Greetings,

We are thrilled to present the 2023-2024 edition of the annual Michigan State University (MSU) Community-Engaged Learning Index! This year has been one of milestones, memories, and special moments. While a milestone traditionally marks a specific point on a journey, figuratively it represents significant events worthy of reflection and potential transformation.

This edition of the Index celebrates the 10th year of the Center for Community Engaged Learning's efforts to collect and share data and stories about community-engaged learning at MSU. Over the past decade, this report has become a vital tool for acknowledging the contributions of our partners, students, and colleagues who advance the public purposes of higher education, fostering connections that build relationships and resources.

Milestones to Remember

Michigan State University has proudly achieved the No. 1 spot in service-learning (referred to as community-engaged learning at MSU) among public universities and No. 8 overall in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best College rankings. This is a noteworthy accomplishment, especially considering MSU was recognized as an institution to watch in 2007 and ranked No. 2 and No. 13, respectively, in the same categories in 2023.

Moments of Celebration

To honor this remarkable achievement, we gathered with President Kevin Guskiewicz to celebrate. Faculty, staff, students, and partners came together to recognize this distinction and celebrate MSU's commitment to community engagement.

Being ranked No. 1 in the nation for community-engaged learning highlights the value we place on service and civic engagement. Embracing our land-grant mission, we emphasize outreach alongside instruction and research, acknowledging that significant learning happens beyond the classroom through collaborative service and community partnerships.

— President Guskiewicz

Memories: Looking Back to Move Forward

We invite you to reflect on the impactful moments of community engagement that have defined new milestones for MSU, including:

• The Spartan Volunteer Service Award, presented by CCEL and the MSU Office of the President, honored 130 recipients who each logged at least 100 hours of community engagement over the past year. These students collectively contributed 23,628 hours of service, representing an investment of $751,370 in the community.
• MSUvote, a collaboration between CCEL and the MSU Center for Community and Student Relations, celebrated its 25th year of enhancing democratic engagement and voter participation on campus. MSU's student voting rates are currently 16% higher than the national average (per the 2022 National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement).
• Spartan Days of Service marked its 10th anniversary, uniting MSU students and Spartan alumni to serve with local organizations. Since 2014, nearly 7,000 students have participated, contributing a total financial impact of over $1.17 million.
• The center's Special Topics Series celebrated its 5th anniversary, bringing together over 650 community-engaged learning practitioners to discuss resources, tools, and strategies to bridge theory and practice.

The experiences shared by students and partners are what truly make a difference. The lifelong learning and dedication fostered through community-engaged learning at MSU are profoundly meaningful. This year saw 24,395 student registrations for community-engaged learning, with 29% (7,166) tied to academic courses or programs and 71% (17,229) focused on co-curricular community service and engagement.

We hope you take a moment to appreciate this significant edition of the MSU Community-Engaged Learning Index, join us in celebrating these achievements, and carry forward your own experiences and memories as we continue to work together for the common good.

Sincerely,