Mount Ida College recognized for civic learning and democratic engagement

NEWTON, Mass. - Aug. 18, 2015 - PRLog -- The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), recognizing the work of the Student Affairs’ Center of Leadership and Civic Engagement (CLCE), has selected Mount Ida College as one of fewer than 80 institutions nationwide to participate in the 2015-2016 NASPA Lead Initiative.

The recognition and selection was based on Mount Ida’s “dedication to promoting civic learning and democratic engagement as a core function of the division of student affairs,” says Stephanie Reynolds, Assistant Director of Knowledge Communities and CLDE initiatives at NASPA  - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

The Lead Initiative is designed to promote professional development, networking and peer-to-peer sharing among the NASPA member participants. Selected institutions, representing public and private four-year and two-year colleges and universities, have committed to a series of strategies to work in partnership with on and off campus constituents to influence students’ ongoing commitment to civic learning and democratic engagement, including:

 Building clear and tangible civic learning and democratic engagement activities into student affairs division strategic goals and learning outcomes;
 Collecting and reporting data on the efficacy of campus efforts using tools that measure gains in civic learning and democratic engagement;
 Creating strategies in collaboration with students that increase civic learning and help solve community problems through collective action.

“We are obviously thrilled to have been selected to be a LEAD institution for the second year by NASPA.  But more importantly, we are looking forward to sharing what we have learned on our own campus and, in turn, learning from our colleagues,” says Laura De Veau, Mount Ida College Vice President for Student Affairs. “We have long recognized the importance of civic engagement and introduce it to our students from their very first days and we have been heartened at the growth of our program in a sustainable way within our unique community.”