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students at splash jam event

Mission and Vision

Vision

The Center for Student Engagement strives to connect the Volunteer community through meaningful engagement and development opportunities.

Mission

The Center for Student Engagement enriches the student experience through opportunities for personal growth, learning, belonging, and connection. 

Purpose

A staff of energized and creative professionals dedicated to a “students-first” philosophy, the Center for Student Engagement:

  • Promotes student well-being through connection to an array of involvement opportunities.
  • Fosters an inclusive community environment allowing students to discover a sense of belonging
  • Educates student organizations with resources and provides leadership training opportunities to support all aspects of organization development.
  • Advises and supports student organizations on responsible financial management and event planning
  • Oversees VOLink, the online organizational management portal, and the events and socialization request process
  • Hosts campus events, ranging from homecoming to contemporary issues to arts and culture to entertainment
  • Encourages campus tradition and innovation in campus programming

CSE Advising Philosophy

The Center for Student Engagement believes the role of the advisor is to support student leaders in their work to create community through their student organization. Advisors challenge student leaders to think critically and grow in their position. As Advisors, we commit to the following values and actions.

Enhance and build community

Advisors provide opportunities for student leaders to connect and build relationships among one another. We strive to create spaces where all students feel they matter and belong within the organization.

Creating an environment that encourages student well-being

Advisors seek to recognize the balance between a student’s academic and co-curricular responsibilities. We foster an environment where students can participate in a welcoming space that promotes wellness by connecting students with tools to have a good quality of life.

Teach responsible decision making

Advisors challenge students to act with integrity and make positive decisions utilizing critical thinking. We task students with the responsibility of acting as good stewards of funds and teach students the impact of their actions and decisions on the greater campus community.

Developing authentic student leaders

Advisors facilitate leadership retreats, institutes, encourage strengths-based learning, and other practices that are key to personal & professional success. We develop emotionally intelligent, self-authored, student leaders who influence positive change in their student groups, campus and community.

Prioritize opportunities for applied learning

Advisors create and promote opportunities for students to apply knowledge and skills gained in the classroom to hands-on projects in a co-curricular setting. Students will not only gain transferable skills, but also an awareness of those skills and the ability to utilize them in future educational and career goals.