Civic Leadership Council (CLC) is part of the Pace Center for Civic Engagement and has the mission of “fostering an environment of community-building and professional skill development for Princeton students involved in civic engagement efforts through a learning experience that will enable members to act as leaders in their respective communities and future endeavors.” 

The purpose of the Council is to develop meaningful service initiatives in collaboration with community partners to address the needs of various communities. We do this by designing, planning, and implementing impactful service projects over the course of an academic year. Projects are developed by working group cohorts in diverse service areas, such as criminal justice, political engagement, health, anti-violence, and hunger and homelessness. Each cohort typically consists of a working group leader and five to eight council members. 

CLC’s working groups take a unique approach to service by empowering students to be innovators and leaders in their communities. We do this by equipping council members with the tools and skills to bring projects to fruition. By the end of the academic year, all members will know how to design a service project from start to finish. All members of CLC will engage deeply with and finetune their leadership, innovation, and problem-solving capabilities. 

What does CLC offer? 

➔ Internal working groups 

➔ Council-wide service projects 

➔ Professional skill development 

➔ Inner council mentorship 

➔ Speaker events and workshops 

➔ Pathways for upper-level leadership positions 

 

The values central to the work at CLC are: 

● Collaboration: Collaborating with community partners, Pace Staff, council members, and other organizations is central to our work. We seek to establish meaningful connections, upheld by our commitments to teamwork, communication, and mutual respect. 

● Leadership: Leadership is a role every council member in CLC will step into. All members will employ their problem-solving, adaptability, and decision-making skills in each project development phase. 

● Creativity: Creativity is inherent to developing and producing service projects in CLC. We encourage students’ innovation and imagination when devising solutions to community partners' needs. 

 

Expectations and Requirements 

All members are expected to be present at the weekly council meeting, dedicate 2-3 hours per week to their cohorts’ projects, and demonstrate commitment to community engagement. However, no service experience is necessary! Just bring your passion and commitment to solving community needs. 

Love the work we do at CLC, but don’t currently have the capacity to contribute 2-3 hours per week to CLC through our working groups? Become a general member instead! Join our general listserv to volunteer at working group service projects, attend speaker events, and participate in our one-time service opportunities. Email us to join! 

If you are interested in joining the Civic Leadership Council or have any inquiries, please email us at [email protected]

Please Note: 

As our work at the Civic Leadership Council is done in tandem with community partners, we take the Pace Center for Civic Engagement’s partnership principles seriously. Our service is tethered to the four following principles: 

1. Preparation as a Continual Practice 

2. Communicate Early and Often 

3. Approach Service with Integrity 

4. Cultivate Equity in Partnerships 

You can read more about Pace’s Partnership Principles here.

Connect with CLC

Email CLC Co-Chairs Noura Shoukfeh ([email protected]) and Jennifer Melo ([email protected]) with questions or concerns.

Contact

Learn

Trainings/Workshops
Allyship Through Service and Mutual Aid

Gain the skills, knowledge and tools to be able to practice and model forms of allyship and take part in mutual aid networks.

Service
Publications/Guides
Be In the Service of Humanity

When we examine how our values intersect, we gain insight into how we can use commonalities or differences to deepen our service and civic engagement and move forward. 

Reflection
Publications/Guides
Building Your Team

Acts of service and civic engagement are only made stronger when folks come together, combine their assets, and work toward a common vision.

Preparation
Publications/Guides
Community Assessment

Taking time to understand the issue your plan to work on and how it manifests in real time for the community is crucial to developing a successful, meaningful, and sustainable effort.

Preparation
Publications/Guides
Effective Communication

Effective communication can help you build a strong rapport with others and generate support for your work while starting a dialogue about this issues you are passionate about.

Service
Trainings/Workshops
Engage at Home

Learn about mutual aid networks, how to plug into community needs in your town, and where to find virtual volunteer opportunities.

Preparation
Service