The American Association of State Colleges & Universities aims to be a transformative influence in American public higher education through advocacy, leadership and service. AASCU is an association of nearly 420 public colleges, universities and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved student populations and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development. AASCU hosts the American Democracy Project and the Democracy Commitment. 

AAC&U is the leading national association concerned with the quality, vitality, and public standing of undergraduate liberal education. Its 1,200+ members are committed to extending the advantages of a liberal education to all students. AAC&U organizes its work around five broad goals: A Guiding Vision for Liberal Education, Inclusive Excellence, Intentional and Integrative Learning, Civic, Diversity, and Global Engagement, and Authentic Evidence.

Through its publications, meetings, public advocacy, and programs, AAC&U provides a powerful voice for liberal education

The American Democracy Project (ADP) is a multi-campus initiative focused on higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens for our democracy. The project began as an initiative of the AASCU, in partnership with The New York Times. Projects focus in particular on projects that promote democratic knowledge & political engagement.

Bringing Theory to Practice

works to advance the potential and well-being of individual students, and to advance education as a public good. There are funding opportunities for institutions to create innovative projects that demonstrate the interconnections of engaged learning, civic engagement, and psychosocial well-being.  

"DOERS, NOT (JUST) DONORS" - RE-imagining alumni as allies in education.

Citizen Alum counters the image of alumni as primarily “donors” with a vision of them as also “doers.”  Alums are allies in education–crucial partners in building multigenerational communities of active citizenship and active learning.

The Democracy Commitment is a national initiative that will provide a national platform for the development and expansion of programs and projects aiming at engaging community college students in civic learning and democratic practice. The goal of the partnership is that every graduate of an American community college shall have had an education in democracy.

The Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC), a 501 (c) (3) non-profit educational organization, is composed of higher education member institutions, a mix of state-public and private institutions. Its goal is to work collaboratively to build strong university-community partnerships anchored in the rigor of scholarship, and designed to help build community capacity.  The ESC supports public scholarship by faculty and is a good resource for professional development, journals,

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.  It hosts a large annual conference that dra

A consortium of 89 colleges and universities, and their partners, Imagining Americaemphasizes the possibilities of humanities, arts, and design in knowledge-generating initiatives. It aims to realize the democratic, public, and civic purposes of American higher education. Such activity can span disciplines through collaborations with public health, environmental issues, community education, neighborhood development, and others. IA has done some excellent work on changing Promotion and Tenure Guidelines to support public scholarship.

Next conference: TBA

The IMPACT Conference is historically the largest gathering in the country focused on the civic engagement of college students in community service, service-learning, community-based research, advocacy and other forms of social action. Building on the rich 26-year tradition of the COOL Conference and the Idealist Campus Conference, IMPACT is the one time during the year when students, administrators, faculty, AmeriCorps members and VISTAs, and nonprofit professionals gather together to share resources and exchange stories. 

National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE) is a nonprofit membership association of educators, businesses, and community leaders. Founded in 1971, NSEE also serves as a national resource center for the development and improvement of experiential education programs nationwide. 

The New England Resource Center for Higher Education (NERCHE) is committed to collaborative change processes in higher education to address social justice in a diverse democracy. As a center for inquiry, research, and policy, NERCHE supports administrators, faculty, and staff  in becoming more effective practitioners and leaders as they navigate the complexities of institutional innovation and change. NERCHE offers a number of helpful publications and resources.