Students sitting on campus steps

Students

Student engagement and success are at the core of our mission and vision at KU. We want all students to have a holistic college experience — one that connects them to the world around them in meaningful ways. Our hope is that these connections and experiences shape student’s worldviews in positive and productive directions.

Interested in volunteering with a community-based organization? Looking for a service-learning course that fits your schedule? Seeking community-based research opportunities? You’re in the right place.

The Engaged KU Toolkit connects undergraduate and graduate students to resources and opportunities that support strong community partnerships and real-world impact.

Through centering community engagement, students apply classroom learning, build skills, explore career paths – all while making a difference beyond campus. 

How do I get started?

  • Learn the foundations of community engagement by reviewing key definitions and guiding principles in the Engaged KU Toolkit.  
  • Find support for strengthening engagement in community work by using the action cycle in the Engaged KU Toolkit. 
  • Join student organizations – or start your own- to address problems important to the community. 
  • Explore examples of student-led initiatives and projects for inspiration in starting your own.
  • Apply for a Trailblazers Mini Grant to support a community-based project.  
  • Volunteer for a local community-based organization with a mission that aligns with your values.
  • Experts at KU: Online faculty expertise search portal for internal and external users to find research collaborators on the Lawrence and KU Medical Center campuses.
  • Search the community-based research opportunities database to find faculty projects that pertain to your interests, minor, major, or career goals. 
  • Connect with the Center for Service Learning to learn more about service-learning courses that work with your schedule and academic goals. 
  • Attend campus events that promote community-based projects and collaborations across campus. 

Standards & Guidelines

  • Participation: Collaborate on agreements (e.g., MOUs) that document roles, expectations, timelines, and resources to ensure mutual benefit and bidirectional relationships and interactions. Seek opportunities and resources to remove barriers and enhance opportunities to support community engagement (e.g., transportation, scheduling beyond academic calendars, accessibility, t digital access, translation/interpretation, childcare, safety, compensation)) such as through resources available through the Center for Service Learning.
  • Curricular Engagement: Participate in curricular and co‑curricular community engagement experiences (e.g., service-learning, internships, research, leadership). Complete service-learning designated courses with intentional reflection of experience. Engage in structured reflection to build civic identity, skills, and understanding of community issues.
  • Co-curricular Engagement: Participate in co-curricular experiences (leadership, internships, alternative breaks) that supports engagement and reflection outside of the formal coursework that enhances knowledge and partnerships.
  • Civic Learning & Identity: Support opportunities to build civic knowledge/skills and civic identity; participation in campus-wide civic learning initiatives and assessments. Engage in structured reflection to build civic identity, skills, and understanding of community issues.
  • Assessment and Reporting: Track experiences through university tracking systems (e.g., volunteer.ku.edu; Engaged KU). Ensure mutual benefit in supporting community activities that are of value to community partners.

Student Resources

Service Learning & Community Engagement

Volunteer & Campus Involvement

  • Center for Community Outreach - Connect with 13 issue-based, student-led programs offering volunteer opportunities, and additional ways to serve with Douglas County nonprofits.
  • HEAL KU - Student organization focused on health equity and ethical service through community partnerships.
  • KU Community Health Alliance - A KUMC initiative that makes volunteer opportunities more accessible to medical center students and promotes student engagement within the community. 
  • KU Engage - Online student organization database where students can register and manage their student groups.
  • Student Engagement Center - Explore 600+ student organizations and access leadership development resources.
  • Student United Way - Serve in education, income, and health initiatives while building leadership skills.
  • The Big Event is a non-need-based student group that connects the KU campus with the Lawrence community. Annually, the Big Event volunteers provide a helping hand to Lawrence residents by completing projects in their neighborhoods.  

Global & Cultural Engagement

  • Global Awareness Program - Earn certification through international coursework, cultural activities, and study abroad.
  • LEAD UP - Youth development and community research initiative supported by the Office of Community Impact.
  • Study Abroad & Global Engagement - 165+ programs in 70+ countries with options for every major and scholarship support.

Research & Academic Excellence

Examples

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