Announcing the Spartan Volunteer Service Award: A presidential recognition administered by the Center for Community Engaged Learning.

Your commitment to Community Engagement means the world to us. It’s what makes being a Spartan so special. The Spartan Volunteer Service Award will be given to any MSU student who serves a minimum of 100 hours of verified community engagement between November 13, 2020 and November 12, 2021. 

How to be Eligible:

• Download the MSU Civic Life App on your smart phone or tablet*
• Update your profile and input your qualifying hours by December 12, 2021.
• All students who update their profiles within the app with 100 or more hours will be eligible for the award

What Counts Toward the Award

There are many different ways of community engagement, not just volunteering, that count toward the 100 hours necessary to be eligible for the SVSA. Your hours can be from during the semester, over the summer, at home, abroad, or on campus at MSU! The different types of community engagement are represented as different categories in the MSU Civic Life App and defined below with examples. 

Advocacy – Communicating support of an idea or cause and collecting evidence to support one’s position

Examples: 

• Sharing a video about a cause on social media
• Participating in a non-violent rally or march in support of a cause
• Research an issue that is important to you and share what you learn

Community Conversations – Exchanging and weighing different ideas, perspectives, and approaches in a civil way

Examples: 

• Join MSU Dialogues
• Organize a discussion circle with friends
• Have a civil conversation with someone who has different opinions than you

Community and Economic Development – Acting locally to provide economic opportunities and improve social conditions in a sustainable way 

Examples: 

• Support local small businesses
• Work with a neighborhood garden
• Take a class at a community center

Democratic Engagement– Using the formal structures of the political system to attempt to change society

Examples: 

• Attend a political rally or speech,  MSUVote has many events that you can participate in
• Sign a petition
• Contact a national, state, or local government official about an issue

Philanthropy– Offering charitable aid or donations to social change focused, community-based organizations to combat social problems

Examples: 

• Hold a fundraiser for a nonprofit organization
• Give to an organization that matches your values
• Participate in a food drive

Volunteering– Short or long-term donation of time and talent to directly support the activities of a community-based organization

Examples: 

• Participate in a day of service (The 2021 Fall Day of Service is October 16)
• Find a service-based registered student organization