When students attend LSU, they also become citizens of Baton Rouge. Students are encouraged to get involved in community issues and foster civic engagement with other LSU students. Whether it is being a good neighbor, volunteering with a service group, or participating in a charity event, it is important to take care of the place where students live, work and learn while at LSU.

Civic Engagement

In one definition, civic engagement is broadly defined as "those activities that reinvigorate the public purpose and civic mission of higher education and action by individuals and institutions to create a society characterized by justice and dignity for all."¹

Additionally, civic engagement can also reflect "individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern. Civic engagement can take many forms, from individual volunteerism to organizational involvement to electoral participation. It can include efforts to directly address an issue while working with others in the community to solve a problem or interact with the institutions of representative democracy."²

Erin Bowley, The Minnesota Campus Civic Engagement Study. Minnesota Higher Education Services Office and Minnesota Campus Compact, 2003¹ and The Pew Charitable Trusts.²
 

Get Engaged

Societal standards for mature adults include caring for the public health and safety of the community. Students are proud of their adult status, but sometimes their actions portray an interest only in personal rights. This section identifies four general stages of community engagement to assist students in becoming model citizens. For additional information on fostering civic engagement among college students, visit the links provided at the bottom of this page.
 

Get Informed

Knowledge is power. Students who inform themselves about local, state, and national topics being discussed around campus and the larger community can infuse that information into their classroom experiences and enhance their educational development. To obtain information about current events, students can read local newspapers such as The Advocate, Baton Rouge’s community newspaper, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Many of the local and national television news stations have streaming video on their websites, cell phone alerts, and podcasts to stay in sync with emerging technology. In addition, there are a number of special interest community papers that can be located at coffee shops, grocery stores, and restaurants.

In addition, students should learn about the local government process. Many government service departments are listed in the Resources section of this guide, but students can visit the official city-parish government website at www.brgov.com for more information. Many of the decisions made by elected officials impact students now and will continue to impact them if they become permanent residents of the area. The governing body for East Baton Rouge parish and the city of Baton Rouge includes a Mayor-President and 12-member Metropolitan Council. Council meetings are open to the public and can be viewed on the local public access television station.
 

Get Connected

When citizens are informed about important issues, the spirit of civic engagement encourages them to exercise their power by participating in the political process. An effective way to do that is by registering to vote and participating in the voting process. According to research from Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, many students report that they do not vote because they believe that candidates do not care about issues important to them or that they do not have time to educate themselves about important issues. Students can participate by informing themselves about pending issues and voting in local and national elections.

Joining community associations such as neighborhood groups, church clubs, and volunteer service organizations can help students realize how others’ investments in the community have paid off. Besides the positive feelings of accomplishment and goodwill, commitments to improve the community by doing public service, volunteering, or enrolling in service-learning projects will enable students to experience a stronger connectedness with LSU and Baton Rouge.
 

Get Recognized

Many students arrive on campus with little or no knowledge of the way a college or university works. By the time a student has learned to navigate the campus and leverage support to create institutional change, they are often juniors and seniors. Students who learn the “language” of the campus and community will be able to identify allies and challenges in the community much sooner.

Students who participate in open discussions in class and who communicate their opinions through letter writing and open debate are more active in the community than those who do not have these experiences. When you and others have identified community improvement projects, communicate with local media and news stations to inform others of your success and encourage action by other community members. If you identify a gap in community services or an underserved population, communicate with opinion leaders and elected officials to bring attention to the problem. Students can be powerful social change agents by addressing the root causes of problems that affect society.
 

Get a Life

Communities and professional organizations want to involved well-rounded people who have a variety of academic knowledge, volunteer experience, and civic engagement. An easy way to begin investing in Baton Rouge is by obtaining a job at a community business or organization. Students will be contributing to the local economic base and expanding their professional and social networks. Students can also develop stronger ties to Baton Rouge and have new experiences by attending community events and programs. Supporting community-based causes and charities is another great way to improve social connections.
 

Resources to Become a Civically Engaged Student

Campus Compact is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and service-learning in higher education.

• www.compact.org
• www.compact.org/resources-for-students

VolunteerLSU is the university’s center for community service and involvement. VLSU's mission is to promote and coordinate volunteer opportunities, build partnerships within the community, and instill a lifelong commitment to service.

• volunteer.lsu.edu
• www.lsu.edu/campuslife