The University of South Carolina is joining Campus Compact, the largest and oldest coalition of higher education institutions dedicated to civic and community engagement.
Joining the organization provides USC with scholarship resources, national networking and professional development opportunities, partnerships with groups like AmeriCorps VISTA, and recognition opportunities for students. USC will also gain special interest programming to enhance the university’s already robust community engagement efforts.
"I'm excited to see the university reaffirm its commitment to being a member of Campus Compact,” says Theresa Harrison, executive director of community engagement. “Our membership to Campus Compact demonstrates our continued efforts to serve the public good and our intent to become a nationally recognized community engaged institution."
By joining Campus Compact, faculty, staff and students will have access to the organizations’ resources and outreach programs such as its syllabi library, webinar series and Communities of Practice. Members of the USC community will also be able to join affinity groups with peers at other institutions doing similar work in their communities.
Faculty and staff can participate in a planning process that gives institutions a blueprint for how to integrate more community and civic engagement onto their campuses.
USC students will also have an opportunity to apply to Campus Compact’s Newman Civic Fellowship, a year-long program providing students with skill development, one-on-one mentorship, scholarship opportunities and more.
“This membership allows the university to take full advantage of the resources and programs offered by Campus Compact,” Harrison says. “Not only will it enhance our efforts around Columbia, but it will also allow us to showcase on a national stage the work students, faculty and staff are doing in the community.”
The university is already an active member in its community and is just one of 85 public universities that hold both the top-tier research and community engagement classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
USC’s Leadership and Service Center hosts Service Saturdays throughout the year where students go into the community and volunteer with various community partners. USC was also named a Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting in 2024 by All IN with over 11,700 early voting ballots cast on campus in 2024.
Between August and November 2024, almost 1,000 students registered to vote with the help of university outreach programs.
USC is one of just two in-state institutions with Campus Compact membership, joining The Citadel and USC Beaufort. It’s one of six SEC schools in the network alongside Auburn, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Texas.
More information about USC’s efforts in the community can be found on the Office of Community Engagement or Leadership and Service Center websites.