At the University of Chicago, civic engagement is an institution-wide commitment that draws upon our strength as an economic anchor and on the power of education, research, and innovation to create positive impact and opportunity in neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago, in the City of Chicago and beyond. The University of Chicago aims to demonstrate the transformative civic role that leading urban research institutions around the world can have on their home cities.
The Office of Civic Engagement (OCE) at the University of Chicago connects the University to our neighbors and helps to foster a university-wide approach to civic engagement. OCE works to inform, support, and advance the community engagement of our faculty, students and staff. Working with community partners, OCE strengthens community organizations and small businesses, improves access to education, and connects residents to jobs —all with the goal of advancing economic and social progress in our neighboring communities and the city as a whole.
OCE pursues civic partnerships that begin with shared opportunity, build reciprocity, and result in greater positive impact.
The Office of Civic Engagement leads a suite of programs that directly serve hundreds of Chicagoans each year, with an emphasis on youth, community organizations and small businesses from the South Side. Our programmatic focus areas include:
- Improving College Readiness
- Strengthening Local Communities
- Supporting Student Engagement; and
- Expanding Economic Opportunity
We work in partnership with the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, the University of Chicago Policy Labs, and the University of Chicago Urban Network which brings together 21 urban-focused research institutes, policy labs and centers at the University focused on confronting urban challenges through rigorous testing and analysis, data science, and the application of emerging technologies,
