NASPA Expands Initiative on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement

NASPA is pleased to announce selection of our network of 73 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.  The Lead Initiative enters the second full year with a diverse collection of institutions from across the spectrum of higher education.

NASPA has long been committed to ensuring that a college education includes developing students as leaders and as citizens through a commitment to civic engagement,” said Dr. Kruger. “Through the Lead Initiative, NASPA is shining light on the unique contributions that student affairs professionals are making to democratic engagement. In a time of concern and worry about our civic society, it is critical that college administrators are doing all that they can to present students with opportunities to help them develop as productive and engaged citizens.

Selected institutions, representing public and private four-year and two-year colleges and universities, have committed to a series of strategies to make civic learning and democratic engagement an integrated and core component of the division of Student Affairs through planning, partnerships, and assessment. The goals of the program are to:

• Build clear and tangible civic learning and democratic engagement activities into student affairs division strategic goals and learning outcomes.
• Create strategies in collaboration with students, faculty, and community partners that increase civic learning and help solve community problems through collective action.
• Collect and report data on the efficacy of campus efforts using tools that measure gains in civic learning and democratic engagement.

“Through the Lead Initiative, NASPA provides support to the critical work done by student affairs professionals daily in educating students for lives of citizenship,” shared Dr. Sponsler. “This initiative brings together a strong and purposeful network of NASPA member institutions committed to making civic learning and democratic engagement a part of every student’s college education.”