A key element of citizenship is the knowledge that work in the community is connected to larger issues of policy and social change. Students enrolled in POLS 320 Problems in State and Local Politics at Valparaiso University assist in the development of a measuring tool which they use to gather and analyze data related to particular public policy issues. The data is then utilized by public planners in Valparaiso, highlighting the connection between the students service and the future policies of their community.