What a year we have ahead of us at Missouri State! A new health and wellness center, the renovations in Glass and Ellis halls will be finished and my personal favorite: the new Einstein’s Bagel! These are just a few highlights of the big changes happening on campus. While change is all around campus, Missouri State remains consistent in its mission to engage students in its Public Affairs mission.

The Center for Community Engagement is ecstatic to continue engaging students in meaningful service and rolling out new programming with a mission to promote positive social change and foster understanding of our university’s public affairs mission. Meaningful community engagement is key to making your Missouri Statement. Just ask Clif Smart.  Here are a few ways to start following your passion at Missouri State and in the Springfield community!

1. Bear Service Days! Join us September 9th for Into The Streets Service Day. Along side hundreds of fellow bears, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Springfield community and serve. If you can’t make Into the Streets, we will have service days throughout the school year that you can take part in!
2. Immersion Trips! Our immersion trips can take you across the country and even to Costa Rica! Check out our website and find out how you can join one of our trips. This fall break students will be lead on trips to St. Louis and Milwaukee to focus on this year’s public affairs theme, Sustainability! !
3. Community Engagement 101! Come learn and serve with community partners every day from 4pm-5pm in PSU 131. Office staff will go over the latest community service opportunities, talk about becoming an effective service leader, and how to make the most of your service experiences. This is a fantastic way to start connecting with community agencies that can last for years to come.
4. Bear Service Team! BST plans and promotes service opportunities for Missouri State students. Partnering with local agencies and fostering opportunities for meaningful service are essential to Bear Service Team and to Missouri State students looking to take their community service experiences to the next level.
5. Advocacy Events! The Center for Community Engagement sponsors and programs several advocacy events throughout the school year. From documentary screenings to speaker panels, advocacy events are a great opportunity to learn about community partners and speak with professionals that can get you started working with their agency. Coming in September will be events focused on Sustainability. Check our website for updates!
6. GivePulse! This amazing system is set up with dozens of community partners in the area. Check daily for new events and service opportunities around the community. This is an information hub for service days and service opportunities in the Springfield area. If you aren’t in town, enter your zip code for the possibility of serving elsewhere! You can find an event for almost every day of the week!

May will be here before we know it, so make the best of your time this year! As a senior, I am looking forward to the service experiences that will make this last year special. Don’t be strangers. If you ever have questions reach out by emailing us at volunteer.missouristate.edu or stopping by our office in Plaster Student Union room 131.