From service to skills: Bennion Center empowers students through community engagement and leadership development
Since 1987, the Lowell Bennion Center for Community Engagement (Bennion Center) has served as a cornerstone of the University of Utah’s commitment to civic engagement—connecting students with volunteer opportunities that support both student development and community priorities while preparing them for life and careers beyond college.
Through partnerships with community organizations, students build essential career-ready skills such as communication, leadership, critical thinking, and collaboration. These experiences also broaden their perspective on complex social issues, supporting both their professional and personal growth.
“Community engagement helps students discover their role in something larger than themselves and begin to see themselves not only as future professionals, but as active and responsible members of their communities,” said BobbiJo Kanter, director of the Bennion Center. “Through our programs, they gain valuable professional skills while also developing the awareness and responsibility to contribute as engaged citizens.”
The Bennion Center’s work also contributes to institutional recognition. Earlier this year, the University of Utah received the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The designation places the university among just 277 institutions nationwide recognized for their commitment to collaborative, mutually beneficial community engagement.
The Bennion Center structures its programs around an Education, Action, and Reflection model, encouraging students to engage deeply, think critically about their experiences, and apply their learning in meaningful ways.
Programs include:
- Alternative Breaks offer week-long immersive service experiences across the western United States during fall and spring breaks. These trips focus on issues such as environmental justice, public health, and education access, and connecting students with community-identified needs.
- Service Corner Projects provide flexible, one-time service opportunities that allow students to engage at their own pace. Through “to-go” kits—such as knitting hats and other community-based projects—students can contribute on their own schedule. Projects are available year-round at the A. Ray Olpin Union (Union 101) and the Kahlert Village kiosk.
- Saturday Service Projects are events help on Saturday mornings throughout the year that bring participants together to engage in community service with a variety of local partners. Signature events include Legacy of Lowell in early fall, and the MLK Day of Service.
- Community Partner Programs connect students with more than 45 local organizations for ongoing engagement and leadership development. Partnerships are organized across six focus areas: advocacy, arts and recreation, education, health and wellness, mentorship, and sustainability and food justice. Community partners include organizations such as the American Red Cross, Ronald McDonald House, Best Friends Animal Society, Special Olympics Utah, Project Read Utah, Friends for Sight, Salt Lake Veterans Home, and Meals on Wheels. On-campus partnerships include the Feed U Pantry and the Edible Campus Garden.
The Bennion Center also offers leadership roles, First-Year Experience cohorts, Living Learning Communities, and work-study eligible student employment through which students gain hands-on experience in formal roles where they coordinate programs, manage partnerships, and support peer volunteers.
The center assesses student growth through a civic competency framework focused on Civic Awareness, Skills, Habits, and Values. Participants complete reflective self-assessments evaluating their development in areas such as critical thinking, communication, leadership, and accountability. In FY25, with 97.3% of student leaders reporting increased civic skills.
Through these experiences, students connect academic learning with real-world application, gaining practical experience, a sense of purpose, and the ability to contribute meaningfully in their careers and communities.