Civic Engagement and Student Leadership Programs

Civ•ic En•gage•ment ('si-vik ?n-gayj'ment)

1. An active, ongoing, collaborative process where individuals connect to communities – locally, nationally, and globally – to initiate positive social change.
2. Can involve individual volunteer efforts at a local community agency, large-scale grassroots mobilization initiatives for global policy change, or anything in-between.

Civic engagement starts with passion.

A core element of the Alfred State College experience invites students to discover who and how they want to be in the world, by identifying the causes and issues that ignite their curiosity and sense of social responsibility, and by finding ways to channel passions into action through community service, cultural immersion experiences, activist initiatives, political involvement, and much more.

The director of civic engagement and student leadership programs, in collaboration with faculty and staff across campus, coordinates regular opportunities for students to explore their passions and capacities to make a difference in a real-world setting. At ASC they have an opportunity to bring their learning to life through civic engagement, regardless of their major or academic focus.

Lead·er·ship (l?'der-sh?p') for Social Change

1. The individual or group capacity to initiate, collaborate, inspire, empower, and transform, which can be augmented through intentional development, experience, and engagement.
2. A dynamic, inclusive process in which individuals come together around shared efforts and visions for the common good.

Student leadership programs at ASC are based on the social change model, which approaches leadership as a purposeful, collaborative, values-based process that results in positive social change. ASC students are empowered to build their capacity not only to lead, but to actively make a difference in their world through a range of leadership development programs and opportunities to lead across campus.

The annual Student Leadership Retreat is held in the fall semester, and is open to leaders of student organizations, Greek Life chapters, and any emerging student leaders interested in learning more about their leadership style, fostering positive group dynamics, and understanding leadership as a community process. Students can also participate in the Leadership for Social Change Series which includes workshops, events, and field experiences throughout the year, designed to engage students in the process of discovering what leadership is and how to lead effectively.

Leadership Through Adventure

Students at ASC have the opportunity to actively experience leadership through adventure, as part of the ASC Challenge Course experience. Select student, faculty, and staff Challenge Course facilitators are trained to guide student organizations, classes, departments/programs, and teams through physical and mental challenges, in order to build relationships and a sense of community among the group. To arrange a Challenge Course session for your group, contact Jonathan Hilsher, director of civic engagement and student leadership programs by e-mail hilshejc@alfredstate.edu or phone (607) 587-4077.

The Outdoor Recreation Club (ORC) is another way for students to challenge themselves to build leadership skills and capacities through mountain biking, rock-climbing, downhill skiing, rafting, caving, kayaking, horseback riding, and much more. Through the ORC, students have the unique opportunity to develop themselves as leaders while building a community and exploring the great outdoors.

Leadership Through Greek Life

Greek Life has been a part of the Alfred community since 1920, the year Alfred State College’s first fraternity, Gamma Theta Gamma, was founded. Since then, the Alfred State College Greeks have grown into a vibrant community of student leaders, all working together to represent the same ideals and goals. The Greek Community at Alfred State College is committed to achieving academic excellence, engaging in service and philanthropy, developing leadership skills, and fostering lifelong friendships among brothers and sisters.

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