The New York City Civic Engagement Program was founded in 2003 to help Barnard use the city's resources in a systematic, thoughtful way, and to educate students to become active, engaged citizens and leaders of a global community. The Program's initiatives continue the activities of faculty, departments, and the Office of Career Development in helping students engage with New York City. NYCCEP's goals are to facilitate these ongoing activities and create new opportunities for greater engagement between the College and the local community, as well as to develop ways for Barnard to use its existing resources to address community-defined issues and concerns.

To explore the interdependence of theory and practice, NYCCEP emphasizes reflection and a deeper understanding of complex issues from classroom discussions through engagement opportunities in New York City. With a focus on creating new opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and alumnae to engage in intellectual discovery together, NYCCEP plays host to a number of new curricular and co-curricular programs forging connections between Barnard and surrounding communities.

• Facilitate student civic engagement through course-related internships and community service opportunities.

• Support Barnard's use of the resources of New York City in a systematic, thoughtful way to educate students in becoming active, engaged citizens and leaders of a global community.

• Encourage reflection on, and deepen students' understanding of, complex issues learned in the classroom through their engagement with New York City organizations and issues; to explore the interdependence of theory and practice.

• Develop support across the curriculum for the study of issues and strategies related to public service, philanthropy, the not-for-profit sector, and the business and scientific communities.

• Facilitate engagement between the College and the local community by developing ways for Barnard to use its resources to address community-defined issues and concerns.

PROGRAMS:
In order to raise the profile of civic engagement at Barnard, NYCCEP works with a variety of initiatives geared towards involving students, faculty, staff, alumnae, and the community in the various aspects of the program. These initiatives incorporate a reflective component to create both experience and understanding of the issues at hand.

First-Year Reach Out
The First Year Reach Out program (co-sponsored with the College Activities Office and the Dean of Studies Office) places first year students at various service agencies throughout the city during the first week of the academic term. These agencies include parks, shelters, and soup kitchens. Groups of students are lead by faculty and administrator leaders who facilitate a post-event conversation about service and the particular site they visited.

Extended First Year Reach Out
This YEAR-long program is hosted each semester by the Dean of Studies Office and NYCCEP and brings together a group of 15 first year students to serve, learn, and reflect together about a specific issue faced in New York City.

Causes to Careers
The Causes to Careers series is a program of presentation and discussion that brings together Barnard College students with various professionals to discuss translating undergraduate activism and advocacy into a professional life after college.

Civic Engagement House
Civic Engagement House is a living learning community for sophomore students located in the Barnard residence halls. Started in August, 2005, 11 sophomore students engage in seminars, service opportunities and will construct and implement outreach initiatives to bring an understanding of an issue of their choosing to the Barnard community at-large.

Barnard Breaks
Barnard Breaks is an alternative break is a program that gives our students the opportunity to remain in New York City and volunteer their time during academic breaks.