KATHLEEN VON EUW writes:

To the Editor:

Over the next two weeks between Monday, October 16th and Friday, October 27th, Manhattan College will be participating in the National Assessment of Service and Community Engagement (NASCE), a web-based survey that measures an institution’s overall level of community engagement by evaluating the rate, frequency, and depth of student community service activities.

This survey is a wonderful opportunity to assess how Manhattan College serves the needs of the community and to highlight the efforts and passions of our students. As such, I am writing to invite all undergraduate students to participate in the NASCE Survey to help improve our ability to grow community engagement programming based on student feedback and interest.

We will use the data to identify where we as an institution are doing well and where we can improve in order to better provide meaningful community engagement experiences for students, and how to engage more sustainably and responsibly in the greater community.  We will be able to share the results of the survey when they become available so that we as a community can thoughtfully examine our level of community engagement, and use the results to inform how, collectively, we may best respond to community-defined needs.

Regardless of your current participation in community service, we are interested in your experiences and attitudes. I highly encourage all students to take the survey. It should only take about 15 minutes to complete and the results will contribute to a growing understanding of community engagement and service in higher education. Upon completion of the survey all students will be able to pick up a Halloween Goodie Bag (with a chance to win a Starbucks Giftcard) in the Social Action Suite, Kelly Student Commons 203.

To learn more about the NASCE please visit http://www.siena.edu/sri/nasce.

As always, please let me know how I might be able to assist you or your student organizations in getting involved in the community.

Let me know if you have any questions and thanks for your time and assistance,

Kathleen Von Euw