Our mission

The Service Learning / Civic Engagement (SLCE) Program is integral to a liberal arts experience designed in part to inspire the next generation of Oklahomans to become social entrepreneurs, leaders who apply creative problem solving skills to address the needs of underserved populations in our communities.  By enhancing interdisciplinary classroom instruction with innovative service-oriented projects and collaborative undergraduate research, the SLCE Program facilitates durable learning and encourages a life-long commitment to civic engagement. 

We believe that in an age of rapid social change and uneven economic growth, when those in southwestern Oklahoma in particular SLCE increasing disparities in quality of life and opportunities, it is our responsibility to recall the founding principles of public higher education as a collective resource, an engine to promote the greater social good.  We meet this obligation by developing collaborative relationships with individuals, agencies and institutions, matching the learning objectives of our courses with community needs and pairing USAO students with community partners for mutual gain.