Civic and community engagement are areas where UMSL excels. UMSL has been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as a Community Engaged campus and has four times received the "Voter Friendly" designation by the Campus Vote Project.
UMSL is committed to promoting civic engagement among students. The campus has been involved in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for several years and regularly recognizes civically engaged students through their programs. Check out the 2026 Student Voting Honor Roll. Every two years, members of the UMSL Civic Engagement Coalition put together a civic action plan that has regularly received the Highly Established Action Plan seal from ALL IN.
The Voter Friendly Campus program has designated UMSL as a " Voter Friendly Campus" for 2025-2026 for the fifth time. Read more about this designation in this UMSL Daily article. Campus Vote Project and NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. UMSL was one of 272 campuses from 39 states and the District of Columbia to receive the designation.
ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE?
Voting is both a citizen's right and responsibility. National elections bring a lot of visibility to voting. However, elections take place in states and local communities every year. Register to vote or confirm your current voter registration status. This site, hosted by partner ALL IN to VOTE, has information for all states. Know the deadline to register for upcoming elections, and then make sure to VOTE on election day! #UMSLVotes
UMSL Students are civically engaged through Service
MLK Day of Service is a national initiative to make the recognition of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a "day on, not a day off." Volunteers learn that small changes can have a huge impact within their own neighborhood. Past projects undertaken on MLK Day of Service have included painting, landscaping and remodeling houses for low-income families and homeowners, tutoring elementary school students, and upgrading school classrooms and resource centers.
Students, staff, and faculty are invited to serve as site leaders. Students are paired together with staff or faculty members to work with a non-profit or community organization to develop the project and devise a plan to complete it. This also provides an opportunity to foster relationships outside of the classroom or office setting. If you're looking for a high-impact, short-term leadership opportunity.
Trunk-or-Treat is a service event geared toward UMSL families and the surrounding community. Started in 2010, this program has grown from 75 children to nearly 400 attending! It takes place on the Saturday before Halloween (if Halloween falls on a Saturday, it takes place on that day).
It is intended to:
1) provide a safe and fun way for families to enjoy Halloween festivities
2) early exposure of a collegiate environment to children
3) increase the community’s knowledge about the campus. The attendants will enjoy various activity booths, coupled with “trunk-or-treating,” which means they go from trunk to trunk getting treats! Costumes are encouraged but not required. This event is for children ages 0-12.
Student Groups and Organizations
Service and leadership opportunities abound at UMSL. Coordinated through the Office of Student Involvement, students are able to meet new people, discover new passions, grow as leaders, and connect creativity, heart, and intellect to the causes that need it most.
The Office of Student Involvement lists a variety of student organizations where students can find service opportunities. OSI also believes leadership is a critical part of a student's experience in college as well as an important tool to bring to both an individual's personal life and career. They are proud to offer numerous leadership opportunities to all of our students.