Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement

11 - 50 employees
6470 Forsyth Blvd St. Louis, MO   63130
The Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement’s mission is to foster a vibrant culture of civic engagement across Washington University, realized by engaged citizens, scholarship, and partnerships that advance the collective good. Through both academic and co-curricular initiatives, the institute educates students for lifelong engaged citizenship, catalyzes partnerships that respond to community needs and priorities, and infuses civic engagement throughout the Washington University experience. As a university-wide interdisciplinary initiative, the Gephardt Institute serves all academic schools, university departments, undergraduate students, and graduate students, reporting to the Executive ViceChancellor for Civic Affairs and Strategic Planning and to the Provost's Office. The institute is non-partisan and proactively seeks to support and include diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and ideologies, with strong attention to equity. The Gephardt Institute team is comprised of individuals who are mission-driven, values-focused, dynamic, collaborative, visionary, and passionate about the role of civic engagement in a thriving democracy. The institute upholds the values of inquiry, empathy, collaboration, integrity, equity, and action. The staff focuses on four primary audiences: undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, community organizations in the St. Louis region, and alumni and donors. Since the institute’s founding in 2005 by Congressman Dick Gephardt, the professional staff size has grown from two to thirteen, with eight or more part-time, short-term, and adjunct positions and 10-20 paid interns/fellows from undergraduate and graduate programs. The institute recently relocated to the historic Stix House as its sole occupant. The institute offers a broad range of programs and services to the Washington University community and to partners in the St. Louis region, such as the Civic ScholarsProgram; support for faculty teaching Community-Engaged Courses; Engage Democracy; new student engagement; and Civic Engagement Fund grants for community partnerships.