Office of Academic Compliance

Civic and Community Engagement

A Competency Assessment Report of Undergraduate Students at the University of Virginia.

Executive Summary 

The University of Virginia assessed undergraduate courses to determine how well students demonstrated civic and community engagement competencies. In compliance with requirements from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the University regularly evaluates core competencies. The University Assessment team, in partnership with the Office of Academic Outreach, led the assessment to provide institution-level evidence of student learning and to support continued excellence in our programs.  

In 2025, the assessment integrated both direct and indirect evidence of student learning. Direct evidence included nearly 300 artifacts collected from undergraduate courses across 15 academic programs and from student reflection artifacts in Public Service Pathways (PSP) during the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 academic years. Trained external raters independently evaluated these artifacts through the American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) Scoring Collaborative, using the Civic Engagement VALUE Rubric. Indirect evidence came from student self-reports on the 2024 Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey. 

Across all six rubric criteria in the course-based performance assessments, most artifacts scored at milestone (2) or higher. Performance was particularly strong in the areas of diversity of communities and cultures and analysis of knowledge, where most artifacts reached the advanced milestone and capstone levels. Disaggregated analyses provided additional context for understanding student learning patterns. 

In a longitudinal sample of 42 PSP student reflection artifacts, first- and second-year students, consistent with the broader assessment, demonstrated performance at milestone (2) or higher in most work. Comparisons across time points showed clear evidence of growth. 

Findings from the 2024 SERU survey complemented the performance assessments and showed that most undergraduate students participate in civic and community engagement activities, often at rates higher than those at peer research universities. 

The Office of Academic Outreach, PSP professionals, and faculty with expertise in civic and community engagement reviewed the results. Findings from the course-based performance assessment will guide programming and resources from Academic Outreach for faculty who teach community-engaged courses. Findings from the PSP performance assessment informed revisions to the student reflection prompt and provided a framework for faculty mentors who give feedback on student reflections. The University recently received the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification from the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. This designation is earned and maintained by demonstrating that civic and community engagement is central to the institution’s identity. This recognition further affirms the University’s commitment to teaching, assessing, and fostering civic and community engagement and supports our goal to achieve excellence with purpose.