Lead with a public purpose. Pursuing the community-engaged leadership program will challenge you to bring about the world you wish to see — now and throughout your life.
You’ll build on your interests and experiences (from courses to extracurricular activities) and develop the skills you need to be an engaged leader — recognizing what the world needs from you and bringing about change through collaboration and respect.
The program is flexible and allows you to move through the stages at your own pace, applying your community engagement and leadership activities from across campus.
Achieving the full certificate takes approximately one and a half years, depending on when you enter stage 2. If you already have satisfied Stage 1 by participating in 40 hours of community engagement and four hours of leadership education at Cornell (or another university if you are a transfer student), then you can apply to enter into Stage 2 directly after you attend an orientation.
Get to know your community through service activities, course projects or sustained engagement with a student organization. If you’re already involved in a community, you can apply your current activities in this stage. If not, Engaged Ambassadors who have earned the full certificate can support you in finding courses, organizations and activities that fit your interests.
How do my social identities shape my view of the world and influence choices I make?
Commit to one community-based project or social issue, while participating in multiple leadership education workshops or a course.
How do I build collaborative relationships here?
Who has made a commitment to this community?
What tools are available to me to amplify what is working?
What risks and sacrifices can I take and make in this context?
Develop a model of change, identify your mentorship family and create a post-Cornell community engagement plan.
How can I support others be their best?
Who determines when I have done a good deed?
What is the community as I see it, the community as I want to see it and my role to fill the gap?
Students who complete the program and achieve the full certificate are invited to apply to serve as Engaged Ambassadors. A team of 12 ambassadors coordinate every aspect of the certificate and earn a work-study wage for their 8-10 hour weekly commitment.
Undergraduate students from any school or college.
Students typically begin pursuit of the certificate during their sophomore or junior year, but you can begin as early as your freshman year. Completing the full program and achieving the full certificate takes approximately one and a half years, depending on when you enter Stage 2.
Funding is available throughout all three stages of the program for students who are committed to community engagement. For more information, see what’s included in each stage.
To start the community-engaged leadership program, register and attend an hour-long orientation event. All orientations are 5 to 6 p.m. in the Engaged Cornell Hub living room, 3rd floor Kennedy Hall.
If you already have already satisfied Stage 1 by participating in 40 hours of community engagement and four hours of leadership education at Cornell (or another university if you are a transfer student), then you can apply to enter into Stage 2 directly after attending an orientation.
All orientations start at 5 p.m. Dinner provided.
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