Service Learning + Civic Engagement in the News

The Big Event at KU, a student organization that is centered on non-need-based community service, was awarded “Big Event of the Year” during the 2026 One Big Thanks Conference at the University of Florida.

Educate & Act, hosted by the Center for Service Learning and The Commons at the University of Kansas, will feature three events in spring 2026, centering grant funding and nonprofits, student senate elections and linear economies. The series opens Feb. 17.

Over winter break, 18 Jayhawks traveled to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to volunteer with three community-based organizations as part of KU Alternative Breaks. Established in 1995, KU Alternative Breaks is a student-led program dedicated to fostering a lifelong commitment to service through volunteering and education.

KU is among select U.S. colleges and universities honored for demonstrating a commitment to partnership and collaboration with the larger community.

The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics has announced the start of its 2026 programming year with a slate of events, programs and exhibits that feature conversations reflecting on the nation’s history, culture and future in honor of America at 250. Programming also will include other timely discussions on public service leadership, world and military history, and socioeconomic issues.