In March 2013, the California State University Center for Community Engagement (CCE) will commemorate its 15th anniversary, but the CCE will begin the celebration this December with a campaign to raise funds for CSU students and faculty.

To kick off the anniversary celebration, the CCE will launch a $15,000 fundraising campaign on December 4 via Indiegogo.com (www.indiegogo.com/csu-cce). Funds collected will be made available as grants and scholarships to help support community engagement efforts throughout the CSU.

“Our students live and support their families in the communities in which they serve. They recognize that what they do today will impact the generations of tomorrow. I am continually inspired by their commitment, creativity and passion,” says Judy Botelho, CSU’s director of the Center for Community Engagement. “While our fundraising goal is modest, the service-learning efforts of CSU students and faculty have a profound economic and social impact on the state of California and we are excited to recognize their efforts and help fund service-learning projects that will positively influence higher education, our state and our students.”

Service learning is a dynamic experience that allows students to enhance their in-class learning through active participation in and reflection of, meaningful work performed in their community. As part of its commitment to meet the ever-changing needs of California, the CSU boasts nearly 2,600 service-learning courses available annually. CSU students contribute 32 million hours of community service annually to California’s communities resulting in a total economic impact of $697 million to the state.

For more information about the CSU’s Center for Community Engagement, please visit http://www.calstate.edu/cce/.

About the California State University

The California State University is the largest system of senior higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, approximately 427,000 students and 44,000 faculty and staff. The CSU awards over 95,000 degrees annually and since its creation in 1961 has conferred nearly 2.6 million.