For 26 years, the California State University has been connecting students with ways to serve their local communities through the
Center for Community Engagement (known systemwide as COCCE). Through various initiatives and partnerships at both the systemwide and campus level, students get meaningful experiences that not only grow their resumes but allow them to give back. Over those nearly three decades, COCCE has prepared one million CSU graduates to become changemakers across California—as well as boosted graduation rates, addressed equity gaps and made a difference in the community.
Discover six facts about the impact of the CSU Center for Community Engagement.
1.
All 23 CSUs and the Chancellor's Office have dedicated community engagement staff and offices, positioning the CSU as a national leader and highlighting its commitment to community engagement. To provide students with meaningful experiences, these offices work with faculty and staff across campus as well as external partners. During the 2023-24 academic year, these offices partnered with more than 1,000 faculty and 3,600 community organizations to offer a rich array of academic and cocurricular experiences. At Cal Poly Pomona, the Center for Community Engagement partnered with University Advancement to cohost volunteer opportunities for alumni, allowing them to feel connected to the university's mission.
2.
During the 2023-24 academic year, more than 12% of CSU students (45,000) participated in a community-engaged learning experience that fosters civic engagement and academic knowledge. These academic courses bring to life the power and impact of these learning experiences. At CSUN, graduate students in the Manufacturing Systems Engineering: Product Design course redesigned an outdated accessibility tool for a youth-focused dance organization that welcomes all abilities, body types and learning styles. In addition, Cal State LA's Community Based Social Marketing course allowed students to develop 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking and communication, by working with a counseling center to create client profiles and examine counselor diversity and service gaps.
3. Across the system, more than 27,000 students participated in hands-on service opportunities during the 2023-24 academic year. In addition to service-learning courses, students can take part in paid and volunteer service opportunities that reinforce life skills like leadership development. Cal State East Bay's
Pioneers for Change is a peer-to-peer, leadership program that helps students grow through team building, service projects and service-learning internships. This year, student leaders organized Day of Service projects, which resulted in nearly 80 CSUEB students contributing 700 hours of service to address local community issues such as food security and sustainability.
4. Annually, all CSU campuses offer students opportunities to participate in paid community engagement programs. These opportunities provide students with valuable career training while helping them pay for their education. For example, the
#CaliforniansForAll College Corps program, which involves 16 CSUs, grants $10,000 to 1,250 students who complete up to 450 hours of community service during the academic year. Through the program, thousands of CSU students tackled California's key educational, social and environmental challenges this year. A group of College Corps students from CSU Bakersfield served at The Open Door Network, which supports families experiencing homelessness, by tutoring school-aged children to boost their academic achievement.
5. For the past decade, the systemwide CSU STEM VISTA program has boosted retention and graduation rates for diverse science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) students. CSU STEM VISTA is a one-year leadership development program for early-career and emerging professionals. It places college graduates, many of whom are CSU alumni, at CSU campuses to help support CSU STEM students by improving STEM education and eliminating race, class and gender disparities in STEM-related undergraduate degree programs. Kayleen Mojica, a 2024-25 VISTA member at CSU San Marcos, is forging partnerships with university programs, community colleges and high schools to create clear educational pathways and equip students with the skills and confidence to pursue STEM careers.
6. Campus Community Engagement/Service-Learning Centers raised $24 million from a variety of private funders and public initiatives during the 2023-24 academic year to support community engagement. This is a return of $24 for every dollar invested by the state for this past year. College Corps alone brought in $22 million of investment to the CSU during the 2023-24 academic year, helping the university work towards its vision of increasing educational access and student success, as well as contributing to a vibrant and thriving California.
Learn more about the
CSU Center for Community Engagement.