Princeton offers all members of its community a wide range of opportunities for volunteerism, outreach, and work in public service. In addition to the programs listed below, individual graduate and undergraduate organizations, residential colleges, eating clubs, academic departments and alumni classes promote service through various activities.
The John H. Pace, Jr. ’39 Center for Civic Engagement helps Princeton undergraduate and graduate students learn how to put their values into action. With the Pace Center, students make meaningful connections through learning, experience and reflection. They use their passions and interests to address systemic barriers to create positive change. They learn how to listen, to build equitable and inclusive partnerships, to exercise empathy and to value service and civic engagement as a social responsibility. With the Pace Center, students can reflect on their place in their world, recognize their uniqueness and value both their needs and the needs of the community as they challenge themselves to address today’s most pressing societal issues.
Other civic-engagement programs on campus include:
Office of Community and Regional Affairs. Members of the Community and Regional Affairs staff participate in the creation of special events such as PorchFest, parades, workshops, symposiums and other programs enjoyed by tens of thousands of campus and community members each year. The office partners with campus and community organizations to provide service opportunities and initiatives. It also facilitates access to the Resource Recovery Program by charitable nonprofit organizations so they can acquire at no charge furniture and equipment no longer used by the University.
Novogratz Bridge Year Program. Launched in 2009, Bridge Year is a tuition-free program that allows incoming undergraduate students to begin their Princeton experience engaged in nine months of community-based global learning. While abroad, Bridge Year participants collaborate with schools, environmental groups, art cooperatives, health organizations and other local institutions that are working to respond to community concerns. Participants also study the local language, live with local host families and engage in cultural enrichment activities. Bridge Year placements are offered in Bolivia, China, India, Indonesia and Senegal.
The Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship (ProCES) connects students’ academic work with their interests in and concerns for our local, regional, national and international communities. ProCES supports community-engaged teaching, learning and research by building community partnerships, advising faculty on course design and providing community-engaged academic opportunities for undergraduate students across disciplines. Students may participate in service- or community-oriented learning through courses, internships, or funded junior and senior independent research work. Some students will work with faculty and community leaders to conduct a research project and share their conclusions with organizations that can utilize their work. ProCES courses also equip students with a theoretical or historical foundation for ethical engagement and reflection with communities. This program was previously known as the Community-Based Learning Initiative (CBLI).
International Internship Program. Offering hundreds of summer internship opportunities in over 50 countries, the International Internship Program offers students the opportunity to fulfill pre-professional and personal goals while living and working abroad. IIP Interns have held positions in government, media, education, public health and nongovernmental organizations, as well as financial and research institutions.
Princeton AlumniCorps. Founded in 1989 by Princeton’s Class of ’55, this independent nonprofit supports community organizations committed to building a more just, equitable and sustainable society by developing and engaging young leaders and professionals of all ages to advance social change. AlumniCorps' programs include the flagship Project 55 Fellowship Program, which helps recent graduates build civic leadership skills by supporting nonprofits that serve our most marginalized communities. The Emerging Leaders program provides professional development for aspiring leaders in the nonprofit and public sectors, deepening their social impact by increasing leadership skills, confidence, and resiliency.
Princeton in Service Programs. Three independent nonprofits affiliated with the University—Princeton in Asia, Princeton in Africa and Princeton in Latin America—place Princeton students and/or recent graduates in service internships and fellowships.