North Central College selected to take part in civic learning, engagement initiative

North Central College’s strong commitments to civic learning and democratic engagement are being recognized by the group Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA).

“Being selected to participate in the NASPA civic learning lead initiative is an important recognition of the work that many on campus are doing to develop informed, involved, principled and productive citizens and leaders,” says Kimberly Sluis, North Central’s dean of students. “At the same time, the program is set up to help us network and learn in hopes we can take our work in this area to the next level.”
 
NASPA, formerly known as the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, selected North Central College as among just 73 schools nationwide to take part in its new Lead Initiative on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement.

“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,” says Kevin Kruger, NASPA president. “Through the Lead Initiative, NASPA is shining light on the unique contributions that student affairs professionals are making to democratic engagement.”

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:

·    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; and
·    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,” says Laura Sponsler, NASPA’s content director for civic learning and democratic engagement.
Visit naspa.org/clde/lead_initiative.cfm to learn more about NASPA’s Lead Initiative.