Frequently Asked Questions

The American Psychological Association (2012) defines civic engagement as: “Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern.”

Civic Engagement at NSU is taking an active role in shaping one’s community, whether it be on-campus, here in Davie, across the state of Florida, or around the world. Civic engagement can take a variety of forms:

Regular volunteering
Community problem-solving
Engagement in the democratic process (including voting)

In the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement, we have a wide variety of resources directed at getting you more involved in the community to help in building one collective impact.

What’s the difference between civic engagement and community service?

According, Erlich (2000), civic engagement involves “working to make a difference in the civic life of one’s community and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes.” When voluntary community service is incorporated as an element of academic coursework, and when the service activity relates directly to the content of the course, it becomes service learning.

How can I track my community service experiences?

The completion of community service experiences are tracked using SharkHub. Engagement in community service hours can be tracked on behalf of and individual or on behalf of their student organization involvement.

How can I get involved in community service?

There are a wide variety of ways to get involved in community service, including: alternative break/weekend trips, service-based student organizations, days of service, and much more! You can find all of our upcoming events on the SLCE SharkHub page or through our bi-weekly service newsletter, which can be found in the SLCE office.

How does civic engagement benefit me?

Civic engagement is a form of experiential learning. This type of learning, different than learning that takes place in the classroom, allows students to gain valuable skills that will supplement in-class instruction that can be applied toward the betterment of the community. Skills learned could also have a direct connection to help one’s search for graduate school or employment after graduation. Also, students that volunteer are statistically more connected to an institution, and more likely to graduate.

How can I grow as a leader in service to my community?

At NSU, we strive to see our students grow as servant-leaders. By taking leadership roles in clubs and organizations, learning more about the community around you-and then acting as an agent for change you will begin to grow as a leader in service to the community while developing needed life-skills along the way.