Engaging at Princeton
(Learning, Service, and Leadership Opportunities in Civic Engagement)

“...I hope you will carry with you the spirit of Princeton and all that this place has aspired to teach you—a determination to follow your passions in service to the common good, an openness to new ideas, and a willingness to engage in civic discourse with integrity and mutual respect.”

— President Shirley M. Tilghman, Princeton University Commencement, 2006

From freshman pre-orientation through graduation, a Princeton education includes significant opportunities for civic engagement, which many undergraduates find to be a meaningful and even life-changing part of their undergraduate experience. Developing civic skills and leadership abilities, inspiring engaged citizenship, applying knowledge to real-life challenges, and promoting a civil society are all part of civic engagement. At Princeton, there are countless ways to be civically engaged, either as an individual or as a member of a group.

Students involved in such service-oriented activities are true ambassadors of the unofficial motto of the University, first articulated by former President of the University and later President of the United States Woodrow Wilson, of being “In the Nation’s Service and in the Service of All Nations.”

The diverse interests of Princeton students and the wide variety of organizations and resources available at the University combine to produce exceptional opportunities for undergraduates to pursue rewarding academic and extracurricular activities related to civic life. For example, students may find a way to connect classroom learning to a community service project; or participate in a service program with a group of friends from a residential college or eating club; or join a student organization that addresses societal needs; or spend a summer interning at an overseas nongovernmental organization.


For a summary list of civic engagement opportunities and contacts described in this publication, see “Resources.”

Download a copy of the printed brochure (PDF)


June 2006