Unique:

The Civic Engagement Certificate is a product of the partnership between the Bonner Scholars Program and Concord University building upon the liberal arts foundation and diverse academic programs. Participation in the certificate program is required for all beginning Concord Bonner Scholars, beginning fall 2006. The academic liberal arts foundation makes the certificate program attainable by all students who have a commitment to community service. At the completion of the curriculum requirements, the student’s transcript will be noted with their accomplishment, which also allows the student to be recognized at commencement.

Website Features:

The website explains the curriculum foundation and expectations for completion of the civic engagement certificate and is connected with the campus wide community service web page. The address is www.concord.edu/volunteer . There are also links to the Concord Bonner Program website, Bonner Foundation website, Concord Social Work Department website, and Concord home page.

Program Objectives:

To understand the roots and impact of poverty;
1. To work within the academic requirements and guidelines of Concord University and incorporate the values of the Bonner Foundation;
2. To offer this opportunity for developing knowledge about poverty to all Concord University students, but especially to the Concord Bonner Scholars;
3. To establish a learning environment for students to develop life-long skills and benefits such as: leadership skills, academic growth, teamwork, and service.

Structure/Governance:

The Concord Bonner Director will coordinate the Civic Engagement Certificate program with the assistance of the Concord Bonner Program, Social Work Department, and faculty involved with the students pursuing the civic engagement certificate. The Director will follow the University academic guidelines as well as the certificate guidelines, as approved by the Bonner Foundation, for guidance in assisting students in the completion of the civic engagement certificate.

Relationship of Program to Institution’s Mission/Campus Culture of Civic Engagement and History:

Concord University has a long history of civic engagement and involvement in the local community and beyond. We have fostered groups on campus who have provided service to the community in many ways from volunteer work, to community based research, to collecting goods and money for domestic and international causes.

As part of the Social Sciences Division, the Social Work program has been an accredited program of the Concord academic program for over 30 years. Social Work has been an active participant in civic engagement, not only training professional social workers, but working as partners with others on campus and in the community to encourage social justice and civic engagement. The Social Work program and faculty have been connected with the Concord Bonner Scholars Program, which does many hours of service every semester; the Concord Social Work Organization, which encourages civic engagement projects; the Triangle Association, which is a student organization for students and supporters of students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender and encourages social justice for all; Alpha Phi Omega which is a student organization that does service projects; Amnesty International, which works for social and economic justice; and other worthwhile causes.

We have a campus wide community service web page that gives the community and campus access to various types of community service activities. This website also provides links to other community service sites for those planning community service experiences and a database of volunteer newsletters. The website is located at www.concord.edu/volunteer.

Foundational Pillars:

The certificate coursework can be integrated with the student’s academic work to meet graduation and Bonner requirements. The community service and co-curricular opportunities are integrated throughout the coursework inherent with the pursuit of the certificate. The program is intense in that it requires an academic and service commitment from the student. Also, the student needs to evaluate the program in total and choose courses that would be vital to the student in completing his/her research and doing his/her internship and capstone courses. There are many possible ways to complete the certificate, depending on the results the student wishes to accomplish. The certificate requires a commitment from the student to focus on their academic plan as this is a multi-year model, depending upon the student’s motivation to determine how quickly the certificate requirements are completed. The model is developmental in that some courses are sequential, building upon foundation knowledge, values clarification, and community service experiences. The coursework is interdisciplinary and is designed to focus on many issues including global, poverty and public policy topics as described in the course outlines. The research, internship and capstone classes also focus on these issues based on the knowledge the student gained in the foundation courses.

Program Architecture/Civic Engagement Certificate Curriculum

At Concord University, the civic engagement certificate builds upon aspects of service learning and community-based research. It is anchored by an academic foundation and is reinforced through an internship. The certificate exists within a culture that is critical in examination and reciprocally reinforcing as a learning community at local, national, and international levels.

The Civic Engagement Certificate includes the following courses and totals 22-34 hours.
1) Lead Course (3 credit hours)
Social Work 350 Introduction to Community Service

2) Domestic Poverty (Select one course) (3 credit hours)
Social Work 161 Introduction to Social Work
Social Work 301 Policy History
Social Work 303 Policy Analysis
Sociology 201 Contemporary Social Issues

Co-Curricular
10 hours of continuing education hours focused on domestic
poverty approved by the Concord Bonner Scholars Director;
Membership in organization(s) focusing on domestic and international projects

3) International Exposure (Select one course) (3 credit hours)
Geography 300 Sustainable Development
Geography 301 Economic Geography
Political Science 230 Politics and Ecology
Political Science 304 Comparative Government
Social Work 302 Human Diversity

Co-Curricular
Membership in organization(s) focusing on domestic and international issues of social and economic oppression;
10 hours of symposia related to issues of social and economic oppression at local, national, or international venues.

Service Learning (10 credit hours)
Social Work 230 Group Dynamics and Interviewing Skills
-AND-
Social Work 305 Social Work Research Methods
- OR-
Sociology 399 Introduction to Sociological Research
-AND-
A service-learning module added to a class in the student’s major (assistance provided by the Bonner Scholars Director as requested by the faculty member)

5) Full Time Service Internship (up to 12 credit hours)
This internship is to be completed in one semester. Written learning goals and objectives will be developed and implemented with the faculty member and the student.

6) Senior Capstone (3 credit hours)
Social Work 404 Advanced Community Based Research

Specific Courses of Study:

1. Lead-In Course (3 credit hours)

The lead-in course for the Civic Engagement major is SOWK 350 Introduction to Community Service. This course is an introductory course for those interested in doing community service, is a required course for Bonner Scholars, and is a campus elective.

As the course syllabus states, the course is designed for the novice interested in performing community service. The course materials are designed to stimulate discussion of current social problems, both in understanding the history and root causes of various social problems and in formulating possible interventions performed through community service opportunities. Discussion is developed through materials from the text, additional readings, guest speakers, and 40 hours of volunteer service to be performed in conjunction with this course.

The focus of this class is multi-faceted. Aspects of Appalachian culture, American culture, and global issues are explored. As community service is encouraged locally, nationally, and globally, all venues are discussed. The basic understanding of social issues and responsible volunteerism is reinforced in this class. Class discussion is a key element of this course, but the students also do a group project to develop a 45-50 minute presentation for the class. The presentation includes identification of a social problem, history of the problem, societal treatment of the social problem, interventions that have been helpful or not helpful, and possible solutions or interventions for the social issues or problem. One reflective piece is centered on their volunteer experience, and the second written piece is their life’s mission statement. Connected with their personal mission statement is a goal statement of their personal and professional goals and how the students can use volunteerism to help them to achieve their life’s mission. This is used by the Director of the Bonner Scholars throughout the pursuit of the student’s degree to assist the student to plan their volunteer experiences and assist with integrating their goals, experiences, and academics.

The course objectives, as outlined in the syllabus, state the course assists the student in understanding the basis of social issues and problems present in our society; the role of prejudice, discrimination, ethnocentrism, and the domestic and international aspects of community; and understanding the role of volunteerism in all of those contexts.

2. Domestic Poverty (3 credit hours)

The domestic poverty component of our proposal initially includes classes from three departments: political science, social work, and sociology. To meet the requirements for the certificate, the student will select ONE class from the classes listed under the domestic poverty section.

Students select one of the following courses:
SOWK 161 Introduction to Social Work is offered to students interested in learning of the issues apparent in human behavior and the way societies address these needs. Introduction to local, regional, and international concepts, with emphasis on historical and contemporary approaches to meeting human needs. Twenty-five (25) hours are required working under a licensed professional in an organization or agency mandated to address issues of social and economic oppression.

SOWK 301 Social Policy History focuses on the forces driving policy decisions within a historical framework. The differential impact of social policy on diverse and oppressed groups is developed. A large component of the class directly addresses poverty, its causes, and the intersecting influences that promote institutionalism of poverty.

SOWK 303 Social Policy Analysis provides students with a framework to analyze current social policy, taking into consideration both historical influences and current factors shaping these policies. A framework for policy analysis, incorporating the principles of social and economic justice, is also included. Content is provided on policy formulation, incorporating the processes influencing policy decisions.

SOC 201 Contemporary Social Issues is an examination of issues of timely importance to Americans generally, and to
West Virginians in particular, emphasizing sociological explanations of underlying factors.

To encourage the students’ full involvement in understanding timely topics related to domestic poverty and in community service while they are taking classes, we encourage the following co-curricular activities. Co-curricular activities include ongoing approved continuing education seminars to total 10 hours regarding topics within the penumbra of domestic poverty. These are continually available through the Division of Social Sciences, the Department of Social Work, and periodically through other Divisions and campus initiatives.

Moreover, membership in service organizations will be expected. These include: Bonner Scholars, Alpha Phi Omega, Amnesty International, Concord Social Work Organization or the International Club. The group the student joins (or possibly initiates) must have a project or focus on a domestic and an international issue OR the student must have membership in TWO organizations that meet the requirement to work on a project with a domestic and an international issue. Thus, selected classes create an academic foundation and co-curricular activities insure a culture of global responsibility and civic engagement.

The students’ experiences in the classes build the foundation for understanding the roots and impact of poverty from many perspectives. These perspectives represent not only different disciplines, but also different eras in time and the impact of poverty on various groups. This assists the student in understanding poverty from many dimensions and from a historical perspective, a political perspective, and the issues that have been confronted in the past regarding poverty. The emerging issues presented in symposia coupled with the active involvement in service/topical organizations create a contemporary interactive experience.

(3) International Exposure (3 credit hours)

Students select one of the following courses:
GEOG 300 Sustainable Development A study of the need for conservation, its practice and philosophy. Emphasis will be on the interaction of people and the environment they inhabit.

GEOG 301 Economic Geography is a study of the nature, distribution, and spatial dynamics of man’s economic activities.

POSC 230 Politics and Ecology examines a variety of perspectives from which environmental problems can be addressed. These various perspectives or analytical frameworks offer explanations of the underlying causes of environmental problems and also generate political and economic responses to them. This course broadens the understanding of the environmental dilemmas which face modern political systems, and provides the skills to critically evaluate different perspectives on these issues, domestically and internationally.

POSC 304 Comparative Government is a course on comparative analysis of the political processes of state systems outside of the United States.

SOWK 302 Human Diversity is an overview of racial, ethnic, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and social and economic justice issues. The class addresses the sources and consequences of prejudice and discrimination; an analysis of the origin and present status of minorities; and goals and strategies of change in minority relations.

The Co-Curricular expectation in this section is that the student will have membership in organization(s) focusing on domestic and international issues of social and economic oppression. The student will also complete 10 hours of symposia related to issues of social and economic oppression at local, national, or international venues.

(4) Service Learning (10 credit hours)

The following service learning courses flow from and build upon SOWK 350 Introduction to Community Service.

SOWK 230 Group Dynamics and Interviewing Skills integrates theoretical-conceptual perspectives about group communications and interviewing skills. This information is applied to practical problems and situations, focusing on behavior of individuals and groups with an emphasis on effective individual and group skills for both intrapersonal and interpersonal growth and development.
-AND-
SOWK 305 Social Work Research Methods OR SOC 399 Introduction to Sociological Research familiarizes the students with the research process. These classes participate in community-based research in the local community. The focus of the student’s research will be an organization, agency, or community initiative that works with a facet of domestic poverty. A project, such as a needs assessment will be completed with an agency or organization. The student must give serious thought to their project as their internship and capstone project may also continue the work begun here.
-AND-
Classes within the student’s major
The student will have a service-learning component to a class in their major. The Concord Bonner Scholars Director will assist a faculty member in the student’s major as needed in setting up the service-learning component for the class. The Bonner Scholars Program will also be available for consultation throughout the semester, as needed.

It is our hope that as we build a community of civic engagement that many and varied departments and divisions will choose to participate. Therefore, a list of engaged classes will continue to increase on our campus as our culture of civic engagement grows.

(5) Full time Service Internship (up to 12 credit hours)

Students must have a full time service activity to complete the requirements for the civic engagement initiative. This internship is to be completed in one semester. Students may take the 12 semester hours for credit or elect to complete the 12 hours as an audit. Placements offer students an opportunity to witness, encounter, and intervene in issues regarding poverty; develop an appreciation of cultural diversity; and develop an understanding of the role of public policy. The placement includes an opportunity for service, reflection, and writing. Written learning goals and objectives will be developed and implemented with the student and the faculty member acting as the supervisor for the placement. SOWK 420 A-B Field Instruction meets the requirements for social work students pursuing this degree. Students of other majors will follow similar guidelines following the code of ethics for their major and guidelines set by the faculty for their major. The Concord Bonner Scholars Director will provide support as requested by the faculty member to insure the above mentioned content will be set forth in the internship goals and applied throughout the internship experience.

(6) Senior Capstone (3 credit hours)

After completion of the coursework and the internship, seniors are required to complete a senior capstone course that is a culmination of their experience in the program. The SOWK 404 Advanced Community Based Research class will act as the senior capstone course. Continuing the work begun in the beginning research class, students will use the knowledge they have gained through their internship and coursework to continue their research with the agency, organization, or community initiative. It may culminate in a grant proposal for the agency, organization, or community initiative or a connection to other resources. Or, it may take a more advocacy-based track working with developing agency or legislative policies. The student will decide the focus of their research in conjunction with their faculty mentor. A research paper that draws parallels between their international or domestic experiences, their academic work, and service work will be completed and made available online and through the campus library.

Learning Outcomes for Students:

1. To demonstrate the knowledge of:
A. How policies impact populations/communities positively or negatively,
B. How leadership skills can be developed through participation in various projects and through personal accomplishments,
C. How research in an academic-based foundation in conjunction with community service has potential to generate greater understanding of an issue,
D. How to use teamwork skills to accomplish a goal,
E. How many forms service can take, depending upon one’s focus.
F. The many types of diversity and its relation to poverty

Strategies for Bonner Connection:

The Civic Engagement Certificate incorporates the values of the Bonner Foundation which are built around the following tenets:
_
Social Justice: Advocate for fairness, impartiality and equality while addressing systemic social and environmental issues.

Civic Engagement: Participate intentionally as a citizen in the democratic process, actively engaging in public policy and direct service.

Community Building: Establish and sustain a vibrant community of place, personal relationships and common interests.

Spiritual Exploration: Explore personal beliefs while respecting the spiritual practices of others.

International Perspective: Develop international understanding that enables individuals to participate successfully and sensitively in a global society.
Diversity: Respect and engage the many different dimensions of diversity in our public lives
.
Role of Service: The student completes 40 hours of service during their initial SOWK 350 class to begin his/her exploration of social issues in conjunction with class discussion of social topics. The topics are usually loosely grouped around the Bonner Common Commitments of Social Justice, Spiritual Exploration, International Perspective, and Diversity. Civic Engagement is usually addressed through discussion of policy issues, current events, and encouragement of all students to register to vote and to exercise that right. The community service opportunity, the classroom experience, and their identity as the Bonner Freshmen allow the students to participate in Community Building. This initial challenge of basic social issues and values clarification assists the student in his/her continuing role in community service by helping them reflect on their own values and social, political, and economic roles and expectations. Some of the courses in the curriculum have a service component, so depending on the student’s course selection, there may be more service opportunities prior to the internship. The Co-curricular activities offer service opportunities through organization memberships.

Student Leadership: The student begins their leadership training in the SOWK 350 class. To become a leader, the student must learn to speak in a public setting, learn to work in a group, and learn how to set individual goals which this class requires the student to do. The SOWK 230 class will help them understand more complex group dynamics which is important in leading groups. The student works with their advisor and/or Bonner Director to plan their course of study in completing their certificate requirements. The research class requires the student to select a topic the student is interested in pursuing, based on their interests and the knowledge they have gained from the classes and co-curricular activities they have taken to that point. As the student progresses in their knowledge gathering, the student assumes more responsibility for the dynamics of their academic pursuits within the certificate program. The capstone course is a culmination of the research class, internship and the foundation courses. The actions taken during this course can be as creative and dynamic as the student wishes to pursue. A research paper will be generated by the student compiling their initial research study and their internship to personally explore or experience the issue/topic. For the second part of their research during the senior capstone course, the student can choose to be an advocate for change by proposing policy changes on an agency or legislative level; can network agencies with similar missions for common reasons; do grant writing for one or more agencies; or do further research on an agency- specific topic. The student will decide his/her course of study based on his/her interests and his/her level of leadership skill. The student will also work with the professor teaching the capstone course to follow academic-appropriate guidelines for his/her study.

Community Partnerships: Concord University, the Bonner Scholars Program and the Concord Social Work Department have a long history of community connections in the surrounding area. When community service activities are to be pursued, we have a prior history of doing community service and those same routines will be followed. The staff and faculty work with area agencies to share paperwork and supervising responsibilities. We have had students who worked in different counties, states and countries. We work with agencies and students on a case-by-case basis as is required for the student. Our plan would be the same for the student pursuing the Civic Engagement Certificate.