As of September 2019, MSU’s Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement will be officially known as the Center for Community Engaged Learning.
The purpose of the center is to prepare students for lifelong social and civic responsibility.
“Give a Damn about Your Fellow Man” was the theme of the MSU Office of Volunteer Programs newsletter when it was established in 1968. The center has been known as the Service-Learning Center beginning in 1979 and then switched its name to the Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement in 2002. Through the decades, the center has been recognized for outstanding programs by the Office of the President of the United States and the national Campus Compact, to name a couple.
The Center for Community Engaged Learning is the oldest center of its kind in the United States. Each year at MSU, there are more than 32,000 student registrations in community engaged learning courses, programs and activities.
Today’s Spartans are committed to community engagement. The center name change reflects the emphasis on engaging and learning with communities. It represents the various ways in which Spartans engage, from advocacy and philanthropy to social innovation and capacity building.
The Center for Community Engaged Learning is the home of several programs, including Spartan Days of Service, Alternative Spartan Breaks and the MSU Community Engagement Scholars Program. Additionally, the center supports faculty members who teach using community engagement pedagogy and connects community partners to campus partners. Reporting to both the Division of Student Affairs and Services and University Outreach and Engagement provides the center team with the opportunity to connect with students in the classroom and beyond.
With the MSU Office of the President, the Center for Community Engaged Learning awards Spartans who have served more than 100 hours in an academic year with the Spartan Volunteer Services Award: A Presidential Recognition.
To begin tracking your service hours for this award, download the MSU Civic Life app in the App Store or Google Play.
The Center for Community Engaged Learning is located in Student Services, Room 346. For any questions, please visit servicelearning.msu.edu or call 517-353-4400.