Since its doors opened in 1983, the Center has nurtured efforts to empower students to address the social concerns of our times. Each group develops relevant leadership and organizational strategies. Similarly, as experiential and service learning has taken root across the nation, Notre Dame students have enhanced efforts to create academically-based immersion opportunities. Student task forces assist faculty and staff at the Center in organizing and planning the Appalachia Seminar, the Urban Plunge, the Summer Service Project, the Mexico Seminar, and many other educational efforts the Center sponsors across the nation and world. In residence halls, which have become an additional locus for service and social awareness activities, the Center assists student efforts by placing a Social Concerns Commissioner in each hall.
Commissioners participate in leadership training before and during the academic year.
In addition to the voluntary leadership the Center supports, we employ a variety of work study students, interns, and graduate students to facilitate Center efforts. All function as leaders in various ways. Throughout its diverse initiatives, the Center employs a vision of partnership. As appropriate, we collaborate with these partner organizations to provide informal and formal leadership training for our constituencies. For example, the Center offers training and consultation for representatives of Indiana colleges interested in expanding service-learning opportunities.