The Compact was co-founded in 1985 by the presidents of Brown, Georgetown and Stanford universities, and Frank Newman, the former president of the Education Commission of the States. Initially, the work of the Compact focused on engaging students in community service. Media coverage at the time portrayed college-age students as part of a 'me generation', more interested in increasing their wealth and status than serving their community. The founding presidents aimed to counteract this prevailing image, by showcasing the good work college students were already and providing support and encouragement for others to participate. In 1988, the first two state Compact affiliates were formed to provide greater support to campuses and build regional and local networks. In 1991, membership had reached 500 colleges and universities. By this time, national attention had turned to the connection between participation in community service and academic achievement. Campus Compact launched the Integrating Service with Academic Study initiative, which funded grants and workshops to support colleges interested in building service-learning into their institutions. By 2000, service-learning had become an increasingly important educational movement. Campus Compact began a series of publications that documented the effects of service learning and provided resources to help faculty and departments build their own programs and curricula. In 2002, Campus Compact launched the Raise Your Voice campaign, the Compact's first national effort to work with students themselves. Over the two years of the campaign, the participation of more than 250,000 students was documented. In 2005, the 20th year of its existence, Campus Compact had grown to 32 state affiliates and more than 1000 member campuses. Over time, the Compact has grown from a presidents' organization to one that supports the work of a variety of constituencies - college presidents, faculty, staff, students and community partners. In 2009, Campus Compact moved its national office from the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island to the Downtown Crossing district of Boston, Massachusetts. They share an office building with the New England Board of Higher Education. In 2016, Campus Compact celebrated their 30th anniversary and circulated an . This commitment of more than 400 college and university presidents expressed shared goals and enhanced action throughout the network regarding the public purpose of higher education.
