About Us
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In November 1995, Dr. Daniel Weppner, an Associate Professor in the Educational Leadership Department, requested support from the University President to establish a place on campus that would motivate students to get involved in volunteer services. In February of 1996, the Campus Volunteer Center (CVC) was opened.
Since 1996 the center has evolved into a place where 1000's of students come to get involved in their community. Originally established with just Dr. Weppner at the helm, it expanded its services to include more staff, more community partnerships, additional programming and an interactive website. In the year 2000, Students Advocating Volunteer Involvement, or SAVI, was established by the Student Government Association to serve as a partner in community service programming. In the following years, SAVI and the Volunteer Center services expanded to the Broward and Jupiter Campuses, expanding the FAU community service programs to additional Florida communities and students.
In the Fall of 2006, representatives from the FAU campuses began discussing further opportunities for partnership. Included in these discussions were plans to have university-wide programs like Alternative Spring Break, which first took place in Spring of 2007. Following the Alternative Spring Break trip, the campus representatives for the CVC came together and revisited the policy, procedure and mission of community service programs at FAU. With the support of Dr. Charles Brown, Vice President for Student Affairs, the center was renamed to the Center for Civic Engagement and Service. During the Summer of 2007, the Center was officially named the Dr. Daniel Weppner Center for Civic Engagement and Service with operating offices in Broward and Jupiter campuses. In 2014, the name was changed to the Weppner Center for Service-Learning and Civic Responsibility.
In July of 2014, LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) branched out from Student Involvement & Leadership. In July of 2015, after one year of existence as a standalone office, LEAD merged with the Weppner Center for Service-Learning and Civic Responsibility to become the Weppner Center for LEAD & Service Learning. The Center that started as a table in the breezeway now offers programs and resources that benefit all South Florida and ultimately, our world.