Meet the Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service
Posted: August 23, 2019 | Author: Cami Mathews | Read Time: 2 minutes
The Michael O. Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service is ran by student leaders at Southern Utah University. With focuses on research, citizenship, leadership, and service, the center advocates for increased civic engagement among the campus and local communities.
Since its start in 1998, the center has been full of student leaders of all backgrounds. Ranging from freshmen to graduate students, the center boasts an open door policy for all beliefs, ideas, and opinions. Being the only student-run center of its kind in the state, the Leavitt Center has a focus on helping students during their time at SUU.
One of the major components of the Leavitt Center is the internship program that places students in public sector internships on a local, state, and national level. All internships are paid and most offer class credit that goes towards a student’s degree. Interns have been placed with congressional offices, local non-profits, and top leadership in the Utah Legislature.
The Leavitt Center also hosts weekly events, open to everyone. Most notable is the Pizza and Politics discussion every Wednesday at Noon. This student-moderated discussion takes a hot political topic and opens the conversation to the audience. Topics that have been discussed include, but are not limited to: reproductive rights, SUU policy and procedure, legalizing marijuana, and conspiracy theories.
Each year a myriad of political guests visit the center in hopes to meet students, rally for their campaign, or discuss different initiatives. From those running for President to local City Council members, the Leavitt Center hosts people from any political background. Past visitors include now Senator Mitt Romney, presidential candidate Evan McMullin, congressional candidate and now Salt Lake Council Woman Shireen Ghorbani, and Congressman Chris Stewart.
The center is located in SUU’s Student Center, room 112. Everyone is encouraged to utilize the center’s resources. Whether a student needs to print a paper or if a club wants to meet in an office setting, everything in the Leavitt Center is there for the campus and local community. Students have been known to take a midday nap on the couch or request to use the TVs to watch multiple games during March Madness. Whatever the request, the leaders in the Leavitt Center are there to help.
For more information, visit the Leavitt Center website; or email leavittcenter@suu.edu.
Tags: Campus Resources Leavitt Center
