Morgridge Center for Public Service

The Morgridge Center for Public Service is a University in Madison, WI, located at Red Gym, Room 154, 716 Langdon St. It connects University of Wisconsin-Madison students, staff, and faculty to local and global communities to build partnerships and solve critical issues through community-based service, learning, and research. The center serves the UW-Madison campus and the broader Madison area, offering pathways for civic engagement such as joining Badger Volunteers teams, searching for one-time service opportunities, exploring community-based learning classes, and applying for Wisconsin Idea Fellowships. It holds a rating of 4.60 based on 7 reviews.

Founded in 1996 with the generous support of alumni John and Tashia Morgridge, the center operates in the spirit of the Wisconsin Idea to build reciprocal relationships with partners and strong citizens among the student population. It provides resources for faculty to teach community-based learning courses, integrate service into their curricula, and conduct community-engaged research. The center also helps organizations recruit student volunteers, connect with faculty expertise, and access university resources. Specific programs include mentoring and tutoring local youth with the Madison Metropolitan School District, hosting weekly voter education workshops, and organizing community tours like the Exploring Madison East Side Strolling Tour. A weekly newsletter highlights volunteer and internship opportunities and events for the campus community.

The center’s work is guided by six Pathways of Public Service and Civic Engagement: community-engaged learning and research, philanthropy, social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility, direct service, community organizing and activism, and policy and governance. These pathways illustrate the various ways individuals can use their time and resources to help the common good. The center has developed a Campus Civic Action Plan to support these efforts, identifying ways to eliminate barriers to civic action and encourage inventive approaches to community engagement. It collaborates with key campus and community partners every five years to develop a comprehensive strategic plan that expands access to public service opportunities and fosters a vibrant, equitable, and inclusive organization.

The Morgridge Center for Public Service maintains a positive rating from the customers who have reviewed it, reflecting its standing as a central hub for civic engagement at UW-Madison. Its leadership structure includes a Board of Advisors comprised of representatives from nonprofits, public and private sectors in Madison, and the UW-Madison community, providing counsel to achieve the center’s mission. The center has published annual reports from 2008-09 through 2025-26, documenting its ongoing work and impact.

By connecting the University of Wisconsin-Madison with local and global communities, the Morgridge Center for Public Service cultivates engaged citizens and active members of the Madison community through service, learning, and research.

BizScoreAI assigns the business a Technical score of 93 out of 100, which means the website is technically sound, secure, and indexable so search engines can read it without errors. The business receives a Discoverability score of 75 out of 100.

Services:

• Community-based Learning Courses
• Badger Volunteers Program
• Wisconsin Idea Fellowship
• Community-Engaged Leadership Retreat
• Student Organization Partnership Program