Civic Action Scorecard empowers students to engage in civic leadership at William & Mary

The toolkit provides more than 80 opportunities for students to participate in democracy and civic leadership, record and reflect on participation and be recognized for their efforts.

Elizabeth Miller leads a civic action breakout session during the Martin Luther King Commemoration Summit. She guides student curiosity in developing practical goals and steps for action. (Courtesy Photo)

As William & Mary ushers in the Year of Civic Leadership, students are embracing service and integrity through the new Civic Action Scorecard. This toolkit provides more than 80 opportunities for students to participate in democracy and civic leadership, record and reflect on participation and be recognized for their efforts.

"We launched the scorecard to lift up and amplify the many ways students are already taking civic action and to challenge them to broaden their understanding of what their next civic action might be," said Elizabeth Miller, Director of Civic & Community Engagement at William & Mary.

Since its launch in fall 2025, more than 200 students have participated and recorded over 900 civic actions. Three of the points leaders are Sydney Hintz '26, Harriet Ramasamy '27, and Paige Beale '26. These students reflect on their experiences with the Scorecard while embodying William & Mary's core values.

Curiosity

The Civic Action Scorecard fosters curiosity as William & Mary students recognize the impact of past efforts and discover new involvement opportunities. These activities go beyond traditional volunteering to include opportunities for knowledge-building and personal reflection.

"The Scorecard has helped to reframe my perspective of civic action," said Ramasamy, "It has guided me away from my day-to-day patterns and brought my attention toward things I wouldn't have otherwise done, like watching films about social and political issues, reading W&M's inclusive excellence plan and taking a practice citizenship exam, which have made me a more active, involved, and informed community member."

With these various opportunities, the Scorecard broadens the scope of civic action for students regardless of their current participation levels. The toolkit also supports exploration as a living document where anyone can submit additional action suggestions.

As a Campus Community Liaison for Civic and Community Engagement, Hintz reflected, "I've always recognized the hours I spend volunteering or lobbying as forms of civic action, but the Civic Action Scorecard has helped me recognize that nontraditional civic actions, such as signing up for a library card or going to the farmers market, can help the community just as much."

Whether discovering the importance of their previous involvement or new ways to engage, these students showcase curiosity and determination.

Service & Integrity

Service and integrity lie at the heart of William & Mary's Year of Civic Leadership. With these values, students understand that knowledge carries responsibility, and leaders must cultivate trust across difference. The Civic Action Scorecard outlines opportunities to explore leadership within five main categories:

• Contribute to Local & Global Sustainability
• Engage in Democratic Processes
• Increase Your Civic Knowledge
• Participate in a Pluralistic Society
• Support Community Well-being & Culture
  

Each top student leader uniquely demonstrated service and integrity through their favorite experiences in various categories.

Beale highlighted her internship supporting the local community through health and sustainability.

"My favorite experience was my time as an intern at Grove Christian Outreach Center, a free grocery store in Williamsburg. I served as the garden manager, organizing volunteers and logistics so that we can grow fresh produce for the neighborhood," said Beale.

Beyond volunteer work, these categories carry responsibility for personal growth and learning. At the Campus Recreation Center, Ramasamy grew her skills by completing a community well-being certification. Through lay rescuer training, Ramasamy learned how to identify an opioid overdose and administer Narcan.

"I feel very grateful to have this knowledge, because it feels good to be prepared and to know that if I find myself in a situation where this knowledge is needed, I am equipped with the life-saving skills necessary," said Ramasamy.

A commitment to becoming a civic leader can also manifest in gathering knowledge and understanding of a wide breadth of social groups.

Hintz shared, "My favorite action I've taken is attending a worship service of a faith other than my own. I attended a church service when I was researching in Amboseli, Kenya, and it was so special to see the cultural influence on religious beliefs and practices."

With five different categories to explore, each student can commit to service and integrity by connecting their passions with civic action.

Excellence

Students exemplify excellence by recognizing how their focused effort leads to personal growth and meaningful accomplishments. The Civic Action Scorecard encourages this reflection as students record their experiences after each action.

Hintz said, "The Civic Action Scorecard has improved my ability to meaningfully reflect on what it means to be a responsible citizen. It has encouraged me to be more mindful in the work I do and has increased my awareness of service opportunities in the community."

Through active participation, students develop a lifelong commitment to civic leadership and constantly look for new ways to engage.

"The Scorecard helped me reflect on my civic engagement-while direct service is still valuable, I'm trying to get more involved in lobbying and politics in order to effect real change," said Beale.

To honor these commitments to excellence through points collection, the Civic Action Awards offer three levels of recognition, including One Network, LinkedIn, and at graduation celebrations, along with other prizes. The Civic Action Scorecard will also continue development, looking forward to group-level tracking, pop-up events and competitions for proposing new actions.

Whether new to civic action or expanding their involvement, William & Mary students are embracing the Year of Civic Leadership and demonstrating an ongoing commitment to the university's values.

As Elizabeth Miller reflects, "Every civic action exemplifies individual civic agency in service for the common good."

Bailey Langhans

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