Engage All Tommies as Changemakers
Through expansion of the university’s Center for the Common Good (CCG), every St. Thomas student – undergraduate and graduate – will have the opportunity to learn from and contribute to advancing the common good through safe, ethical and mutually beneficial engagement with local and global communities. Through transformational partnerships with nonprofits, schools and government initiatives, students will participate in volunteerism and course- and research-based engagement. These experiences will help students discern their role in addressing civic and community challenges and more deeply embedding social equity and justice in every aspect of their lives.
With community partners and engaged alumni serving as mentors, The Under-Told Stories Project educating audiences on the consequences of poverty, and Tommie Corps that immerses students and young alumni in service opportunities in the community, students will translate their gifts into action.
These Changemaking for the Common Good commitments will inspire our university community to more clearly understand, lead and work together with the skill and empathy needed to create a better world – one that is indeed all about human flourishing and work for the common good.
Related Themes
| 2025 Strategic Plan | Build Belonging and Promote Equity | Lean In to Our Catholic Mission | Widen the Circle of Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engage All Tommies as Changemakers | Priority | Priority | Priority |
See how the Themes and Priorities of the 2025 Strategic Plan interweave.
Measuring Progress
Success Metrics
- Increase the number of undergraduate and graduate students who engage with Center for Common Good by 4 percent annually, resulting in more than 4,000 students engaging by 2025. Measure by participation in the Tommies Together Volunteer Center (TTVC) and Academic Community Engagement (ACE).
- Increase the number of hours spent in service to communities by members of the St. Thomas community by 8 percent annually as tracked by the Center for the Common Good. By 2025, expand the number of hours to more than 125,000 hours.
- Create reward systems for faculty for ACE courses, as mandated by Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement and Campus Compact. Ensure that all St. Thomas programs follow prescribed best practices in these assessments, which is expected by the Higher Learning Commission.
- Ensure quality partnerships with nonprofits and cultivate long-term relationships rather than episodic relationships. Track the impact to partner nonprofits through partner surveys conducted at the end of the spring semester each academic year.
- Increase the long-term impact of the Center for the Common Good. Track the impact of student mentors over years by asking alumni about the impact volunteering has had on their life and career.
- Achieve five-year fundraising goal for TommieCorps/Center for the Common Good of $5 million by 2025.
Progress Update, February 2022
The St. Thomas 2025 Strategic Plan debuted in February 2021. We continually track and report on our progress; here are key developments from the past year, as of February 2024:
The Center for the Common Good (CCG) prioritizes equity and sustainable partnerships in our community engagement initiatives. During the 2022-2023 academic year, the Center designated 101 Common Good Community-Engaged courses, taught by 55 faculty members across various colleges/schools and disciplines. 1,610 students invested 37,528 hours, collaborating with over 65 unique community partner organizations.
Including volunteer hours from programs like Shelter Crew, Tommie Shelf, Tutor-Mentor, and student clubs, our overall commitment reaches 107,000 hours with involvement from more than 300 community partners. A total of 3,491 Tommies (3,064 undergrads) contributed to our community through engagement courses and volunteering in the 2022-2023. academic year.
In November, the Center for the Common Good secured a grant from Uniservitate, a global organization promoting excellence in community engagement at Catholic institutions. The funding will benefit students participating in the Shelter Crew Program and Catholic Charities. The Shelter Crew program is experiencing increased student participation, with expectations of a more than 20% rise by the end of the current academic year.
In August 2023, CCG assumed oversight of the VISION program, a cultural immersion experience for students. In January 2024, 10 students visited McAllen, Texas to collaborate with Sister Norma Pimentel and the Catholic Charities program.
Key Leaders
- Theresa Ricke-Kiely, Director of the Center for the Common Good (Primary)
- Fr. Christopher Collins, Vice President for Mission
Success Metrics
Success Metrics
- Increase the number of undergraduate and graduate students who engage with Center for Common Good by 4 percent annually, resulting in more than 4,000 students engaging by 2025. Measure by participation in the Tommies Together Volunteer Center (TTVC) and Academic Community Engagement (ACE).
- Increase the number of hours spent in service to communities by members of the St. Thomas community by 8 percent annually as tracked by the Center for the Common Good. By 2025, expand the number of hours to more than 125,000 hours.
- Create reward systems for faculty for ACE courses, as mandated by Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement and Campus Compact. Ensure that all St. Thomas programs follow prescribed best practices in these assessments, which is expected by the Higher Learning Commission.
- Ensure quality partnerships with nonprofits and cultivate long-term relationships rather than episodic relationships. Track the impact to partner nonprofits through partner surveys conducted at the end of the spring semester each academic year.
- Increase the long-term impact of the Center for the Common Good. Track the impact of student mentors over years by asking alumni about the impact volunteering has had on their life and career.
- Achieve five-year fundraising goal for TommieCorps/Center for the Common Good of $5 million by 2025.
Progress Update
Progress Update, February 2022
The St. Thomas 2025 Strategic Plan debuted in February 2021. We continually track and report on our progress; here are key developments from the past year, as of February 2024:
The Center for the Common Good (CCG) prioritizes equity and sustainable partnerships in our community engagement initiatives. During the 2022-2023 academic year, the Center designated 101 Common Good Community-Engaged courses, taught by 55 faculty members across various colleges/schools and disciplines. 1,610 students invested 37,528 hours, collaborating with over 65 unique community partner organizations.
Including volunteer hours from programs like Shelter Crew, Tommie Shelf, Tutor-Mentor, and student clubs, our overall commitment reaches 107,000 hours with involvement from more than 300 community partners. A total of 3,491 Tommies (3,064 undergrads) contributed to our community through engagement courses and volunteering in the 2022-2023. academic year.
In November, the Center for the Common Good secured a grant from Uniservitate, a global organization promoting excellence in community engagement at Catholic institutions. The funding will benefit students participating in the Shelter Crew Program and Catholic Charities. The Shelter Crew program is experiencing increased student participation, with expectations of a more than 20% rise by the end of the current academic year.
In August 2023, CCG assumed oversight of the VISION program, a cultural immersion experience for students. In January 2024, 10 students visited McAllen, Texas to collaborate with Sister Norma Pimentel and the Catholic Charities program.
Key Leaders
Key Leaders
- Theresa Ricke-Kiely, Director of the Center for the Common Good (Primary)
- Fr. Christopher Collins, Vice President for Mission