Service Programs

NIU offers several programs for students to get involved in the community through service and civic engagement.  Check out the options below to find out how you can get involved with NIU and the surrounding community: 

The Office of Student Engagement & Experiential Learning provides students with several opportunities to get involved in the community.  One such opportunity is Students in Service, which is a part-time Americorps program that offers scholarships to students for community service.  Upon completion of 300 hours of service, students will receive an educational award of $1,175.  Currently, NIU has 16 Students in Service positions.  In addition, The Huskie Service Scholars program pairs upper-classmen with first-generation or low-income students entering NIU for the first time.  These students will work to complete 300 hours of community service and will receive $1,132 in tuition.  The Project on Civic Reflection (PCR) helps NIU students, faculty, and staff come together to discuss and relate a piece of literature or media to their civic engagement experiences.  

In addition, NIU offers several other opportunities to get involved in the community through service and civic engagement.  The Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development (SILD) provides students with several opportunities to become more actively engaged both on and off campus.  NIU also provides opportunities for undergraduate students to pick majors with a focus on service and civic engagement through departments like the Center for NGO and Leadership Development (NGOLD) and Geology and Environmental Geosciences.  At NIU, the opportunities to get involved in service and civic engagement are endless!