The Center for Community Engagement’s (CCE) programs offer students the chance to learn outside the classroom, focusing on service and leadership as a way to learn about the world and themselves during their time at UT Austin. CCE envisions a world in which all students become lifelong citizens, embodying the University’s core purpose: “to transform lives for the benefit of society.”
Alternative Breaks
Alternative Breaks are immersive service experiences that allow participants to engage in complex issues outside the Austin area. During these trips, which take place during breaks in the academic calendar, students make a visible impact and engage in new experiences, while educating themselves about specific issue areas and learning tools to make a difference beyond UT Austin.
Community Engagement Collective
The Community Engagement Collective is a network of students passionate about community engagement and service. The collective’s vision is that all UT Austin students will be lifelong citizens, and the collective is a place where anyone can find a place to get involved.
President’s Volunteer Service Award
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is a federal volunteer awards program, encouraging United States citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of the United States through presidential recognition to live a life of service. The CCE is an official certifying organization for The President’s Volunteer Service Award. The CCE encourages all volunteers to create an account and begin tracking your service hours.
The Project
More than 2,000 University of Texas at Austin students, faculty and staff come together to participate in The Project, the University’s largest single day of service. Participants complete beautification projects at various sites in one Austin neighborhood alongside residents and local organizations. The Project aims to create meaningful and lasting relationships between neighborhood residents, students and programs.
Tower Awards
The Tower Awards are presented annually to honor excellence in volunteerism among the students, faculty and staff. Since 1992, awards have been presented at a ceremony to honor the dedication of Longhorn community. Today the ceremony recognizes students, faculty and staff of the University, as well as University-community partnership efforts.
UT Volunteer Fair
The UT Volunteer Fair brings community-based organizations to campus to connect with interested volunteers from the UT Austin community.
VolunteerUT
VolunteerUT connects members of the UT Austin community with service opportunities in the greater Austin area. We hope to make volunteering easily accessible, whether as a one-time event or an ongoing commitment, through the GivePulse platform, @VolunteerUT Instagram, or signing up to receiving weekly emails.