The ABCs of Getting the Most out of Your #CLDE16 Experience

Register now for #CLDE16 at http://www.aascu.org/meetings/clde16/

Meet the 2016 CLDE Student Interns: Angelo, Maryam and Manisha!

We are very excited to introduce you to our three student interns for the 2016 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE) Meeting. Angelo, Maryam, and Manisha introduce themselves below and represent the capacity of students in our network to engage meaningfully on our campuses, in our classrooms, and in our broader communities and democracy. In the coming weeks they will work with the meeting planning committee on the program, arranging a student symposium and specifically on creating networking, learning, and organizing opportunities for the students that attend the conference in Indianapolis from June 1-4 and for students committed to civic learning and democratic engagement in higher education to continue to connect with each other and to push us to become the best faculty, administrators, campuses, and communities we’re capable of being.

Please join us in welcoming Angelo, Maryam, and Manisha!
—Jen, Gabriel & Stephanie

Angelo Knapp

My name is Angelo Kapp. I am currently a sophomore attending Delta College (Mich.) and plan to transfer to Northwood University (Mich.) pursuing a degree in advertising and marketing. I previously worked in the automotive industry for seven years. In 2014, my plant closed and I decided to go back to school. I am a member of six different clubs at school and serve as vice president for Citizens In Action, a student-led club that promotes student civic engagement around campus and local communities. Recently I was awarded from the Michigan Campus Compact, Commitment to Service Award.

Maryam Sarhan

My name is Maryam Sarhan and I am a junior attending Stockton University (N.J.) pursuing a degree in political science with a minor in international studies. For the past two years, I have served as the student trustee on Stockton’s Board of Trustees and advocated for my fellow peers’ needs and concerns, while also  helping to establish a $30,000 fund to address food insecurity on campus. This past year, I was part of Stockton’s UptoUs team, a national bipartisan campaign that raises awareness about the national debt crisis. My team and I placed first nationally against 44 other schools and earned recognition from former President Bill Clinton.

Manisha Vepa

My name is Manisha Vepa, and I am a sophomore economics and global studies double major at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) (Md). I am a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, which is a program at UMBC that supports talented undergraduates aspiring to careers in service of the public interest in government, non-profit organizations, corporations, and the community; and am working towards a career in public service and government affairs. I am part of a number of civic engagement efforts on campus both formal and informal. In the student government association, I advocate for student interests to be reflected in mandatory fee changes. I am also involved with the UMBC BreakingGround Initiative and collaborate with other students, faculty, and staff to provide grants and suggest projects that would strengthen the campus community.

It is an honor to be selected to represent students and be a voice on the 2016 CLDE Planning Committee. We believe that this opportunity will be an invaluable experience to share our experiences and to learn from others. Together, we plan to create an environment at the meeting where students can better network and share ideas for engaging their peers in their communities. We want to encourage students to commit to building national and community partnerships now and in their future endeavors. Furthermore, we hope to build a strong national network to collaborate on larger civic learning and democratic engagement initiatives. After the conference, we will take the lessons we have learned during the meeting and share them on our home campuses. We will also continue to engage with students across the nation to continue the conversations and work started at the 2016 CLDE. We are looking forward to helping empower students and make strides in creating a more civically engaged population.

To learn more about the 2016 CLDE Meeting visit the event website today.

#FacesofCLDE is coming back! Share your CLDE Story

BY GERALD WILLIAMS, DIRECTOR OF CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY (GA.)

On behalf of the CLDE Meeting Advisory Committee, I am pleased to invite you to the 2016 ADP/TDC/NASPA Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE) Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana June 2-4. This meeting brings together the best of brains for some discussions about the direction of CLDE across our nation. It is imperative that we begin to get the word out about this event to ensure everyone gets a chance to contribute and be in attendance to celebrate the work that is being developed by various community partners, faculty, students, staff, and administrators across the nation advancing civic learning and democratic engagement through higher education. This year should be particularly thought-provoking in light of the concerns and outcry over controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). If there was ever a time to connect to higher education leaders involved in the work of CLDE this is it.

#FacesofCLDE is coming back

Last year we had 653 participants attend the 2015 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE) Meeting. This year we are looking to have even a greater showing. To start us off, I want to challenge each of my colleagues on the CLDE Meeting Advisory Committee and you, to join me in launching our Year Long Campaign. We want to generate as much discussion about this meeting and CLDE as possible. To do this requires we accomplish two things. Firstly, the relaunching our Faces of CLDE Campaign. All it is going to take is you taking a picture of yourself while holding a sign reading #FacesofCLDE answering one of the following questions:

1. What are you most excited about for this year’s CLDE meeting?
2. What has been your favorite part of past national/civic learning and engagement meetings?
3. What’s something you want to do while in Indianapolis?

We want to encourage everyone who plans on attending or simply want to support this endeavor to join in. The more the merrier. It is not only important we spread the message of CLDE but the faces that are carrying that message on our campuses and in our communities.

Calling all Bloggers

Secondly, we want you to pull out the writing caps. We are planning on covering a lot of information during the #CLDE 2016 meeting. However, you don’t have to wait until your plane lands in Indianapolis to start sharing. We want to hear about the topics surrounding CLDE that are important to you. Over the next few months take the time to right a quick blog highlighting an area in the space of CLDE. We want to start a dialogue that will spark thoughts leading up to #CLDE 2016.

Mark Your Calendars

There are two things that everyone must mark in their calendars today. One, Early Bird Registration ends April 2016. Two, proposals are due February 1, 2016 by 11:59 p.m. EST. Submit your proposals here: http://apps.naspa.org/cfp/evt_frm_user.cfm?event_id=395.

This is just the start of a new conversation – stay tuned to find out more about #CLDE16.

@NASPAtweets, @ADPaascu, @TDCNational