Ļć½¶Ö±²„selected for national student affairs leadership program
Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.āĻć½¶Ö±²„ is one of nearly 100 institutions selected to participate in a nationwide student affairs initiative promoting civic learning and democratic engagement, furthering the universityās reputation as a leader in community engagement.
Ļć½¶Ö±²„has been selected as a 2016-17 NASPA Lead Initiative Institution by the nationās leading organization of student affairs administrators in higher education. As a Lead Initiative Institution, Ļć½¶Ö±²„student affairs personnel will have access to professional development activities, networking and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing on civic learning and engagement strategies. Ļć½¶Ö±²„was selected based on its commitment to civic learning and democratic engagement, which was demonstrated in a competitive application process.
āWe are delighted to be included in the NASPA Lead Initiative which recognizes the commitment Ļć½¶Ö±²„makes to community engagement and volunteerism,ā Ļć½¶Ö±²„Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Young Hyatt said. āStudents at Mississippi State make contributions daily to our community through service and leadership activities facilitated by the Office of Student Leadership and Community Engagement. We are honored to have those efforts recognized by the lead student affairs professional association, NASPA.ā
Ļć½¶Ö±²„is a recipient of the Carnegie Community Engagement University designation and is a perennial selection on the Presidentās Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The universityās Office of Student Leadership and Community Engagement provides innovative programs that foster civic learning and facilitates MSUās Community Engagement Committee.
Office of Student Leadership and Community Engagement Director Cade Smith said service-learning and community engagement projects fit perfectly within the mission of land-grant universities. Smithās office administers two key service programs, MSUās Maroon Volunteer Center and the universityās Center for the Advancement of Service-Learning (CASLE), and teaches student leadership classes.
Created in 2013 as a partnership between the Ļć½¶Ö±²„Office of Academic Affairs and the Ļć½¶Ö±²„Extension Service, CASLE facilitates service-learning opportunities that aim to connect research, service and learning in the local community and beyond. In 2016, the Office of Student Leadership and Community Engagement was brought into the CASLE partnership, which Smith said was a ānatural fit.ā
āOur programs are successful because Ļć½¶Ö±²„believes in collaborative partnerships that transcend divisions and bring benefits to students, faculty and community members,ā Smith said. āWe would not be able to share MSUās good work with other student affairs programs if not for our partnership with Academic Affairs and Extension.ā
As part of the Lead Initiative, Ļć½¶Ö±²„personnel also will have the opportunity to participate in professional development at the 2017 NASPA Annual Conference and the 2017 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting. Smith said he looks forward to highlighting MSUās community engagement efforts and learning from other NASPA Lead Initiative institutions.
Ļć½¶Ö±²„is Mississippiās leading university, available online at .