As part of campus–wide efforts to enhance volunteer engagement among students, faculty and staff, the NAU Center for Service and Volunteerism (CSV), with support from the Office of the President, will be hosting a Community Expo from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the DuBois Center Ballroom.
To bring together local nonprofits and NAU, organizations have been invited to campus to discuss volunteer engagement and connect students, staff and faculty with organizations that could utilize them as volunteers. Nearly 50 organizations from throughout the Flagstaff area will be participating, providing the Flagstaff Mountain campus community with a variety of news ways to serve.
“We are excited to invite students, staff and faculty to learn about how they can get involved with causes they care about,” CSV director Erin Kruse said. “With 50 different organizations participating, ranging in focus from environmental to social justice, youth to older adults, food security or supporting arts endeavors, there is something for everyone.“
In addition to the Community Expo, community organizations will participate in a networking breakfast and community conversation, where they will have the opportunity to talk with each other and NAU leadership (student groups, faculty, staff, administration) about volunteer engagement needs and how we can work together more effectively to address shared goals and needs.
These efforts spring from conversations CSV staff had earlier this year with leaders of the Flagstaff nonprofit sector. Those leaders shared that while many organizations engaged NAU volunteers, the vibrant and abundant human resources of the campus community were underutilized.
“Volunteering is already happening, and we know that more students, staff, and faculty want to give their time and talents to improve Flagstaff, but what they may not know is how or where they can get involved,” said Andrew Facemire, a coordinator at CSV “We are here to help make that process easier.”
A commitment to public service
The Community Engagement Expo aligns directly with the mission of the university and the CSV. As part of the NAU 2025 – Elevating Excellence plan, and under the leadership of President Cruz Rivera, NAU has committed to enhancing and celebrating its culture of community engagement by building new and expanding existing mutually beneficial partnerships to promote civic responsibility, contribute to the public good, and advance knowledge and service throughout Arizona and beyond.
CSV is a leader in the field of service and volunteerism that supports a vibrant, diverse network of individuals and partner agencies that make an exceptional impact throughout Arizona. Though their primary role has been hosting AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programing, they also strive to be a nexus for community engagement between campus and community.
As part of those efforts to build a culture of service and volunteerism, NAU authorized the creation of the Staff Community Engagement Time for benefit-eligible staff, granting 16 hours of leave each year to encourage and foster volunteerism.
“Northern Arizona University has a long and proud legacy of being a university that is closely engaged with the communities we serve. Whether it be through clothing drives, stocking Louie’s Cupboard or ensuring those in need still enjoy a rich and vibrant holiday season,” President Cruz Rivera said. “Our faculty, staff and students show up to give back. This is why we are taking the idea of giving back to the next level.”
The Community Expo is part of an effort to better assist faculty and staff in finding ways to engage with the community that will maximize their talents and abilities to serve community organizations.
For more information about CSV or the Community Expo, please contact Kristal.Herrera@nau.edu or (928) 523-9043.