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Institute for Civic and Community Engagement debuts at SF State

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Denize Springer
SFSU Office of Public Affairs & Publications
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Press Release published by the Office of Public Affairs & Publications

 


Innovative center creates opportunities to effect social change

SAN FRANCISCO, August 29, 2006 -- The Institute for Civic and Community Engagement (ICCE) at San Francisco State University launches on August 31. ICCE, a merger of the University's San Francisco Urban Institute and Office of Community Service Learning, is designed to provide students, faculty, staff and community partners with unique opportunities for research, scholarship and civic service to effect social change. A reception to mark the launch will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Towers Conference Center on the SF State campus.

The merger allows the two organizations dedicated to community service and social change to pool resources and streamline the delivery of programs and educational opportunities. Throughout the past 15 years the San Francisco Urban Institute has created strategies of economic and social development and expanded educational and employment opportunities for the people of San Francisco. SF State's Office of Community Service Learning deploys students for community service completed as course requirements. During the 2005-2006 academic year 8,463 SF State students volunteered 332,348 hours in agencies and nonprofits throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area.

"Today's students are tomorrow's leaders; civic engagement educates students of all ages to reach their full potential as democratically active, morally responsible citizens," said ICCE's Founding Director, Susan Alunan. "ICCE offers a multitude of opportunities to prepare and educate young people in California for informed and responsible engagement, political efficacy, and leadership in the future, their democracy, their world."

Opportunities provided by ICCE will include civic internships, political and community mentoring programs, neighborhood arts and after-school projects, state and national advocacy programs and voter participation efforts.

This fall, ICCE will partner with the San Francisco Department of Elections, SF State Associated Students, the California Faculty Association and other campus offices to coordinate nonpartisan voter education, voter registration and get-out-the vote activities. Last year SF State's efforts registered 3,635 new voters.

Programs already under the ICCE banner include Whirlwind Wheelchair International, led by MacArthur "Genius Award" recipient Ralf Hotchkiss, the Stay-in-School Family Resource Center, America Counts and San Francisco Project Homeless Connect.

The Institute is located in San Francisco State University offices at the Pacific Plaza Building, 2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard in Daly City. For more information, visit http://www.sfsu.edu/~icce/ or call (415) 338-6419.

 

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Last modified August 30, 2006, by the Office of Public Affairs & Publications