Campus Compact Reveals New Name
Over the past 30 years, a diverse set of Montana colleges and universities have aligned their public service and student engagement work as the Montana Campus Compact.
As a key part of the national Campus Compact movement, Montana Campus Compact has, over its history, successfully supported thousands of college student volunteers to serve in communities.
This campus network has trained faculty in reciprocal community-engaged teaching, leveraged millions of dollars in AmeriCorps funding for students, supported scholarships, and honored the contributions of hundreds of exceptional Montana students working closely with the Governor’s Office of Community Service, Reach Higher Montana, and others. Following an intentional change to the organization’s structure with long-time national partner Campus Compact, Montana’s college presidents charged staff with a community needs assessment and planning process with stakeholders.
Fort Peck Community College is one of the 18 Montana higher education campuses involved.
In early 2024, campus leaders from Montana’s private, state and tribal colleges and universities engaged in a planning process to understand the intersections of their student and community needs to connect the two better. The planning work resulted in a clear charge to launch a new campus network called the Montana Campus Network for Civic Engagement. Led by campus CEOs and supported by campus staff and faculty, this statewide network’s mission is to educate college students about civic responsibility and partner with communities to inspire, empower, and promote community service and civic engagement.
“Colleges and universities in Montana are a vibrant part of our local communities, contributing volunteers, time, energy, and physical spaces to the common good. Whether through Service Saturdays, food drives, or long-term partnerships with schools and nonprofits, we work hard to be part of the communities that host our institutions. The Montana Campus Network for Civic Engagement, which comprises 18 higher education institutions in Montana, marks a fresh and vibrant re-launch and renewal of the work started over 30 years ago by visionary Montana college presidents like George Dennison (University of Montana) and Joe McDonald (Salish Kootenai College),” President John Cech, Carroll College, said.
