About the Institute

The Institute is the College’s home for volunteerism, service-learning, scholarship and research, and community partnerships. The Institute establishes community alliances and serves as a convener in unifying the city around local and regional problems. The Institute partners with the City of Philadelphia; the School District of Philadelphia; and a host of community, civic and faith-based organizations and community members to solve issues affecting our neighborhoods and larger community.

The Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership connects students, faculty, staff and administrators to on-campus volunteer opportunities along with civic engagement opportunities in the city. Students serve as a catalyst in fostering and advancing an institutional “culture of return” by positively impacting and influencing the larger communities in which they live, learn, work and serve. Students are our most valuable resource as they are the link back to our city’s communities.

The Institute also provides resources for faculty to incorporate service-learning into their curriculum and support with producing scholarship and research.

College-wide volunteer events and service days hosted by the Institute provides meaningful opportunities for the College community to give back and experience personal fulfillment, positively impacting the various diverse communities within the city.   

Mission

The Mission of the Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership is to foster a culture of engagement and collaboration that promotes experiential learning and capitalizes on the strengths of students, faculty, staff and partners to make a positive difference on social justice issues.

Vision

Our vision is that the College's institutional profile and reputation be elevated to the status of one recognized for excellence, and embraced by the community and beyond for having a positive impact on social issues at local, regional and national levels.