MISSION STATEMENT WITH VISION
DEFINITION OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Many people are concerned about what has been termed a "crisis in our democracy" as more and more people of all ages are becoming spectators, rather than active citizens building a vibrant democracy. This concern is often most targeted at young people, who are among the least politically engaged by traditional standards of political participation (only 28 percent of 18 to 24 year olds voted in the 2000 election). We hear over and over again that young people are "disengaged," "apathetic," and "apolitical."

Yet, students are volunteering at an all-time high (up to 82 percent in one study) and we are finding initial evidence that this service work is connected to political engagement, even if it's not called that.

Many definitions of civic engagement exist. Student Leader Josh Oakleaf from Montana State University-Bozeman defines civic engagement as the "melding of the community, college, and students into one force working towards specific goals." The term includes student dialogues, service-learning, service projects, voter registration, and many other actions. In Regina White Dirt’s case, the crux of civic engagement is found through voter registration. Part of Regina’s efforts at Chief Dull Knife College focus on getting the word on the necessity of voting out to fellow students: “Natives aren’t known for participating in the voting process. But recently I’ve witnessed a slow awakening, a beginning of interest in the movement. It’s exciting, and it’s a big part of why Larry (co-leader) and I targeted the 18 to 25 age group. The more information students receive, the more informed a vote students will make.”
In 2001, Campus Compact convened a group of students from across the country at the Wingspread Conference Center for a discussion of student civic engagement from the perspective of students themselves. These 33 students represented diverse institutions as well as varied social, political, economic, and intellectual interests.

Out of this conversation and the student-written report, The New Student Politics: The Wingspread Statement on Student Civic Engagement (Campus Compact, 2002), came an emerging concept of "service politics." Service politics attempts to connect community service and political engagement so that "service" is not seen as an "alternative to politics" but rather as an "alternative politics." With this new concept in mind, students discovered an intrinsic connection between their local work in schools, neighborhoods, and campuses to larger political and policy issues. Community service work informed, strengthened, and deepened their ability to make political decisions.

The Wingspread Summit illustrated the power of highlighting student voices and creating spaces for dialogues on service, politics, and the role that higher education plays in democratic life. Student voice is a critical, often neglected, aspect of the discussions on the civic purposes of higher education.

VISION
Over the next two years, Campus Compact will engage over 250,000 college students as part of a substantial effort to listen to student voices and support student civic engagement to address public issues crucial to our democracy. This initiative is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, a foundation that supports nonprofit activities in the areas of culture, education, the environment, health and human services, public policy, and religion. Based in Philadelphia, the Trusts make strategic investments that encourage and support citizen participation in addressing critical issues and effecting social change.

The Raise Your Voice Campaign has three overarching objectives:

• Increase college student involvement in public life and connect these actions with a larger national student movement around civic engagement
  
• Document student civic engagement activities and issues that are important to college students
  
• Mobilize higher education in a way that gives more voice to students and makes civic engagement central to student learning