Cultivating Engaged Citizens

Every Ithaca College student has the opportunity to substantively engage with the community, and to develop and practice skills associated with being an engaged citizen.
Two Ithaca College students are standing next to a table with two younger students looking at a booklet.

Center for Civic Engagement

Participate in Democracy

The CCE supports students and faculty in developing engaged citizens. 

Ithaca College provides every student with the opportunity to substantively engage with the community, and to develop and practice skills associated with being an engaged citizen.  

The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) develops and coordinates co-curricular civic engagement-related community partnerships and activities toward this shared purpose. The CCE works with on and off campus partners by supporting students and faculty on their unique paths toward engaged citizenship. As part of creating a culture of engaged citizenship, we are committed to democracy and promote the importance of exercising your voice in the civic process through voting.  

Our Focus

The CCE focuses its work on: 

  • Supporting and advancing meaningful civic engagement through both volunteerism and community-based learning to move students toward more active and engaged citizenship. 

  • Coordinating volunteer and community-based learning activities with on and off campus partners in ways that maximize the value of civic engagement for our community.   

  • Encouraging students to deepen their participation - from occasional volunteer service to consistent engagement rooted in deep and thoughtful understanding of community needs and the role of citizen leaders in improving the quality of life in their community. 

  • Creating an engaged citizenship committed to the democratic process, able to evaluate the political landscape and make informed decisions when voting. 

CCE supports intentional community engagement opportunities that enable students to practice: 

  • Integrative learning – by connecting academic knowledge, theory, and skills to the experiential learning context 
  • Problem solving – by identifying challenges and opportunities that arise in the experiential learning environment and respond constructively to them 
  • Communication skills – by developing written, verbal, and/or non-verbal competencies to effectively communicate with diverse audiences 
  • Professionalism – by understanding their roles and responsibilities as engaged citizens, and acting appropriately 

Take the Next Steps

Learn more about the five building blocks to becoming an engaged citizen.

Engage Today!

CONTACT INFORMATION

David Harker, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Civic Engagement
Ithaca College
3rd Floor, Peggy Ryan Williams Center
953 Danby Road
Ithaca, NY 14850

607-274-7784