About

Our Mission

The Step Center provides formative community engagement and service learning opportunities for young people. It affords students the opportunity to match their university training and life passions with task-specific community engagement, and to develop leadership skills through action-reflection activities and events.

Program participants are challenged to apply their learning by designing structured seminars for high school youth, guiding them through a transformative experience of service learning and the associated cross-cultural experience.

The Step Center program builds on a network of community NGOs, businesses, and neighborhood group support to meet the needs of the redeveloping community on the Near Northside of Syracuse, NY. Utilizing an array of resources for community members in need, the Step Center exists as the coordinating effort for various services.

Our History

The Step Center was founded through a generous grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Our vision is to connect university and high school students to urban immersion opportunities and to provide a cross-cultural experience. Join us in stepping out of the world in which you've grown comfortable, and into the world of another.