Civic Engagement
Civic engagement is at the core of our mission to educate students for global citizenship and responsible leadership
Civic engagement and leadership development are supported by the Center for Leadership & Community Engagement and many student organizations on campus. At the heart is The Democracy Project, a student-led, nonpartisan initiative to encourage civic engagement at Rollins.
Rollins recently received a Gold Seal in recognition of the College’s outstanding voting rate of 72.9 percent during the 2020 election. This is a 10 percent increase from 2016 and exceeds the national average of 66 percent.
Rollins’ civic engagement achievements are recognized worldwide, perhaps most visibly through its designation as a Changemaker Campus, an honor bestowed on only 46 colleges or universities in the world.
Making an Impact
- 72.9%
Rollins student voter turnout for the 2020 presidential election
- 16+
Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement courses offered each semester
- 5th
consecutive year earning a voter-friendly campus designation
- No. 1— Florida Campus Compact
Most Engaged Campus
Voter Friendly Campus
For the fifth straight year, Rollins has been named a voter-friendly campus. The College was one of just 258 universities in the nation to receive the designation for 2023-2024. Rollins’ longtime leadership in democratic engagement owes special success to the student-led Democracy Project, which supports the campus community during and beyond election cycles by creating strategic plans to help students overcome barriers to engaging in the political process.
Read More
The Democracy Project
The Democracy Project is a student-led, non-partisan organization that encourages members of the Rollins community to engage in the democratic process. Students can register to vote, sign up for absentee ballots, learn about the election process, and more.
Student Organizations
Both political parties have voices on campus and engage students through the Rollins Republicans and Rollins Democrats organizations.
Immersions
From addressing homelessness in communities to visiting our nation's capital to understand how our government works, Rollins’ Immersion program puts our students face to face with some of today’s most pressing challenges impacting their vision of how civics impacts people's lives. These journeys of education, reflection, and action have resulted in transformative experiences that repeatedly land Rollins in the No. 1 spot nationally for the highest percentage of students who participate in alternative breaks.
Courses and Curriculum
Democratic engagement is part of the culture at Rollins, embedded in both curricular and co-curricular programs.
Sample list of courses taught during the Spring 2025 semester:
- American Environmental History
- American Politics
- Congress & Legislative Process
- Diversity in American Education
- Environmental Justice
- Ethics and Social Justice
- Food Culture and Environment
- Justice & Democracy
- Peace and Conflict Studies
- Philosophy of Democracy
- Political Economy Body & Food
- Political Economy of Environmental Issues
- Social Movements
- State of Black America
- Theories of Democracy
Campus and Community Events
Campus events encouraging civic engagement include voter registration drives, Politics on Tap, Meet your Elected Officials, and many more.
Committed Faculty
Rollins faculty members have been consistently recognized by Campus Compact for their contributions beyond the bounds of the classroom. Political science professors have been recognized for their outstanding civic learning and engagement in sustaining our participatory democracy. And, our anthropology professors have also received recognition for their efforts to create collaborative relationships with community members and organizations that display a shared commitment to advancing social justice goals like health care for vulnerable communities.
Career and Internship Prep
In today’s competitive marketplace, internships have become increasingly valuable in positioning undergrads for success in graduate school and the workforce. Our students have served various roles including a Florida House intern with the U.S. House of Representatives on Capitol Hill, interns to Senators and Representatives, a political analyst for an AI and media analysis company, a ranger for the Department of Environmental Management, a legislation and advocacy fellow for an environmental sustainability organization, and a natural areas and trails management intern with the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Department, among many others.
Current & Future Leaders
-
Christina Babbitt ’03
Senior Manager, Global Sustainability, Starbucks
-
Kalli Joslin ’19
Civil-Rights Lawyer
-
Eliane Heller ’21
Public Affairs Manager, Keefe Singiser Partners
Newman Fellow
-
Liam King ’24
2023-2024 Ginsburg Fellow
-
Alexandria Cohen ’25
2024-25 Ginsburg Fellow
-
Joseph Pool ’26
2024-25 Ginsburg Fellow
Champions of Change
May 28, 2025
Center for Leadership & Community Engagement Earns Service Excellence Departmental Award
This award recognizes a department or team for demonstrating evidence of meeting or exceeding Rollins’ service standards: responsive, respectful, collaborative, competent, and inclusive.
February 29, 2024
Passport to Purpose
During spring break, our students have the opportunity to explore real-world issues and grow as global citizens.
April 28, 2023
Around the World in 8 Days
With passion and purpose, Tars set out this past spring break to explore real-world issues and grow as global citizens.
#RollinsVotes
Rollins has made it easy for students, faculty and staff to register to vote and learn more about their local elections. Sign up to get election reminders, check your registration, and get help with voter registration and voting by mail.
Register to Vote
A Campus Committed to Change
Rollins is one of just 46 colleges in the world to earn Ashoka U’s Changemaker Campus designation, which recognizes the leading institutions in social innovation and changemaking.
Explore Our Changemaking Campus