic Engagement (CCE), which coordinates and supports civic and community engagement initiatives across the institution, including community-engaged teaching and scholarship, co-curricular service and voter engagement.
Civic and community engagement highlights:
- Since tracking began in 2014, over 3,150 students have enrolled in designated credit-based community-engaged courses.
- Over 1,100 students have served nearly 15,000 hours in local school districts since 2015 through the University's Community Schools initiative, a partnership between the College of Community and Public Affairs and the CCE.
- During the 2017 local elections, on-campus voter participation increased by 87% over the 2015 local elections. During summer orientation sessions, the CCE registered a record 700 incoming students to vote.
