Community engagement facilitates the creativity and discovery that is essential to academic excellence. It also ensures that the University contributes to the vibrancy and sustainability of the communities that encompass it.
The Office of Community Engagement provides students, faculty and staff with authentic engagement opportunities that allow them to interact with the world around them.
Whether your goal is to partner with the University, conduct research, serve in the community or meet a curricular need, there are many opportunities to get involved and make a difference.
Featured Program: Thursday Morning Roundtable
This weekly civic engagement program features experts speaking on local, state and national issues of concern to the Central New York community. The Thursday morning meetings, held during the academic year, feature a presentation about an issue or topic of general interest. After each presentation, the speaker holds a question-and-answer session. WCNY-FM, 91.3, broadcasts the programs on the following Sundays at 8 p.m.
- Watch videos of Thursday Morning Roundtable sessions
- Subscribe to Thursday Morning Roundtable emails Please include "Subscribe to TMR emails" in the subject line.
Food Insecurity Awareness Week
The Office of Community Engagement is hosting a weeklong program to raise awareness to the issue of food insecurity, both on the Syracuse University campus and in our Central New York community. For five days, Community Engagement will highlight a different program, both on campus and off campus, about the work being done to address food insecurity and its ties to poverty. The focus is on student programs and resources to combat this issue, along with community organizations that work to combat food issues in our community. To culminate the week, Community Engagement will support a major community food drive, partnering with the Salvation Army, Stadium staff, and student volunteers, prior to the Sept. 17 SU vs. Purdue football game at the JMA Wireless Dome. Learn more about Food Insecurity Awareness Week.
Tuesday, Sept. 13 | Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry
Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry will share the story about food insecurity on campus and the work to combat it.
Wednesday, Sept. 14 | Food Recovery Network
Food Recovery Network is a student-run organization that recovers unused food in our campus dining halls and distributes it to community organizations.
Thursday, Sept. 15 | The Samaritan Center
The Samaritan Center serves meals to people in need in the community and provides support for housing, work placement and connections to other social services agencies for their clients. Syracuse University partners with the Samaritan Center through Hendricks Chapel and volunteers from our campus community for meal services. On Sept. 15, Samaritan Center Executive Director Mary Beth Frey will be the presenter at Thursday Morning Roundtable.
Friday, Sept. 16 | Blessings in a Backpack
Blessings in a Backpack is a national program with local support organized on campus by two groups of Syracuse University student athletes. The athletes held a fundraising drive entitled “44 Hours of Change” on September 15-17, 2022, with the goal of raising $10,000 in partnership with the Syracuse City School District.
Please consider supporting this effort by donating to Blessings in a Backpack.
Saturday, Sept. 17 | Salvation Army Food Drive
At the Sept. 17 SU vs. Purdue football game, the Salvation Army of Syracuse will partner with the University to collect non-perishable food items for the Emergency Pantry. There will be drop-off barrels at 11 locations around campus approaching the JMA Wireless Dome ahead of the noon kickoff, and volunteers for the Salvation Army will collect monetary donations at Red Kettles stationed around the Dome.
Currently, the pantry’s most-needed items include:
Pasta sauce (no glass)
Rice
Canned beans
Canned fruit
Juice (shelf-stable cartons or plastic)
Oatmeal
Thursday, Sept. 22 | Thursday Morning Roundtable: 'New Evidence Regarding the Importance of Food Assistance Programs
This session, featuring Colleen Heflin, associate dean and chair of public administration and international affairs, and Michah Rothbart, assistant professor, both in the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, will address the importance of food assistance programs. Food insecurity is a significant problem for millions of households across America, but recent evidence suggests that federal food assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Free and Reduced School Meal Programs are important for supporting health and academic achievement.
Programs and Resources
We offer a multitude of programs for students, faculty, staff and community members alike. Find a program where you can get involved.
Events
Join the local and campus community by attending one of our sponsored events.
Partners
Strong collaborators—our partners both on and off campus—make our work possible. Find out who they are, what they do and how you can participate.
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