Students from these California campuses were selected in Spring 2023 to participate in LEAD California’s Community Engagement Student Fellowship (CESF) program, a 4-month initiative specifically designed to support student leaders advancing service, service-learning and community engagement at LEAD California member campuses throughout the state.

CSU Channel Islands
The Center for Community Engagement and the Office of Sustainability & Energy will collaborate to create a Zero Waste Coordinator(s) position to conduct campus audits and outreach to improve waste diversion at CSU Channel Islands. The Coordinator will design educational signage, recruit and lead volunteers, organize outreach campaigns, conduct waste audits, and coordinate interactive engagement activities with the campus community. A main focus will be assisting with successful implementation of new campus food waste collection systems. This may consist of hosting ‘waste watcher’ events to educate people at the moment of disposal about how to sort and dispose of waste.
College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons’ Center for Civic Engagement continues to advance its ongoing student-driven, Project-Based Learning, co-curricular PLACE (Partnerships for Listening and Action by Communities and Educators) Action Team, aligned with its Engage the Vote (ETV) Action Team to build a sense of community, belonging, and wellbeing through the process of intergenerational relationship building with two Santa Clarita non-profits, including Zonta and Rotary. Together, students are identifying local community needs, as well as addressing solutions. PLACE students are using a podcast format to discuss avenues for change, while ETV students are drafting a legislative narrative.
Sacramento State
For more than 25 years, the goal of CEC has been to make a difference in the lives of our students and the Sacramento region by providing opportunities for service and community engagement. The CESFs will continue this tradition by participating in service and community leadership events and initiatives during Spring 2023. The CESFs will have lead roles in (1) planning and hosting an Annual Statewide CESF Showcase, and will have supporting roles by planning and participating in: (2) Alternative Spring Break, (3) the Center for Race, Immigration, and Social Justice (CRISJ) Community Empowerment Faire, and (4) Farmworker Awareness Week. For each of these events, CESF’s will provide input during the planning and help engage students.
Sonoma State University
The SSU Lead CA CE Student Fellow will be an English or Communication Studies major doing an internship as a blogger. They will create and edit blog posts in support of the CCE’s efforts; create posts about events, community organizations and opportunities, and other community engagement topics; work closely with CCE student assistants, especially those working on updating our social media accounts and our website; and watch the work of our counterparts and community partners for ideas.
Stanbridge University
One CESF student will provide 50 volunteer service hours to NDR Therapeutic Riding. One Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) student will work with clients at the NDR Therapeutic Riding organization to assist in the development of adaptive equine riding programs customized to the client's unique capabilities, as well as incorporate and learn the equine assisted therapy programs that address more than 75 physical, emotional, social, and cognitive challenges for people with disabilities. Through integration across a broad spectrum of equine assisted therapy activities, the MSOT student will master adaptation techniques and therapeutic treatments to provide emotional and physical rewards to individuals of all ages, with varied disabilities. As part of the LEAD California Community Engagement Student Fellowship program, the student will acquire knowledge through this volunteer experience in community engagement, that will support them in their future career. The second Stanbridge University CESF student will provide 50 volunteer service hours to MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center. As part of the LEAD California Fellowship program, the student will acquire knowledge through this volunteer experience in community engagement, that will support them in their future nursing career.