Civic & Global Engagement

Build stronger and more vibrant communities by connecting the University and community in mutually beneficial ways to effect meaningful change.

Goals and Accomplishments

Emphasize University-community partnerships that are collaborative, participatory, empowering, systemic, and transformative

• Started the North State Roots initiative to bring together campus community and North State stakeholders for reciprocal and interdisciplinary partnerships to address the self-defined issues of the North State and provide increased experiential, community-based learning opportunities.

• Established Regional Faculty Fellow for partnership-building and student recruitment and retention from the service region, with a focus on pathways into education, health, and STEM careers. Two different grants will fund a buyout for a “regional faculty fellow” and up to five regional student ambassadors to focus on underrepresented regional students and partnerships.

• Offer a two-day paid Community Engagement in Teaching and Research faculty development workshop every spring to support instructors in making deeper community connections in their curriculum.

• Support faculty in developing community partnerships, accessing service-learning course attributes, and utilizing Collaboratory, the community engagement database, through an annual Friday Forum presented by the Office of Faculty Development.

Engage students, faculty, staff, and community members through experiential learning and internship opportunities with the communities of the North State and beyond

• In spring 2021, International Education and Global Engagement (IEGE) launched the Presidential Recognition of Global Engagement, awarded to students with demonstrated achievement in language learning, cultural immersion, global perspectives, and cross-cultural learning and service. To date, 22 outstanding students have received this recognition.

• Chico State’s Study Abroad and Exchange program has consistently ranked among the top ten in the nation for master’s colleges and universities by the Institute for International Education (IIE).

• Approximately $93,100 in scholarships were awarded to Chico State Study Abroad participants in the 2022–23 academic year.

• OCE’s Civically Engaged Scholar Award and Early Career Community Engaged Faculty Award continues to recognize faculty and provide $500 in professional development funds.

• Hired a regional faculty fellow in charge of the North State Ambassadors, along with six grant-funded North State Ambassadors who have each hosted Power Hours in the new affinity space in Meriam Library, and presented at several events on and off campus.

Create an environment committed to the active pursuit of global engagement, service, social justice, and connectedness

• Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) continues to expand. A COIL Faculty Learning Community has been facilitated by International Engagement and Global Engagement in conjunction with the SUNY COIL center, and many professors continue with COIL implementation into one or more courses each term. Additionally, participating Chico State faculty have established new international teaching connections in the Netherlands, Brazil, China, Mexico, Chile, Spain, Venezuela, Italy, Hong Kong, Colombia, Germany, Ukraine, the Philippines, and Finland with others to come.

• Reopened the International Education and Global Engagement US Passport Acceptance Facility (The Passport Place) on February 14, 2022. IEGE staff have served 1,508 passport applicants since reopening, 42% of which were Chico State staff, faculty, and students.

• Established opportunities for international students at Chico State to nominate a faculty or staff member who has made a significant impact in their lives for the International Wildcat Outstanding Faculty Award. In 2022, IEGE recognized Dr. Hassan Salehi, Department of Electrical/Electronic and Computer Engineering. In 2023, IEGE recognized Dr. Abbas Attarwala, associate professor in the computer science department

• Continued growing the International Wildcat Program to provide weekly and event programming for all new and continuing international students, National Student Exchange participants, and recent study abroad returnees.

• During the 2022–23 Academic Year, five Chico State students were selected and awarded a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship ranging from $2,000 to $7,000; this highly competitive scholarship promotes study and internships in a diverse array of countries and study languages.                                                                                                                  
• IEGE has expanded its digital and in-person recruitment presence to 60+ national markets across 5 continents. Efforts to grow international admissions and outreach efforts have been bolstered through creative marketing and recruitment initiatives by staff, faculty, and students.

Instill a culture of philanthropy and social engagement

• Continued expansion of the International Student Ambassador Fellowship, a leadership development and peer mentorship program for Chico State International Wildcats. These future leaders receive extensive coaching in project management, event planning, interpersonal and intercultural communication, career development, professionalism, and customer service. During the 2023–24 academic year, six International Student Ambassadors will serve in IEGE and serve as global ambassadors in support of the international admissions and retention efforts at Chico State.

• Continued promotion of Giving Back Home (GBH), an initiative that supports students who want to contribute to the vitality of their home community while they are attending Chico State.

• Furthered growth of voter outreach, with an 87 percent voter registration rate in 2020 that won Chico State the Secretary of State Ballot Bowl for the most voter registrations among all institutions of higher education in California.

Broaden opportunities for civic and global engagement in our academic programs

• Recognized by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) as a 2022 Fulbright HSI Leader for the University’s noteworthy engagement with the Fulbright Program.

• Named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the 2021–22 academic year.

• Three successful Chico State Fulbright US Scholars were selected for the 2021–22 academic year: Jesse Dizard (ANTH), Brian Brazeal (ANTH), and Lee Altier (Agriculture), which placed Chico State at the No. 2 spot for the US Scholar Program among masters-granting institutions. Jacque Chase (GEOP) was recently selected for the 2023–24 academic year.

• Selected among the second cohort for the Institute for International Education (IIE) American Passport Project, which allows 25 Chico State Pell-eligible, first-year US students to obtain their passport and get them one step closer to studying abroad.

• Expanded English as a Second Language (ESL) Support Services (online and in-person) tutoring operations in 2021–22; 412 students received tutoring from ESLSS through 1,617 sessions; 36% of students identified as Heritage Learners, and 64% identified as international students.

• Furthered Chico State/IEGE’s digital and in-person recruitment presence to 60+ national markets across five continents.