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Pillars or Core Architectural
Features of
Civic Engagement Minor or Certificate
When examining the core structures
and characteristics of programs from the participating institutions,
several themes, concepts and activities have emerged that
provide a basic understanding of the structure of the civic
engagement certificate or minor. The outgrowth of these findings
is the beginning of a blueprint for these and other institutions
to follow as they develop an academic route that will encourage,
educate and direct students to integrate their commitment
to service with their understanding of citizenship.
Through the work of the FIPSE Civic Engagement initiative,
the Bonner Foundation hasthus begun to articulate a template
for civic engagement certificate or minor programs. Pillars
or core features associated with these various incarnations
of civic engagement academic programs on campuses include:
- Integrated: Co-curricular activities
are integrated with specific academic coursework.
- Intense: Each student participates in
8-10 hours of service a week (plus training and enrichment)
during the school year, engages in at least one full time
summer service internship, and takes a minimum of five academic
courses as part of the curriculum.
- Multi-Year: This initiative is a multi-year
approach. The process is a minimum of two years and preferably
four years of service and course work.
- Developmental/ Sequential: Both the co-curricular
service and training activities and the civic engagement
certificate-related academic courses have to have to be
organized with a beginning, middle and end so that the expectations
and requirements increase and are built one upon the other.
- Politics/Public Policy: This initiative
cannot consist of “just volunteering” or “stand
alone community service.” Students are expected to
integrate their service experience with their understanding
and exploration of politics and public policy.
- Poverty: Any education around civic engagement
and all informed community service must be accompanied with
an in-depth awareness and analysis of economic poverty in
this country.
- Global: Civically engaged students must
have exposure and knowledge through both service and course
work about the global community and how the United States
relates to the world in a political, economic and cultural
ways.
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