National Organizations

Illinois State University Affiliations

• American Democracy Project

  The American Democracy Project (ADP) is a network of more than 250 state colleges and universities focused on public higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens for our democracy.

• AmeriCorps

  AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs, made up of three primary programs that each take a different approach to improving lives and fostering civic engagement.

• Break Away

  Break Away is a national nonprofit organization that promotes the development of quality alternative break programs through training, assisting, and connecting campuses and communities.

• Campus Compact

  Campus Compact is a national coalition of 1,000+ colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. We build democracy through civic education and community development.

• Carnegie Foundation's Elective Community Engagement Classification

  The Carnegie Foundation's Classification for Community Engagement is an elective classification, meaning that it is based on voluntary participation by institutions. The elective classification involves data collection and documentation of important aspects of institutional mission, identity and commitments and requires substantial effort invested by participating institutions. Illinois State University received this classification in January 2020.

• International Association of Research on Service Learning and Community Engagement

  The International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) is an international non-profit organization devoted to promoting research and discussion about service-learning and community engagement.

• NASPA Lead Initiative

  NASPA’s LEAD Initiative on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (LEAD Initiative) comprises a network of NASPA member colleges and universities committed to encouraging and highlighting the work of student affairs in making civic learning and democratic engagement a part of every student’s college education.

• The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement

  The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) offers colleges and universities an opportunity to learn their student registration and voting rates and, for interested campuses, a closer examination of their campus climate for political learning and engagement and correlations between specific student learning experiences and voting.

• Students Learn Students Vote Coalition

  The Students Learn Students Vote Coalition promotes civic learning and engagement on campuses across the country by providing a series of key steps and information on best practices that institutions can use to create a more voter friendly campus.

• Voter Friendly Campus

  The Voter Friendly Campus designation program was started through the partnership of Campus Vote Project and NASPA in 2016. The goal of the program is to help institutions develop plans to coordinate administrators, faculty, and student organizations in civic and electoral engagement.

Other National Organizations

• Ashoka U

  Ashoka builds and cultivates a community of change leaders who see that the world now requires everyone to be a changemaker. Together, we collaborate to transform institutions and cultures worldwide so they support changemaking for the good of society.

• Bonner Scholars

  The Bonner Program provides colleges and universities with a model for a college access program that uses best practices for student success. Our network focuses on identifying and supporting low-income, first generation, and underrepresented students, including students of color and from both rural and urban environments. With student leadership at the core, the model improves the lives of people and communities through sustained partnerships involving colleges and universities in service, community engaged learning, and civic engagement.

• Echoing Green

  Echoing Green identifies tomorrow’s transformational leaders today. Through its Fellowships and other innovative leadership initiatives, Echoing Green spots emerging leaders and invests deeply in their success to accelerate their impact.

• Imagining America

  We are artists, humanists, and designers who are tapping the bold power of the cultural disciplines to animate an emerging movement and create.

• Lead360

  LEAD360 makes service easy-to-do, fun, and accessible by seeking outstanding youth ideas and replicating the best nationwide. We then celebrate those who activate the most.