The Lindy Center for Civic Engagement provides opportunities and maintains records for each student’s completion of the UNIV 101 service requirement.
How many hours of Civic Engagement are required as a Drexel freshman?
For UNIV 101, at a minimum, five hours are required. However, being engaged in the community requires you to think differently about your contribution to society as a whole. Thinking in terms of hours diminishes the value of the project for both you and the organization you are serving. The best placements will likely expect you to serve on a weekly basis, for an hour or two, for several months. Some placements are one-day events, which also fulfill your requirement. Some placements are short in time span, such as a shift at a food bank or dinner in a soup kitchen.
Are there any exceptions to the five hour minimum?
Yes. If you choose to complete a one-time project, sponsored by the Lindy Center, such as a neighborhood tree planting that lasts 4-5 hours, you have met the expectations for the civic engagement project. Full participation in these one-time projects is required for credit.
Do I need to complete five hours all at once?
No. You can divide up the civic engagement project into shifts or even split your time between different projects, as long as this meets the needs of the community organization where you are serving. For example, you could serve for three hours at a soup kitchen and then spend another few hours tutoring children. While we encourage you to go above and beyond the five hour minimum, you do at least need to meet the minimum requirement.
What type of organization can I volunteer at?
In order to earn credit for your civic engagement project, you must serve with a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Volunteering with a for-profit business, helping a family member, or working for a Drexel University group such as the police force, theater, or in your professor’s lab does not count towards your civic engagement requirement.
Can I volunteer with a religious or political organization?
Yes, as long as you are not actively engaged in proselytizing, campaigning, or religious teaching of any kind. For example, you can volunteer to serve food at a soup kitchen run by a church or participate in Habitat for Humanity through a religious youth group. However, any type of “active proselytizing”, such as teaching Sunday school or distributing religious literature will not count towards your civic engagement requirement. Similarly, you can participate in nonpartisan political activity such as voter registration, but not actively campaign for a political candidate or party.
What if I don’t like the projects you have listed on your website?
We encourage you to explore your own interests and create your own project, but all projects must be pre-approved by the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement to ensure that the project is appropriate. You must submit the project request to the Lindy Center a minimum of two weeks prior to the end of the term for pre-approval. Make use of the Self-Designed Project Form to make this request.
Additionally, the Lindy Center is regularly adding new opportunities to the database, so check back if there is not currently an option that appeals to you.
When is my civic engagement due?
Each college and major has its own schedule for UNIV 101 so please check with your instructor. We urge you to not wait until it is due, as placements fill up fast and we want to ensure you are able to complete UNIV 101. Often, the opportunities listed on our database fill up because our community partners have limited space and capacity for hosting volunteers.
How do I register for an opportunity through the database? If I sign up through the database, how do I confirm the date and time that I will serve?
To search and sign up for an opportunity on the database, please follow these steps:
- Access the Database
- Log in using your Drexel user ID and password (As you would sign in to DrexelOne)
- Agree to the Terms and Conditions
- To assist you in your search, you can Edit My Profile so that the database can match your interests and availability with a fitting opportunity.
- You may Search All Opportunities to view in detail all civic engagement opportunities offered through the Lindy Center
- Once you find an opportunity that appeals to you, click Sign Up. An email is automatically generated and sent to you and the organization — confirming your interest in the opportunity. Please note: You are not done yet. It is your responsibility to reach out to the contact person listed on the database to confirm and schedule your participation. Please do not just “show up” at the organization. You must wait for confirmation.
How do I confirm that I have completed my service in order to receive credit?
When you have finished your hours, and, if necessary, turned in a Self Designed Project form:
- Sign back into the Database
- Click Report my Service / Fill out a Survey
- Select the organization where you served from the drop down menu. Report your hours and fill out the survey
- Once you click "OK," your service is officially reported to the Lindy Center.
Upon verifying your participation, the Lindy Center will report your engagement to your UNIV 101 instructor.
Jennifer Johnson
Assistant Director, The Lindy Center for Civic Engagement
215.895.2097
Jpj38@drexel.edu