The Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement was recently awarded an $8,000 grant through the Springfield Foundation to support Wittenberg student interns during the Summer Civic Internship Program.

Established in 2008, the Hagen Center is the most visible manifestation of Wittenberg’s commitment to community service, civic engagement, and economic partnership with the local and regional community. The Hagen Center connects Wittenberg and the Greater Springfield area through service, internships, research, and engaged teaching and learning.

“We are so grateful for this funding, and it is mutually beneficial; it is invaluable to providing hands-on learning and professional experiences for students and summer staffing for local organizations,” Hagen Center Director Kimberly Creasap said.

The Springfield Foundation awards grants to nonprofits that serve Clark County. The Hagen Center applies every year and has benefited in the past. This grant will support continued success for a summer program that serves Clark County and touches on most of the Springfield Foundation’s funding initiatives because students work at such a broad range of organizations. 

The summer program matches Wittenberg students with organizations in Greater Springfield that have a community-focused mission, providing students an opportunity to help them further their personal, professional, and civic goals. Highlights include a three-day orientation to the Springfield community on the topics of civic identity, civic engagement, and community diversity.

Summer internships last eight weeks and include a weekly reflection session for interns and community leaders. The program concludes with a video presentation and reception where key outcomes are shared with community members.

“Students who complete the internship program report having applied their classroom knowledge, making a difference in the community, and/or developing professional skills needed for a career,” Creasap added.

Wittenberg students annually contribute a significant amount of donated time in service to the Greater Springfield area, which includes more than 75 local community partners, through civic engagement courses, community service, community-based internships, research, federal work study, student teaching, and co-curricular activities. Since the Hagen Center opened, approximately 233 interns have presented on 161 community-focused projects.

Here are a few testimonials from past students who completed a summer internship:

“[An internship] allows for an out-of-classroom learning experience that is not possible in any other way.”

“I know now that I can make a difference in the area that I pursue…and that will have a resounding effect throughout the community I am in.”

“This internship was the stepping stone I needed for my career; I met and connected with so many people.”

The Hagen Center is currently seeking internship proposals from local organizations with a community-focused mission. Interested organizations can contact Creasap at creasapk@wittenberg.edu for more details. All proposals are due by Feb. 4.

About the Springfield Foundation:
The Springfield Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for all Clark County residents now and for generations to come. It focuses on programs and organizations that have an impact on the Clark County community with a mission of raising and distributing permanent funds to improve the quality of life for residents of Clark County. Modeled after the vision of Fredrick Goff, the Springfield Foundation began in 1948 and continues to be a catalyst for philanthropy in the region.