Civic Engagement Initiatives

Falcon Scholars in Action is a service-learning program in which a small number of UM students are selected each year to serve clients in agencies and programs throughout Shelby County. Students selected are provided with a significant annual stipend from Shelby County in exchange for their service.

Falcon Flight is a collaborative program with Shelby County schools that opens up the UM campus to students with intellectual disabilities. Through this program, these students attend classes at UM and learn essential life and jobs skills, enabling them to continue their educational and occupational journey into adulthood after finishing high school.

UM faculty and students have served as partners to the City of Montevallo and David Mathews Center for Civic Life in sponsoring civil dialogues over challenging topics. This initiative has opportunities to expand to other populations and topics as the need arises.

The University of Montevallo proudly serves the youth of our region through a myriad of programs including camps, field trips, college experience, and tutoring programs. Our signature camps include Coding, Earth and Sky, ACT prep, Mural and Young Musicians. Current information regarding these camps can be found by contacting UMoutreach@orkexpo.net or visiting our Youth Programs webpage.

As a joint commitment among the local schools, the city of Montevallo, and the university, the Montevallo Connection serves to strengthen the partnership between the University of Montevallo faculty and the faculty in the Montevallo schools. Montevallo Connection is dedicated to cultural, educational, and professional exchanges that will enhance the educational experiences of both students in the Montevallo public schools and those at the University of Montevallo.

Students’ Institute is a public deliberation and civic engagement program implemented through the David Mathews’ Center for Civic Life’s JOIP Internship program.  In this program, university students engage local elementary,  middle,  and  high  school  students  in citizenship education  under  the  guidance  of  local community leaders.The ultimate focus is to develop more fully the skills of youth as civic leaders.

The Community Counseling Clinic is a program of The University of Montevallo’s Graduate Counseling Department.  The clinic provides free mental health care to those in the surrounding communities who cannot afford it.  It also acts as a training ground where counseling students, under the supervision of counseling faculty, gain valuable experience working with clients.

UM’s environmental education programs are committed to building environmental literacy one experience at a time. Through community-based environmental experiences such as camps and field trips, our environmental programs serve schools, scout groups, public audiences, and anyone interested in learning about the environment.

Arts are at the heart of the University of Montevallo, and that heart very visibly bleeds out into the community that surrounds us. Over the years, the University of Montevallo has made an artistic imprint on our community through youth mural camp, young musicians’ camp, mural installations, art performances, and theatrical productions. These opportunities vary annually as needs and opportunities are identified. Contact us below to find out more about how you or your child can get involved with the arts through UM outreach.

The University of Montevallo is widely known for our commitment to diversity and inclusivity. This is a thread that clearly runs through many of our outreach efforts spanning from faculty members offering community-based Family Literacy classes, to partnerships with a local high school teacher supporting her ESL students on their path to college attendance, and quite prominently, our relationship with our sister city, Echizen, Japan. We are constantly striving to broaden our focus on diversity and encourage others to contact us for interest in participating in these initiatives or forging other bonds.