The Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement
engagedcitizens , thriving commu ni ti e s
We build mutually beneficial partnerships with the St. Louis community, create civic engagement opportunities for students, and prepare them to lead change wherever they live and work.
Our mission is to foster a vibrant culture of civic engagement throughout Washington University by catalyzing student learning, participation, and impact in civic life.
OUR IMPACT
WE ENGAGE DEMOCRACY. Through political participation, public problem solving, and civic dialogue, we provide students with the knowledge and skills to contribute to democracy. Our e orts include robust voter engagement in every election, educational programs about civic issues, and civic skills workshops that deepen students' understanding of representative governance and their resolve to take action at local, national, and global levels.
Working with Gephardt has made me think more critically about my place in my community and has reminded me of the importance of thoughtfully and critically engaging with people, organizations, and governments.”
-ERIEL CONFER, Goldman Fellow
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Through Gephardt programs, students have contributed over 48,000 internship hours to St. Louis organizations to date.
WE ENGAGE ST. LOUIS.
We encourage students to embrace St. Louis as a vital part of their education and apply their talents to foster positive change in our region. We teach students about St. Louis through the perspectives of our neighbors and local leaders, o er paths to local involvement, and build partnerships with community organizations for students to support their mission-critical work.
OUR IMPACT
Our Gephardt fellow connected us with some community members who desperately needed our services, but we would never have connected if not for her. Without her bringing this relationship together, that person would have had to go to court alone without a lawyer.”
-BRUCE MORRISON, President of Great Rivers Environmental Law Center
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WE FOSTER CIVIC ACTION.
Our goal: Every WashU student, regardless of their academic or career pursuits, will graduate with a deep sense of civic responsibility. They will be ready to act on this responsibility and help foster solutions to community challenges. Through cohort-based programs and classes, we teach students vital skills for leading change, working across di erences, and developing their civic commitments.
OUR IMPACT
The Gephardt Institute is essential to Washington University's mission to educate and equip our students to be engaged members of our global society and leaders in addressing society's greatest challenges.”
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-CHANCELLOR ANDREW D. MARTIN
319 students funded to dedicate their summers to addressing civic issues in St. Louis and across the nation
St. Louis represents a microcosm of the challenges and opportunities facing the United States, and is a powerful place for students to learn about and contribute to the process of change.
The impact of Gephardt Institute programs begins in St. Louis, and emanates throughout the nation and even the globe. WashU students partner with local e orts to help achieve greater results, and also create their own initiatives. Whether they stay in St. Louis, return to their home communities, or engage with a new place—they carry the drive, knowledge, and experience with them to continue a ecting positive change.
STL AND BEYOND
I think it's really important to experience di erent worldviews and perspectives o campus, because it will challenge you to become a better professional and academic.
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-LAUREN LOFTIS, Civic Scholar
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If there was ever a time that we needed active citizenry, it is now. It is always.”
-Former U.S. Rep. Richard A. Gephardt, Founder gephardtinstitute.
wustl.edu