Bookmark and Share

Community Service

The University of San Diego fosters the development of civic-minded students by providing substantive community service learning opportunities through community partnerships based on mutual trust and respect.

Community service learning reflects the mission of USD, which embraces Catholic moral and social tradition by its commitment to serve with compassion, to foster peace and to work for justice, and prepare leaders dedicated to ethical conduct and compassionate service. Through service, the Center for Community Service-Learning engages USD students, faculty, staff, and alumni to learn in partnership with the community, and make life-long commitments to promote social change and justice. Our programs include course-based service-learning, student run co-curricular service, America Reads/Counts work-study tutoring, and a campus-wide Social Issues Committee which sponsors an annual conference as well as speakers and special events. All projects and programs depend greatly on student leadership.

Our immediate community, Linda Vista, offers a wide array of opportunities for involvement at over 20 sites. A richly diverse community where over 20 languages are spoken within a 4-mile area, student learning opportunities include community organizing, service in schools and after school programs, enrichment and tutoring, and preparing students for college. In the San Diego region, students participate in programs to assist detainees in Juvenile Hall, migrant workers, new immigrants including refugees from the civil war in Sudan and persons who are homeless.

These many opportunities open the doors to understanding of different cultures and pressing social issues facing our region; in fact, almost 70% of students take part in service and contribute over 100,000 volunteer hours annually to our region and world.

Community Service Learning
Center for Awareness, Service and Action (CASA)