About the Center for Leadership & Service
About the Center for Leadership and Service (Top)
The Center for Leadership and Service (CLS) provides the structure and resources to prepare students to become productive citizens and assume roles of leadership and service in a culturally diverse and increasingly complex society. The Center fosters lifelong service and civic participation by engaging the University with its greater community in action, change and learning. The CLS was founded on basic concepts of an integration between leadership education and programs; community service and service learning; and community engagement.
The Center for Leadership and Service (CLS) provides educational programs, workshops and conferences; coordinates community service, leadership, and service learning opportunities for students; develops reciprocal relationships with the community in order to best serve all parties; and will serve as a resource and trainer for faculty and staff on these topics. Ideally, the scope of the CLS will expand to also conduct research and provide pedagogical workshops for faculty.
Mission (Top)
The mission of the Center for Leadership and Service is to engage students and cultivate opportunities for personal and academic achievement to prepare students to become leaders in the service of the global community.
“Students are integral components in leadership for positive change
through meaningful, reciprocal contributions within the campus, local and
global communities. Leadership is practiced by individuals and groups through
self-awareness, acting with integrity, collaboration, inclusiveness, controversy
with civility, commitment and responsibility to others and one’s community.”
(UF Leadership Values Statement, Appendix A)
Leadership Framework (PDF)
Leadership Values Statement (PDF)
History (Top)
Community service at the University of Florida has evolved dramatically since the creation of the volunteer student organization, Gators Involved in Volunteer Endeavors (GIVE), in 1992. GIVE’s mission, to increase volunteerism at UF through group community service projects, resulted in a steady increase of service projects and student participants. An analysis of GIVE’s activities in 1997-1998 revealed the program’s effectiveness in stimulating group service projects. It was determined that GIVE had been less effective at providing a volunteer clearinghouse for UF, and that this service was sorely needed.
Accordingly, the Office of Student Activities established the TreeHouse in 1998 to serve as the campus clearinghouse for volunteerism. An assistant director of student activities was assigned to oversee the TreeHouse and its staff of student volunteers. Its mission was to foster an atmosphere of giving and community on the UF campus through involving volunteers in civic leadership. In 2000, TreeHouse was renamed the Office of Community Service, to reflect more accurately its function as the volunteer service center on campus. Some of the major responsibilities of the office included volunteer development, community relations and outreach, service learning, and providing opportunities for community involvement. Long-range goals, objectives, and implementation steps were drafted at this time to guide the development of the OCS.
In 2005, the Office of Community Service was bound for further change. The
physical office location was moved from the OSA to the Dean of Students Office
as part of the new Center for Leadership and Service. The organizational change
stemmed from the recognition of the need for an office that brings the related
components of service learning, student volunteerism, and leadership development
into a coherent, inclusive experience for students. Accordingly, the CLS is
organized into leadership and service branches, each housing their own respective
student groups, projects, and events. Some of the groups that are now a part
of the CLS in addition to the previous OCS groups include: LeadUF, Gatorship,
and the Women’s Leadership Council. UF students have a need to connect
with other organizations and institutions so they can witness cooperative
efforts in their community that address social issues facing our country,
and the CLS provides the structure and resources to promote such experiences.