Within the university, there are student organizations, departments, and programs created to bring awareness of current national and world issues to students as part of the collegiate experience at USC.  Some of these service-learning programs link activism to education to action, while others seek to promote student development through internships and programs.

Joint Educational Program
Founded in 1972, JEP is one of the oldest and largest service-learning programs in the country, offering students at the University of Southern California the unique opportunity to combine academic coursework with experiences in the community surrounding the campus. Each year, some 2000 students from several courses of study receive academic credit for their participation in JEP. In addition, about 400 students serve as non-credit volunteers and share their time and special talents with their neighbors. JEP is also home to the Trojan Health Volunteers, a program designed to serve pre-meds and health educators, and USC ReadersPlus, an America Reads/America Counts work-study affiliate.

For more information contact the Joint Educational Program at jephouse@usc.edu or visit the program website at http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/jep/

Political Student’s Assembly (PSA)
As one of the Program Board assemblies, the Political Student Assembly promotes political awareness among students through programming, political awareness, and education. Previously the Unruh Political Student Association, PSA now serves as an umbrella organization for 20 active political groups on campus.

To learn more about PSA or any of its member organizations, please visit the Program Board website at http://www-scf.usc.edu/~prgbrd/index.php.

Registering to Vote
Whether a permanent resident of California or of another of the 49 states, every student attending USC will be affected by governmental decisions. In addition to the 2008 Presidential Election, state and local elections and proposition voting will take place frequently throughout each student’s college career.
 
We strongly encourage every student to register to vote in the state of California during their time at USC, so that they may have a voice in the political process at every level—local, state, and federal. To register to vote in California, visit http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm.

Unruh Student Internships, Scholarships, and Mentoring
The Institute's internship program serves approximately 100 students each year, with students interning in the offices of elected officials, city, county, and state offices, non-profit organizations, media organizations, consulting firms, and law firms.  The current internship database includes over 900 internship listings in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Washington DC, and abroad.  The Institute also offers approximately 6 fellowship awards to students to offset the cost of participating in an internship during the summer. Past award recipients interned at the American Civil Liberties Union, Italy's Tethys Research Institute (a non-profit NGO committed to the research and conservation of marine mammals), INHURED International (a human rights, non-governmental organization in Nepal), and the Department of Defense in Washington, DC.

In February, the Institute selects up to 10 students to participate in a Sacramento Legislative Seminar.  Students have the opportunity to meet with elected officials, their staffs, lobbyists, and members of the media.  The Institute covers airfare and hotel costs and works with the California Center for Education in Public Affairs, Inc. to organize the panels and reception at the Seminar.   
For more information regarding the Jesse M. Unruh Student Internship Program, visit the institute’s website at http://college.usc.edu/unruh/programs/student_internships_scholarships_and_mentoring.html or call (213)740-8964.

USC Volunteer Center’s SCitizen Project
SCitizen is an immersion experience in service learning, which allows students to explore the diverse possibilities for volunteerism in the city of Los Angeles. This past February’s SCitizen project, in conjunction with the Community Development Commission of the Country of Los Angeles and the Free Arts for Abused Children, gave student participants an opportunity to work with children from local housing facilities in creating art projects made from environmentally sustainable materials.

Along with their February event, SCitizen offers other opportunities throughout the academic year, including a project during Welcome Week. For more information, visit the SCitizen website at http://sait.usc.edu/volunteer/scitizen/ or call the Volunteer Center at (213)740-7012.