Civic Engagement Scholars Program
The Civic Engagement Scholars program educates, prepares and inspires students to become agents of change in their communities and in society. Scholars acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become engaged, active citizens throughout their lives. Building on academic study, community-based research and critical analysis of social issues, scholars link knowledge and social action to address unmet human needs in collaboration with the local community.
Over the course of two-to-three years (depending on how a student organizes her/his schedule) students participate in course work, service-learning, seminars, service trips and workshops that will engage them in understanding the needs and problems of the local community and how to respond to these needs. Toward this end, students will serve in, study and develop genuine partnerships with local community agencies over the course of their time in the program. The program will culminate in the students exploring multiple pathways (e.g., service, policy, community-based research, public awareness/community education and innovation/social entrepreneurship) through which they can make their own contribution to the local community in response to identified community needs.
The curricular structure is summarized in the following:
Academic Requirements
| SOC 220 | SOCIAL ISSUES AND PROBLEMS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY | 4 sh |
| ONE ADDITIONAL COURSE WITH THE SERVICE LEARNING DESIGNATION (SL) | |
| CES 302 | CIVIC ENGAGEMENT SCHOLARS SEMINAR I | 1 sh |
| CES 402 | CIVIC ENGAGEMENT SCHOLARS SEMINAR II | 1 sh |
Co-curricular Requirements
Participate in one service trip sponsored by the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement (KCSL)
Complete 40 additional community service hours, through KCSL and/or through other coursework
Attend at least one workshop sponsored by KCSL
Completion of Pathways to Civic Engagement Project (capstone project and portfolio)
The capstone project will be completed during a student’s last one to two semesters in the program. The project will involve developing an electronic portfolio that features key components that illustrate significant learning along the student’s journey. These components include (1) a product from CES 302 that illustrates/explains what civic engagement means within the domain of the student’s major; (2) evidence to substantiate participation in each of the co-curricular requirements and (3) a final project completed in conjunction with CES 402, exploring some of the multiple pathways of civic engagement (e.g., service, policy, public awareness/community education and innovation/social entrepreneurship). The portfolio will document the student’s learning process, discoveries and the product of the student’s chosen pathway(s).
The following courses are required of students admitted to the Civic Engagement Scholars program:
| SOC 220 | SOCIAL ISSUES AND PROBLEMS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY | 4 sh |
| CES 302 | CIVIC ENGAGEMENT SCHOLARS SEMINAR I | 1 sh |
| CES 402 | CIVIC ENGAGEMENT SCHOLARS SEMINAR II | 1 sh |