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Institute for Civic Engagement

People doing good; learning well

Supporting Faculty

Faculty having meeting
Cortland Applied Learning Practitioners
a community of practice
  • Workshops
  • Mentoring
  • Journal of the Scholarship of Engagement

Supporting Students

Students working at event
 Action Team Self-directed interns design and conduct their own projects, which have included
  • Public deliberations
  • Climate response simulations
  • Voter education/registration
  • Health projects and activities
  • Social justice projects
  • Fund-raisers

Promoting and Celebrating

Promoting and celebrating with president
Recognizing and publicizing the research and accomplishments of the members of the Cortland community
  • Annual Civic Engagement Awards Reception
  • Webpage
  • Monthly newsletters
  • Class visits
  • Social media

The Institute for Civic Engagement is in SUNY Cortland’s Division of Academic Affairs. It serves as a resource for students, faculty, staff, and community partners by promoting the development of mutually-beneficial learning by doing opportunities.

 Those opportunities include:

  • Classroom visits with activities to
    • Recognize the academic, professional, and personal benefits of volunteering
    • Explain benefits of taking applied learning (learning by doing) academic courses
    • Practice active listening skills as a way of improving communication effectiveness
  • Campus/community events that explore current issues. Many of these events help participants practice civil civic decision-making skills.
  • Opportunities for students to design and conduct their own civic engagement projects through the Institute’s Action Team of self-directed interns. These internships represent another form of applied learning.
  • Voter-related activities through CIVIC: Cortland Invests in Voting Initiative Committee. CIVIC’s members include students, faculty, staff, and community members who conduct activities for voter
    • Registration
    • Education
    • Mobilization (get-out-the-vote)
  • Professional development activities for faculty and staff through the Institute’s Cortland Applied Learning Practitioners program for faculty and staff. These activities help faculty design and conduct applied learning courses
  • Publication in The SUNY Journal of the Scholarship of Engagement. 
  • Celebration of people’s civic engagement activities, on- and off-campus, through our
    • Monthly newsletter
    • Annual Leadership in Civic Engagement Awards Reception (April)

Through these opportunities, the Institute helps students develop the skills and knowledge to become "engaged citizens with a strong social conscience."