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Community Engagement & Leadership Center

Mission Statement | Departmental Highlights | Departmental Challenges | Departmental Goals

MISSION STATEMENT

The Community Engagement & Leadership Center provides intentional learning opportunities and facilitates mutually beneficial relationships that support the development of students who have a lifelong commitment to ethical leadership and engaged citizenship.

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2010-11 DEPARTMENTAL HIGHLIGHTS

• The Emerging Leaders program attracted nearly 7% of the first year class to apply, and 42 outstanding first year leaders have been participating in this semester-long program.
• The annual Volunteer Expo welcomed approximately 25 agencies and reached over 800 students.
• More than 850 students participated in 29 service sites during SMU's 42nd annual Community Service Day as the kickoff event to Homecoming.
• Alternative Spring Break involved nearly 70 students, faculty and staff on seven trips.
• The Director of Leadership and Community Involvement was one of four American authors in a recent UNESCO journal (available in 32 languages). Her article focused on Experiential Learning and Civic Leadership Development.
• The Community Engagement & Leadership Center was relocated to share space with the Hegi Family Career Development Center on the main floor of the Hughes-Trigg Student Center. The department's name was also changed (from Leadership and Community Involvement) to better reflect the university's interest in community engagement.

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DEPARTMENTAL CHALLENGES

1. Compared to benchmark institutions, the ratio of programs to staff members for SMU is the highest at 1.03 programs per staff member while the benchmark average is .35.
2. Find creative opportunities (and necessary resources) to collaborate with other departments and faculty members around the university.
3. Dedicate staff time to developing new resources that will provide financial or in-kind support (i.e. gas, supplies, etc.) for students to engage in service opportunities with the community.

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DEPARTMENTAL GOALS

Student Success

• Student Service Incentives: The annual CIRP (Cooperative Institutional Research Program) data indicates that thought nearly all of our incoming students have participated in community service prior to enrollment at SMU, very few intend to continue these efforts. We intend to develop an incentive program that would encourage students to become more involved in meaningful community service activities and programs.
• Leadership Metrics: Involve a majority of students involved with leadership programs in standardized metrics through utilizing the "MyPlan" program through the Hegi Family Career Development Center.  

Student Learning

• Alternative Breaks: Support opportunities for heightened visibility of the Alternative Break program during this important year of the 100th trip and the involvement of more than 1,000 participants.
• Curricular Collaborations: Continue to build relationships with academic partners through the development of a new Leadership Studies minor.

Exemplary Division of Student Affairs

• Professional Development:Develop resources through sponsorships or fundraising necessary to enable and encourage CEL staff to be engaged in publication and presentation activities through professional organizations.
• Formal Evaluation and Assessment Measures: Enhance evaluation methods that provide insight and allows for development, promotion and alignment of department programs utilizing the Social Change Model of Leadership Development.

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