Many opportunities exist both on and off campus for you to take on a leadership position in support of social change and to collaborate with other leaders to share resources and information.

We also host events during the year to support, inform, and honor service leaders in the community.

Civic Engagement Council

In addition to pursuing a leadership role in a specific nonprofit organization, you can run for a seat on the Civic Engagement Council, which supports campus groups working for civic engagement efforts through direct service, advocacy, and community involvement. The council chair is elected through campus-wide elections held at the beginning of the Spring semester, and council members apply and interview for the positions of business director and programming chair for member outreach. One group that works in a particularly close partnership with the center is Alternative Breaks to offer service experiences over Fall and Spring breaks. To view more experiences and opportunities, visit our complete list of student service organizations.

Bonner Scholars

The Bonner Scholars program is a four-year scholarship program that supports a strong team of students working to bring about positive community change through service, research and action. Each year a new class of 20 incoming students are accepted into the program. All 80 participants in Davidson's Bonner Scholars program come together for weekly peer meetings and skill development, covering topics such as time management, conflict resolution, poverty reduction and education reform. 

Federal Community Service Work-Study

The center works with leaders at local nonprofit organizations to establish responsibilities for work-study positions. Students who are eligible for work-study are placed at these organizations by the center and gain useful experience while forming valuable relationships. In addition to their weekly schedule, students meet on campus monthly as a group, covering a variety of skill-building topics and community building.  

Service Leaders Kickoff

Annually, the Center for Civic Engagement hosts a Service Leaders Kickoff that brings together service leaders from different organizations. The agenda varies according to the needs of the students but the goals remain constant:

  • To gather information relevant to leadership roles
  • To share resources about leadership work
  • To talk with other leaders about ways to communicate and collaborate

Civic Engagement Organizations

Join in direct service, advocacy and dialogue with other student leaders, working with groups on campus or organizations in the community at the local and national level.

Civic Engagement Student Organizations