Idealist on Campus

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Idealist on Campus (IOC) is an initiative of Action Without Borders. Much of the information below was originally posted on either www.idealistoncampus.org or www.idealist.org.

[edit] Idealist on Campus: 2004 - 2007

Idealist On Campus was a program of Action Without Borders/idealist.org. The mission of the program was to connect, educate, and mobilize students, campuses, and communities to build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives. The program resulted in part from the acquisition of Campus Outreach Opportunity League in 2004. In early 2007, the leadership of Action Without Borders/idealist.org decided that a program focused exclusively or primarily on college students no long fit its strategic direction. Action Without Borders decided to focus more generally on adult civic engagement. As a result they discontinued the Idealist On Campus Program. One significant program that originated with COOL and continued as part of Idealist On Campus, was continued independently as IMPACT: National Student Conference on Service, Advocacy, and Social Action.

[edit] The C.O.O.L./Idealist National Conference/IMPACT National Student Conference

When Idealist merged with the [Campus Outreach Opportunity League (C.O.O.L.)] in 2004, it inherited a conference that had been held annually for nearly 20 years. The C.O.O.L. Idealist National Conference has been held all over the United States. After the 2007 conference, Idealist discontinued the Idealist on Campus program including the conference. However, the conference was continued as an independent, volunteer-driven effort. In 2008, it was held at Northeastern University and was called "IMPACT: National Student Conference on Community Service, Advocacy, and Social Action."

Held at a different host campus each spring, the conference typically draws students representing 400 or more colleges and universities. Recent host campuses have included DePaul University (2007), Vanderbilt University (2006), the University of California, Berkeley (2005), University of Pennsylvania (2004), Cleveland State University (2003), Morehouse College (2002), Harvard College (2001), and St. Anselm College (2000).

The conference promotes student leadership as students from the host city form the Planning Committee for each conference. Meanwhile, student participants propose, develop and lead workshops for their peers.

More than 70 national sponsoring organizations also attend the conference to offer expertise, recruit for internships and jobs, and help build the national movement. Participants network for careers at the Opportunities Fair, meet people from across the world, and leave re-energized and better educated.

Keynote speakers in past years have included Van Jones, Marian Wright Edelman, Edward James Olmos, Julian Bond, and Coretta Scott King. In addition, outstanding leaders from a range of fields participate in plenary sessions and other opportunities.