Highlight from the issue include:
Highlight articles in this issue:
To view the Newsletter with Photos: Spring 2018 Newsletter
The Periclean Progress E-Newsletter Volume 14, February 2018 "An educated citizenry is the essential instrument for promoting responsible social action and community well-being." - Eugene M. Lang To view the Newsletter with photos: Winter 2018 Newsletter Featured Article:
Pitzer Takes D4D Letter to an Elected Official Competition to "Inside-Out Prison Exchange" Classes By Tessa Hicks Peterson, Pitzer College "This letter writing personally motivated me to voice my opinion and to get others to voice theirs in order to push legislative agendas that are important to us as inmates... because mass incarceration is out of control and legislation can make a difference. It's important to try to push things forward with these assemblymen and try to make a difference. I plan on getting involved with policy organizations and giving back when I get out." (MJ, inside student) During the Fall 2017 semester, Pitzer College decided to introduce a new twist to our usual participation in the Project Pericles "Letter to an Elected Official" national letter writing competition. The letters would be written in prison, by prisoners, about prison (continued at the end). National Office News: Debating for Democracy (D4D) Students Protect the Hudson River from Oil Tankers - Rowan Lanning ('18) and Christina Thomas ('19), Pace University, won the 2017 D4D Letters to an Elected Official competition for their letter seeking to halt the use of the Hudson River as an anchorage for oil tankers, a practice the Coast Guard had proposed without consultation with local communities or developing an environmental impact study. In collaboration with Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the Pace University D4D team ran a successful campaign to protect the Hudson River from the threat of oil spills. Thanks to the work of Christina, Rowan, and many others, the Coast Guard withdrew its proposal to permit anchorages for oil tankers. The Coast Guard appointed the students as official observers for its Port and Waterway Safety Assessment meetings held in November. "In light of these recent and exciting developments [the withdrawal of the Coast Guard's proposal], we are left in the unexpected position of ... being able to declare victory.... We are thrilled to continue on [with] this exciting experience and appreciate your [Project Pericles'] ... support."-Rowan Lanning, Pace University ('18) The Reed College Team Met with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Oregon State Senator Kathleen Taylor (D-21) as part of their work on Federal and State Legislation to protect students from sexual assault. Leilani Ganser ('19) spoke with Senator Merkley about the health care needs of sexual assault survivors and is working with Senator Merkley's office to introduce a bill that amends FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) to classify sexual assault as a public health issue that must be included on transcripts (the bill proposed in their letter). The team is also working with Oregon State Senator Kathleen Taylor and a representative from Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum's office to lower the state standard of evidence in Title IX investigations to a "Preponderance of the Evidence" standard. For the D4D Letter to an Elected Official Competition Leilani Ganser ('19) and Sonya Morud ('19) wrote "A Letter in Support of the Safe Transfer Act" (would require post-secondary institutions to disclose sex offenses on students' transcripts) to Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). About D4D - The Debating for Democracy National Conference features a Legislative Hearing in which teams of students compete for $5,000 in prize money by presenting in front of a panel of former government officials. The teams use the awards to develop advocacy and educational campaigns focused on their issues. In 2017, a panel of three judges- Constance Berry Newman, Martha Kanter, and Ruth Messinger-selected Pace University as the winner of the D4D Letters to an Elected Official Competition. The winning team received $3,000 to move their issue forward and the finalist teams each will receive $500. In this issue, we provide updates on the Pace University and Reed College teams. Berea College, Carleton College, and Swarthmore College were the other 2017 finalists. We provided updates on Berea and Carleton in the Fall 2017 Newsletter and will highlight Swarthmore in the future. Project Pericles Highlighted in The Chronicle of Higher Education In his recent Chronicle of Higher Education overview of civic engagement, Michael Anftdiscussed the work of Project Pericles. For the piece, Anft interviewed Project Pericles Executive Director Jan R. Liss as well as Project Pericles Program Directors from Goucher College and Pitzer College. "Project Pericles encourages colleges to map out their civic offerings and to find gaps by measuring them against those of other member institutions. 'We're getting more and more inquiries from colleges asking, 'How do we get this started?'' says Ms. Liss. 'We're really starting to get some serious traction on this.'" "The goal isn't limited to campus activism, community work, or courses, she says. It's to tie them all together into a cohesive strategy geared to each campus." We are pleased that The Chronicle is focusing on civic engagement. In collaboration with all of our member colleges and universities, we look forward to having a strong voice in the evolving national discussion about the critical role of civic engagement in safeguarding our democracy. The article is available online and appeared in the January 12 print edition. D4D on the Road™ Prepares Student Leaders for Activism The 2017-2018 Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ workshops resumed on January 20 at Macalester College with Carleton College visiting and on January 27 at Hendrix College with the University of Central Arkansas visiting. We are pleased to partner with Midwest Academy for 2017-2018. D4D workshops provide both novice and seasoned activists with the skills they need to develop advocacy and education campaigns through effective messaging to policymakers, community leaders, and the public. Workshops are open to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. During the D4D on the Road™ workshops, seasoned organizers and activists walk participants through the critical steps in running successful campaigns to win on important issues. From the evaluations and surveys from the 2016-2017 D4D on the Road workshops, we know that our students are concerned with Climate Change, Education Access, Immigration Reform, LGBTQ Rights, Mass Incarceration, and Race and Inequality. We are using these topics to teach students tools to enable them to become more active citizen and effective advocates on issues of concern. Following the January 20 workshop at Macalester, The Mac Weekly featured front page coverage of the workshop. "People care about lots of issues, and I think you hear [it] at the walk-in, etc.," [Macalester College Civic Engagement Center (CEC) Outreach Coordinator Derek] Johnson [said], "but how do you continue to work on these things? This is giving [students] a toolbox, a framework, and some skills." For Hannah Whipple [Macalester College] '21, [the trainer Jhatayn] Travis' experience as an activist was a major highlight of the training. "I think my favorite part of it was seeing her real-life examples," Whipple said. "After she told us about all these strategies, she walked us through a specific campaign that she went through and then she showed us a video to succinctly wrap it up. I really appreciated that." New Project Pericles Board Members, Lou Martarano and Jim Mullen Please join me in welcoming Louis (Lou) A. Martarano and James (Jim) H. Mullen Jr.as Project Pericles' newest board members - Lou and Jim were elected to the Project Pericles Board of Directors at our December meeting. With their expertise, insight, and wisdom, we are very pleased to have both of them join the board. Jim, President of Allegheny College, will serve in an ex officio capacity as a representative of the Project Pericles Presidents' Council. Biographies for Lou and Jim can be found at the end. Periclean Faculty Leaders - Changing the Civil Discourse on Campus This fall, we launched a second round of the Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL) Program™ on 13 campuses. The PFL Program is a leadership and course development program dedicated to incorporating civil discourse, civic engagement, and social responsibility across the undergraduate curriculum. The Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL) Program™ encourages faculty members in a wide range of disciplines to create and teach courses that address issues of social concern, enrich the curriculum, and enhance student engagement. Periclean Faculty Leaders (PFLs) from the first cohort are serving as mentors to the 2017-2018 PFL cohort. The PFL Program is supported by The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations and the Eugene M. Lang Foundation. 16 Periclean Faculty Leaders taught courses from a wide range of disciplines: Archaeology and Classical Studies, Business Law, Computer Science, Dance, English, Environmental Studies, History, Mathematics and Statistics, Psychology, Sociology, Theatre, and Urban Studies. Their syllabi have joined the 100 other courses incorporating civic engagement on our website. Periclean Faculty Leaders Wow at AAC&U Annual Meeting in DC At AAC&U, PFL Phong Le discusses a student mapping project using 911 data. Photo by Jennifer Magee. On January 25, four Periclean Faculty Leaders presented, "From Curriculum To Community: Encouraging Faculty and Students To Change The World" as part of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) 2018 Annual Meeting. Joining Jan R. Liss, Project Pericles Executive Director, on stage to talk about their experiences were Periclean Faculty Leaders from Goucher College, New England College, Skidmore College, and Swarthmore College. Phong Le, Assistant Professor of Mathematics in the Center for Data, Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Goucher College and Lynne Steuerle Schofield, Associate Professor of Statistics, Swarthmore College, spoke about the benefits for their students of incorporating civic engagement into their math and statistics courses. Lynne also provided data on how courses with civic engagement components are attracting students who might not otherwise take math or statistics classes. Alex Picard, Associate Professor of Theatre, New England College talked about what a powerful experience writing and producing an original play on current social issues had been for her students and the entire New England College community. Students used the course to channel their concerns with the current political climate by working for positive change. Picard described her course as fundamentally changing the civil discourse on campus. After class, discussions continued in the dining and residence halls. Finally, Nurcan Atalan-Helicke, Assistant Professor in Environmental Studies and Sciences, Skidmore College discussed her students' work to measure the college's scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, with a focus on emissions generated by study abroad programs, and developing plans to mitigate the campus's environmental impact. AAC&U and CIC - Project Pericles at National Meetings Project Pericles presented at AAC&U as part of their Pre-Meeting Symposium, "The Power of Civic Engagement-Across Campus, Within Communities, Beyond Borders". Our panel was one of the "sessions highlighting our [AAC&U's] key partners." We were pleased to be a co-sponsor along with Campus Compact and Imagining America. For our panel, "Incorporating Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility in the Classroom, on Campus, and in the Community," Project Pericles Program Directors discussed how we collaborate across the consortium and advance civic engagement. They each highlighted one of our programs, Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement, Creating Curricular Coherence, Debating for Democracy (D4D)™, and the Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL) Program™. Presenting with Jan R. Liss, Executive Director, Project Pericles were Darby K. Ray, Director, Harward Center for Community Partnerships and Donald W. & Ann M. Harward Professor of Civic Engagement, Bates College; Karin Trail-Johnson, Associate Dean, Institute for Global Citizenship and Director, Civic Engagement Center, Macalester College; Ella Turenne, Assistant Dean for Community Engagement, Occidental College; ; and Christian Rice, Assistant Dean for Civic Engagement and Director, Bonner Leader Program and UCARE, Ursinus College. The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) invited Project Pericles to present at their 2017 Institute for Chief Academic and Chief Student Affairs Officers in San Antonio, Texas. We discussed our work as part of Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement, the three-year initiative that spurred member institutions to inventory, map, and strengthen civic engagement across the curriculum. Joining Jan R. Liss on the panel were Chad Berry, Academic Vice President and Dean of the Faculty, Berea College; Yolanda Williams Page, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dillard University; and Jenna Templeton, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Chatham University. The session was chaired by Mark Schneider, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, Ursinus College. Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement was a project to reconceptualize the organization and integration of programming for civic engagement and social responsibility on 26 Periclean campuses. With support from the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and The Teagle Foundation, member colleges and universities inventoried, mapped, strengthened, and developed more cohesive and integrated civic engagement programs to enable students in all disciplines to incorporate civic engagement into their courses of study. In our 2017 White Paper Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement: Five Approaches to Institutionalizing Civic Engagement by Garret S. Batten, Project Pericles; Adrienne Falcón, Carleton College; and Jan R. Liss, Project Pericles we discuss insights from this multi-campus project. Campus Pursue Greater Institutionalization of Civic Engagement Through Collaboration Representatives of the three campuses (Macalester College, Morehouse College, and Widener University) participating in Creating Curricular Coherence through Inquiry-Based and Thematic Pathways (2017-2020) and Project Pericles met in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with AAC&U's 2018 Annual Meeting. All three teams reported making considerable progress on their projects which are exploring different but allied approaches to creating greater coherence in the undergraduate curriculum. Macalester College has held a series of meetings and workshops with the History and Geography departments, including a "Deep Dive" where the departments met together, as they work to further integrate civic engagement and community-based learning into the departments' approaches to instruction using a pathway or scaffolded approach. Morehouse recently passed significant changes to its general education requirements. As part of Creating Curricular Coherence, Morehouse held a series of faculty development workshops to assist faculty as they redesign courses. Widener solicited proposals for redesigned courses that will be included in its new, inter-disciplinary sustainability pathway and made 14 mini-grants to support faculty course development. Creating Curricular Coherence is a faculty-led initiative that involves comprehensive reviews of the curriculum. These are ambitious undertakings that will redefine undergraduate education at each institution for years to come. Funded by a $225,000 grant from The Teagle Foundation and with support from the Eugene M. Lang Foundation, three institutions are streamlining their curricula using civic engagement and community-based learning as catalysts in their efforts. Macalester is piloting pathways in Geography and History with plans to expand their efforts. Morehouse and Widener are redesigning their curriculum with an emphasis on inquiry-based learning. Morehouse is using questions about the African diaspora to help shape its work while Widener is focusing on sustainability. In 2019, all Periclean campuses will be invited to a convening where we will discuss insights and best practices on curricular organization, streamlining, and institutional change. Building Campus-based Student Task Forces Comprised of student-led task forces on our member campuses, Student Choices - Student Voices (SCSV) encourages civic participation by hosting an array of events and activities about national issues for students and community members. SCSV activities on campus are in full swing. Wagner College held a political film screening and voter registration event featuring films exclusively produced by Wagner students. Each film included a Q&A with the audience and filmmakers which initiated valuable conversations about current events. At Ursinus College, a student moderated an election panel on campus and reported "a great turnout and the students were very engaged." Macalester College students assisted with voter registration at the Civic Engagement Center and are now collaborating with BallotReady to collect information to support the 2018 election. This fall, we released a SCSV guidebook and regular newsletter for student task forces working on voter registration and political engagement. Project Pericles would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Pericleans Presidents and Provosts. Presidents Hubert L. Grimes, Interim President, Bethune-Cookman University David A. Thomas, President, Morehouse College Provosts Scott Sibley, Interim Provost, Goucher College Crystal Dea Moore, Interim Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Skidmore College Fred Akl, Provost, Widener University New Members of the Project Pericles Presidents' Council Executive Committee Please join us in congratulating the following on their recent appointment: President José Antonio Bowen, Goucher College President Valerie Smith, Swarthmore College Pericleans in the News Whitman College Receives Large Grant from Mellon Foundation for Community-Based Teaching The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded Whitman College an $800,000 grant to support ongoing and new initiatives related to community-based teaching and research, with a special emphasis upon increasing diversity and inclusion across campus. The grant will support, among other things, a faculty director position to guide and support community-based learning efforts across campus, faculty support for CBL pedagogy, community outreach, and new initiatives to develop themed curricular clusters based in experiential learning and community engagement. Whitman has made significant progress to deepen relationships with the Native American groups living in the region. In May, the college signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the nearby Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). The MOU lays out a plan for streamlining communication between Whitman and the Tribes and will be the platform for various types of community engagement activities, including an anticipated "Semester on the Reservation" program. Noah Leavitt (Director of Whitman's Student Engagement Center) and Jason Pribilsky(Prof. of Anthropology and Chair of the Social Sciences and Project Pericles Program Director) hosted an event for tribal stakeholders and Whitman faculty and staff called "Realizing the MOU." The event served as a knowledge exchange between the institutions. Over a day of programming, both groups shared key initiatives, ending with a brainstorming session to identify potential future collaborations between CTUIR and Whitman faculty and students. Project Pericles Board Member Biographies (continued from National Office News) Louis (Lou) A. Martarano has significant financial, managerial, educational, and board experience. He led groups in the United States and Europe in the financial services industry and is involved in higher education. He is the Director overseeing Penn State's prestigious Science BS/MBA accelerated joint degree program. For the Yale University Alumni Non-Profit Alliance (YANA), he is a board member, Vice President, and serves on the Executive Committee. He has served as Board of Trustees member (2002 to 2011) and Chair (2011 to 2013) for Marymount Manhattan College. Lou came to know Theresa Lang and Gene Lang through his service at Marymount. He attended our 2017 D4D National Conference to see the five finalist teams present at the legislative hearing. Starting his financial services career at Kidder Peabody & Co. in 1981, he was a specialist in the energy, environmental and infrastructure industries managing transactions to successful completion. Lou was recruited in 1992 by Merrill Lynch to take a leading role in its project finance business, eventually establishing and managing its London Project Finance Group in 1997. Lou received a Master's Degree in Public and Private Management from the Yale School of Management. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry with honors from The Pennsylvania State University, where he serves as Chair of the Dean's Advisory Board and on its Development Committee. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of Penn State's Palmer Art Museum, which he has also chaired. James (Jim) H. Mullen, Jr. became the 21st president of Allegheny College in 2008. With more than 30 years of experience in leadership roles in higher education, and a keen appreciation for Allegheny's history and traditions, he is continuing the work of earlier presidents in building community while at the same time enhancing the College's reputation as one of the nation's preeminent colleges of the liberal arts and sciences. Dr. Mullen's tenure, Allegheny celebrated its bicentennial and also publicly launched the largest comprehensive fundraising campaign in College history, both in 2015. In addition, one of his key initiatives has been the establishment of the national Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life, which was created in 2011 to annually recognize two political figures, one liberal and one conservative, who argue passionately but with civility for their beliefs. In 2017, the Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life in Pennsylvania was awarded at the state level for the first time. Dr. Mullen has served as chair of the board of directors of the American Council on Education (ACE), the nation's most visible and influential higher education association with a base of more than 1,800 member institutions. He continues to serve ACE as a representative of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), which represents more than 1,000 private nonprofit institutions of higher learning on higher education policy issues with federal and state governments. Dr. Mullen also serves as chair of the board of directors of the Great Lakes College Association (GLCA) and as vice president of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). Dr. Mullen also serves on boards for the Pennsylvania Economy League of Greater Pittsburgh and the Meadville Medical Center. In addition to his leadership roles in higher education and civic organizations, Dr. Mullen has been a sought-after lecturer in public policy and civility in public discourse, where his work focuses on the American presidency, as well as history and political science. Dr. Mullen is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. He holds a master of public policy degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a doctorate in higher education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Pitzer Takes D4D Letter to an Elected Official Competition to "Inside-Out Prison Exchange" Classes (continued from Featured Article). By Tessa Hicks Peterson, Pitzer College To explain, let me provide a bit more information about Pitzer College and the unusual kind of community engagement it practices that has led it to partner with prisons. Pitzer was founded in 1963 as an experimental liberal arts college influenced by social reform movements with deep roots in American progressivism and a commitment to the founding ideas of participation and community. Given its mission and values, it is unsurprising to find that many of its faculty, staff, and students are deeply invested in one of the greatest social justice issues of our time: the devastating impacts that result from mass incarceration, the school to prison pipeline and the collateral damages people face while attempting people to re-enter and find success in "free" society after serving prison time. Given that 2.3 million people are incarcerated in the United States (which is five times higher than most of the countries in the world), this is an issue that impacts not just some of us, but all of us (if not by personal experience or that of our immediate community, then by the fact that all American taxpayers are complicit in upholding our current criminal justice procedures and correctional facilities by way of the industry's $26 billion annual charge to taxpayers). In an attempt to address the need for higher education in prison and to use our engagement there to educate students about the vast injustices borne of the criminal justice system, Pitzer has been teaching a number of "inside-out prison exchange" classes in at the California Rehabilitation Center (a local men's prison) since 2014. The "Inside-Out Prison Education program" is a nationwide effort aimed at connecting "outside" students from colleges and universities with "inside" students, who are incarcerated in local prisons, for the mutual benefit of each. While this practice has been gaining steady popularity and become established at colleges and universities across the country for the last 20 years, there are fewer examples of it on the West coast. Pitzer is spearheading a trend in California to offer semester-long, dual credit-bearing shared courses by providing nine of these courses in the last three years and securing a commitment by the entire Claremont College Consortium to teach eight of these classes annually, from an array of disciplines, into the future. Having had the opportunity to oversee this development at the Claremont Colleges and teach annually in this program since the first pilot year, I have come to see what a profound experience this form of community engagement creates, both for inside and outside students, as well as their teachers. The array of perspectives and life experiences in the classroom infuse class discussions and theoretical analysis with a new energy and purpose. The breaking down of barriers, assumptions, fears, and biases (from all sides) is deep and on-going. Furthermore, the critical pedagogy approach that is embedded in this model and the willingness of participants to try new things as part of this learning adventure means that innovative, interactive learning occurs daily inside the most unlikely of places. Thus, the stage that was perfectly set for introducing the "Letter to an Elected Official" national letter writing competition. The assignment was also perfectly aligned with my current course, Critical Community Studies, which explores current movements, theories, and narratives centered around critical issues in our local communities, namely education and incarceration. As such, the students needed to pull on what had sparked their interests in the readings we had done about mass incarceration, the school to prison pipeline, and pedagogies of education aiming at social change and liberation, and link these topics to current legislation. They researched local and federal legislation and found some fascinating bills surrounding incarceration and education that allowed them to connect the theoretical models they had studied to practical solutions, advocating passionately for the issues that directly impacted at least half our class. They discussed together what issues they wanted to pursue, what legislation best aligned with their interests, the additional research they'd need to do in order to substantiate their arguments, and what kind of compelling personal narratives they might include to make their letters persuasive and engaging. They worked together over seemingly insurmountable divides (based on their differing life experiences, academic levels, and the obvious distance between them that forbade any contact outside of class). Despite these challenges, they collaboratively wrote some of the most thoughtful, well-researched and impassioned letters than I have seen in my 10 years overseeing this competition. They wrote to elected officials about a range of bills concerning prison reform, bail reform and aims to reduce the recidivism rate of formerly incarcerated people as well as bills related to education, nonviolence, and peacebuilding. Through their letters, they advanced not only their own respective civic engagement abilities and interests but also used the assignment as a way to advance prison education and social change. On the last day of class, they discussed the incredibly meaningful impact the collaborative letter-writing assignment had on them. I end with examples of this impact, as articulated in their own words: "I consider myself a politically involved person but I had never written a letter to an elected official before. Ever. It had never been a part of my school curriculum, either. This assignment was a great example of how to teach civic engagement." (SK, outside student) "What we are writing about are bi-partisan issues-nobody wants recidivism! There is power in somebody reading a narrative they aren't familiar with and seeing how policies are impacting people's lives. Even if it doesn't mean huge change in laws right away, it can change people's minds." (SH, outside student) "It's one thing to have people speak for you. It's another to have your voice heard." (SA, inside student) "This was a very cool exercise in hope. It's hard to stay hopeful in the midst of current events. This was a cool way to incorporate abstract solutions into something that is concrete-a bill that could actually be passed." (OK, outside student) "When you come to prison, a lot of your own voice and choice is gone. Someone always tells you when, where and how. This assignment gave us an opportunity to come together and discuss what is an actual problem we are facing that we want to bring up and give voice to." (XX, inside student) About The Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ Letter to an Elected Official Competition: The competition engages students around public policy issues, the political process, and with their elected officials. Since 2008, hundreds of teams from all Periclean colleges and universities have participated in this competition. Every year, a panel of judges with significant legislative experience selects the five winning letters written by teams of students from Periclean campuses. Winning teams are selected based on their letters and their advocacy proposals. Letters have proposed innovative solutions on a wide variety of issues including the DREAM Act, nuclear non-proliferation agreement with Iran, a national food waste management systems, the student debt crisis, and K-12 education reform. Letters are sent to elected officials throughout the United States. About the Author Tessa Hicks Peterson is Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement, Project Pericles Program Director, and Associate Professor of Urban Studies at Pitzer College, USA and also the author of the newly released book, Student Development and Social Justice: Critical Learning, Radical Healing, and Community Engagement. Project Pericles Needs Your Support! Protect our democracy! Please make a donation today to Project Pericles so that we can continue to prepare student leaders for lives of engaged citizenship. Donations can be made directly through our website www.projectpericles.org by clicking donate in the upper right corner. To subscribe or to submit Periclean-related information for publication, email [email protected]. Periclean Colleges & Universities Allegheny College * Bates College * Berea College Bethune-Cookman University * Carleton College * Chatham University Dillard University * Drew University * Elon University The Evergreen State College * Goucher College * Hampshire College Hendrix College * Macalester College * Morehouse College New England College * The New School * Occidental College * Pace University Pitzer College * Reed College * Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhodes College * St. Mary's College of Maryland * Skidmore College Swarthmore College * Ursinus College * Wagner College Whitman College * Widener University * The College of Wooster National Office Executive Director: Jan R. Liss Assistant Director: Garret S. Batten Program Associate: Arielle del Rosario Board of Directors Founder and Chair Emeritus: Eugene M. Lang (1919-2017) Chair: Neil R. Grabois Vice-Chair: Richard Ekman Treasurer: David A. Caputo Janet S. Dickerson Richard Guarasci Helen Lang Suskin Arthur E. Levine Jan R. Liss* Louis A. Martarano Michael S. McPherson James H. Mullen, Jr.* Harris L. Wofford *ex officio Presidents' Council Chair: Richard Guarasci, Wagner College Vice-Chair: Steven G. Poskanzer, Carleton College National Board of Advisors Co-Chairs: Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker & Hon. Kurt L. Schmoke The title "Project Pericles®" and its embodiment in the Logo are registered service marks of Project Pericles, Inc. All rights are reserved. The Periclean Progress E-Newsletter Volume 14, September 2017 To view the Newsletter with photos: Fall 2017 Newsletter. The Periclean Progress is a publication of Project Pericles, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that encourages and facilitates commitments by colleges and universities to include education for social responsibility and participatory citizenship as an essential element of their educational programs in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community.
National Office News: Project Pericles Supports DREAMers As an organization dedicated to promoting civic engagement in higher education, Project Pericles stands with the DREAMers. Through their advocacy of their cause and quest for social justice, the DREAMers embody the qualities that we seek to impart in all Pericleans. Students on Periclean campuses have been and continue to be actively engaged in promoting the DREAMers cause. We support them in these efforts. Civic Engagement Guidebook Completed Project Pericles just released a draft of our Civic Engagement Guidebook as part of our multi-year initiative Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement. The guidebook draws on best practices and lessons learned from the initiative and from our associated White Paper, Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement: Five Approaches to Institutionalizing Civic Engagement by Garret Batten, Adrienne Falcón, and Jan R. Liss. The Guidebook includes submissions from Allegheny College, Carleton College, Bates College, Goucher College, Occidental College, Pace University, and Wagner College. Topics discussed: Five Approaches to Institutionalizing Civic Engagement Pathways Requirements Certificates and Minors Intensive Programs-Civic Scholars Entrepreneurial/Open Choice Models Faculty Recruitment Working with Community Partners Student Reflection Assessment and Evaluation We are treating the guidebook as a living document and plan on adding to it on a regular basis. While the initial focus is on the institutionalization and organization of civic engagement, there are many other topics that we plan to address including pedagogical methods and techniques, syllabi development, and an annotated bibliography. If you would like to submit an entry for the guidebook, please let us know. The guidebook will be on the agenda at the 2017 Project Pericles Program Directors Conference (see below). This work was made possible through the generous support of The Teagle Foundation and the Eugene M. Lang Foundation. New Project Pericles Board Member, Helen Lang Suskin Please join us in welcoming Helen Lang Suskin to our board. Helen has been familiar with the work of Project Pericles since the organization was a gleam in Gene Lang's eyes in 1999. He spoke with her and used her wise counsel as he developed Project Pericles. We are pleased to have her expertise, insight, and perspective on our board. Helen led the Global Business Analytics and Insights team for the Emerging Markets Business Unit of Pfizer, Inc. In this role, she was responsible for ensuring delivery of fact and analytically-based customer insights that drove business decisions at the global, regional, and local level. Previously, Helen led the Market Analytics functions for the US and Commercial and Business Development, enabling investment in the highest value opportunities both within the Pfizer pipeline and external opportunities. Helen joined Pfizer in 1988; before leading the Market Analytics function, she held roles of increasing responsibility within the Finance organization. Additionally, she had leadership roles in organization-wide transformations, including the Warner Lambert, Pharmacia and Wyeth integrations as well as a comprehensive review of sales and marketing practices. She also led Pfizer's philanthropic programs to expand access to free and reduced-cost prescription medications. Before joining Pfizer, Helen spent five years as an agricultural engineer, advising and applying modern scientific and commercial practice for one of the largest farming conglomerates in Argentina. Helen is a mentor at The Lang School of Entrepreneurshipat Columbia University and is involved with an education initiative in Kenya, Africa. Helen holds an MBA from Columbia University, and a BS in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Update on D4D Letter to an Elected Official 2016 Student Teams and Their Projects Berea College Megan Yocum ('17) and Tran Nguyen ('17), the student team from Berea College, filmed a Public Service Announcement (PSA), "Sincerely, a Kentuckian." Originally, the video was to "inform the public about KY Senate Bill 180 in order to prompt them to action" as the bill would allow business owners to deny services to LGBTQ customers based on religious beliefs. While developing the PSA, the bill passed in the Senate (but later not in the House). Because Senator Jared Carpenter, the senator of Madison County where Berea lies, voted yes on this bill, Megan and Tran decided to frame their video as an open letter to Senator Carpenter, focusing on how students, faculty, and staff understand this bill and what impact it would have had on them, their friends, families, and communities. The pair filmed a diverse group of constituents on campus, over a three week period. As the film went into post-production, Megan explained that the "PSA is even more important now that SB 180 has been rewritten while the editing process of this project occurred." Carleton College The Carleton College team of Sharaka Berry ('18), Sarah Goldman ('17), Robert Harris III ('17), Maya Margolis ('19), and Jenni Rogan ('19), started a nonprofit, Heart of the Heartland, an agricultural-based educational program. In June, they held their first Young Farmer Summer Seminar. During this "five-week intensive agricultural program" students were placed with farmer mentors and also took "topical seminars in agricultural biology and policy (http://heartoftheheartland.com/young-farmer-summer-seminar/ )." Students participated in hands-on workshops at Northfield-area farms focusing on a different topic each week: water, soil, farm technology, farm business, and food systems/food justice, public policy, and more. The first cohort included students from Carleton College, Macalester College, and St. Olaf's College. Heart of the Heartland grew out of the Carleton teams' support of the 2014 Farm Bill. As part of the D4D Letters to an Elected Official competition, the team wrote a letter to Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in support of subsidizing crop insurance to allow for more diversified crops of fruits and vegetables and away from an overreliance on corn and soy. In turn, they argued, this would help secure healthy and nutritious food grown within the United States. Pitzer College Amina Farías ('18) and Eleanor Neal at Pitzer College ('18)wrote "A Letter in Support of Medicaid-funded Mental Health Treatment and Recovery Support Programs for Justice-Involved Populations" to Representative Judy Chu (D-CA). They began their corresponding project by partnering with Prototypes Women's Center, which treats individuals and families' with addiction and mental health issues. Amina and Eleanor spent two hours a week facilitating a class for six women, where they worked with women on what resources would be most helpful in getting them to a point of stability. At this year's D4D National Conference, delegates Amina and Eleanor mapped out next steps for their project with students from around the country during the Social Action workshop. Amina and Eleanor are currently planning a resource fair and developing their second class curriculum for the women at Prototypes. Their long-term goals are to further relationships between Pitzer students, the surrounding community, and the Prototypes Women's Center; to provide resources for the women at Prototypes, such as a professional clothing closet made up of local donations; and to create an action plan for other students to continue their initial work. About The D4D Letter to an Elected Official Competition: The competition engages students around public policy issues, the political process, and with their elected officials. Since 2008, hundreds of teams from all Periclean colleges and universities have participated in this competition. Every year, a panel of judges with significant legislative experience selects the five winning letters written by teams of students from Periclean campuses. Winning teams are selected based on their letters and their advocacy proposals. Letters have proposed innovative solutions on a wide variety of issues ranging from implementing food waste management systems at the national level to advocating for financial literacy services for struggling families, to supporting redistricting that ensures equal access to a quality high school education in Pennsylvania. Letters are sent to elected officials throughout the United States. Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ 2017-2018 D4D on the Road™ Workshops We are pleased to partner with Midwest Academy for 2017-2018 D4D on the Road. The workshops provide both novice and seasoned activists alike with the skills they need to develop advocacy and education campaigns through effective messaging to policy makers, community leaders, and the public. Workshops are open to all including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. During D4D on the Road™ workshops, seasoned organizers and activists will walk participants through the critical steps in running successful campaigns to win on issues they are passionate about. Often, when we think about the world we want to see, it is difficult to know where to start to bring about change. To be effective, organizers must be able to translate the problems they see in their communities into effective solutions and then build thoughtful strategies to win those solutions. Effective strategies simultaneously build strong community groups and leaders and better position our movements for future wins. The workshops will introduce a systematic framework to help participants identify solutions to problems they are concerned with and then build winning strategies to make change. Through small group exercises and role plays, with trainer feedback, the daylong session takes students from researching a problem to analyzing solutions, developing strategy, building people power and meeting effectively with decision-makers. Participants will leave with concrete tools, which they can put to use in a wide variety of public policy settings and efforts. Examples will be drawn from topics including climate change, immigration reform, LGBTQ rights, mass incarceration, race and inequality, and reproductive rights. Project Pericles is excited to be partnering again with Midwest Academy, a national training institute committed to advancing the struggle for social, economic, and racial justice. From local neighborhood groups to statewide and national organizations, Midwest Academy has trained over 25,000 grassroots activists from hundreds of organizations and coalitions. Midwest Academy teaches an organizing philosophy, methods, and skills that enable people to actively participate in the democratic process. Project Pericles Prepares for Student Choices - Student Voices (SCSV) Project Pericles is gearing up for another year of Student Choices - Student Voices, our student engagement and voter registration program with a newly revised guidebook. SCSV is comprised of student-led task forces on our member campuses. These task forces work to encourage civic participation by hosting an array of events and activities about national issues for fellow students, faculty, staff, and community members. Students inspire their peers to organize similar activities on their own campus. Project Pericles facilitates information and strategy sharing between task forces. Pericleans have successfully registered thousands of voters and distributed important information about candidates and issues. SCSV fuels engaged citizenship for students and community members by (1) sharing information and resources about candidates and important issues, (2) creating a space for constructive dialogue, and (3) supporting voter registration on campus and in the community. The three components of SCSV build on the collaborative spirit of our national consortium. Program Directors Conference Hosted by Chatham University The Project Pericles Program Directors Conference is scheduled for October 18 and 19 at Chatham University in Pittsburgh. We thank President David Finegold and Project Pericles Program Director Dana Brown for hosting us and are looking forward to learning more about Chatham and to many interesting conversations with our colleagues from around the country. Project Pericles would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Pericleans Presidents and Provosts. New Periclean Presidents and Provosts Presidents: Marjorie Hass, Rhodes College Marvin Krislov, Pace University Harold Martin, Jr., Morehouse College Provosts Jennifer Drake, The Evergreen State College Nira Herrmann, Pace University Michael Hodge, Morehouse College Debra Liebowitz, Drew University Kathryn Graff Low, Bates College Dale Scalise-Smith, Widener University Mark Schneider, Ursinus College Wendy Sternberg, Occidental College Matthew Wood, New England College Featured Articles Building Faculty Capacity at Bates College: The 2016 Publicly-Engaged Pedagogy Learning Community By Darby K. Ray, Bates College In a typical year at Bates College, around 800 students take at least one community-engaged learning (CEL) course. Almost every academic department and program offers one or more CEL course. However, developing a CEL course takes time, expertise, and strong working relationships with prospective community partners. How can busy faculty members fit such things in while maintaining their commitment to excellence in the classroom and their discipline? We might assume that the prudent course of action would be to earn tenure before venturing into the sometimes unpredictable waters of community-engaged teaching, but a strong argument can be made that the ideal time to integrate CEL into a course is during the initial phase of course design and implementation. At Bates, where the Harward Center for Community Partnerships provides comprehensive support for CEL, increasing numbers of pre-tenure faculty are successfully integrating community-engaged work into their courses, producing enhanced learning experiences for students, positive benefit for community partners, and gratifying teaching experiences for faculty (Continued in last section). Project Pericles Program Director from Goucher and Colleague Run "Civic Engagement Boot Camp" in Austria By Cass Freedland and Lindsay Johnson, Goucher College In fall 2016, a compelling call came to our Arsht Center office at Goucher College- would we be interested in travelling to Vienna, Austria to conduct an intensive "American-style leadership and civic engagement boot camp" for Austrian college students as part of a collaborative program between the U.S. Embassy in Vienna and Cultural Vistas, a non-profit organization dedicated to global educational outreach? We were stunned and a bit curious; "Boot camp" isn't really our style when it comes to teaching, particularly around topics like leadership and civic engagement. And in Austria? Did we still remember the German we'd learned in high school? We knew that we had a unique opportunity in front of us. We both were up for a challenge that would push us outside of our professional comfort zone, and while we had no idea of how to approach such a task, we enthusiastically agreed to take a plunge (Continued in last section). Pericleans in the News Swarthmore College Develops Engaged Scholarship and Sustainability Fellowships - Students Take on Waste The Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility helps faculty, students, and staff to connect Swarthmore College's curriculum to a range of local and global communities. We approach this goal through the lens of "Engaged Scholarship," Ernest Boyer's term for teaching and research that apply "the rich resources of the university to our most pressing social, civic, and ethical problems." The President's Sustainability Research Fellowship (or PSRF-pronounced "pea-surf"), now entering its second year, represents one of Swarthmore's most exciting, new examples of Engaged Scholarship. Sustainability Director Aurora Winslade, Lang Center Executive Director Ben Berger, and Environmental Studies Director Betsy Bolton together developed the PSRF program, which draws funding not only from the Lang Center and the Office of Sustainability but from President Valerie Smith's office. PSRF matches small teams of advanced students with staff and faculty mentors to research, develop, and implement projects in a year-long course and associated internship. In 2016-17, the program's pilot year, ten undergraduate Fellows undertook a rich range of activities: redesigning Swarthmore's waste management system, developing a 3-year vision for campus woods stewardship, implementing Swarthmore's internal carbon price, launching behavioral change strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and creating a system to track sustainability progress across campus. Faculty mentorship helped to connect the students' paid internships-which ordinarily would be extracurricular activities-to their formal curricular studies, thus making the internships co-curricular. As so often happens with Engaged Scholarship, the students' collaborations took on an emergent quality and paid dividends that faculty did not originally envision. In tackling waste reduction, for instance, Fellows united custodial staff and students by redefining waste as an environmental justice issue. In championing the campus woods, Fellows connected faculty and students with grounds and arboretum staff to engage not only the College provost and vice-presidents but also neighboring communities. As students learn, lead, and innovate, they apply their knowledge to pressing needs-true to the mission of Engaged Scholarship-and produce replicable solutions for our campus and beyond. Profile in Engagement - Dillard's Project Pericles Program Director, Dr. Gary Clark [Excerpted from an article by Rachel Graham in Dillard Today Magazine] From the radio to the television, and in front of the classroom, Gary M. Clark's objective of empowering others remains unwavering. He's spent 27 years at Dillard University, where he is the Barron Hilton Endowed Professor in Political Science and director of the Dillard University Center for Law and Public Interest. In April, he was a panelist for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ATF'S 2017 Diversity and Career Impact Program Business Meeting. He's working with the bureau to create a pipeline for Dillard graduates to join the organization, which is seeking to diversify and replenish its aging workforce. He serves as the secretary/treasurer of The Finance Authority of New Orleans, where they help people buy homes. "No one walks away from us unhappy-our money is below prime," commented Clark. On his weekly radio show, Dr. Clark's Living Classroom, he covers topics ranging from community and financial literacy to religion, and for him, it all relates to politics. "My college political science professor once told me, 'every time is a great time to be a student of politics'," recounts Dr. Clark. On the heels of one of the most storied presidential campaigns in U.S. history, and as the City of New Orleans prepares for what could be a landmark municipal election, that sentiment has even greater relevance. As the Revius O. Ortique, Jr. Endowed Chair for Politics and Social Thought, Clark strives to instill a respect for social responsibility that will stay with students beyond their time at Dillard. One part of The Center for Law and Public Interest's dual track assists students interested in the legal profession with LSAT preparation, undergraduate research opportunities, and internships. The Center's Justice Revius Ortique, Jr. Mock Trial Courtroom provides trial advocacy training and simulation and attracts noted legal practitioners and social justice advocates. It has also hosted mock trial competitions and preparation, and in February, it was the site for oral arguments by the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Center's Public Interest arm lets students explore civic engagement in the political process both at home and abroad. Through Project Pericles, students learn how to engage the community, be effective lobbyists, and impact key decision makers. At the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation, students are trained in community organizing and issue identification. "Simply put, my professional goal has always been to help individuals' dreams come true," says Clark. He is a well on his way to doing that for the students he teaches and the community he serves as he leads the Center in its mission to help students understand their role in improving politics. Chatham University Students Engage with Elected Officials and Community Members In spring 2017, public policy students in Chatham University's Policy Analysis Field Experience course got up close and personal with the policymaking process. Political Scientist Dr. Jennie Sweet-Cushman partnered with a local borough council to identify a policy making opportunity for her students and then guided the students in researching and developing a new borough facility use policy proposal for the council. The students met with elected officials and community stakeholders, identified community needs and priorities, researched similar policies and legal considerations, created criteria for evaluating numerous policy options, and drafted a complete policy for the council's consideration. The students prepared a briefing book on the issue for all members of council and presented their final recommendation at a council meeting in April. The recommendation was entirely developed and written by the students. Throughout this process, students not only experienced the real-world application of the policymaking process, but were also faced with considering challenges that arise for local government officials. The students had to consider difficult issues of equity and fairness and wrangle with legal considerations to develop a policy that would work best, if not perfectly, for community residents. The work also benefitted the borough, as they are a small community with few resources and a primarily volunteer council that would have struggled to devote the time and resources needed to systematically investigate and formulate facility use policy options. The Policy Analysis Field Experience course supports Chatham University's general education requirement that students complete three credits of professional engagement, one credit of which is an in-major service learning credit. Building Faculty Capacity at Bates College: The 2016 Publicly-Engaged Pedagogy Learning Community (Continued from Featured Articles) One new avenue of support for both pre-tenure and tenured faculty is the Publicly-Engaged Pedagogy (PEP!) Learning Community, which saw a successful launch during the fall semester and whose fruits were abundantly evident during the subsequent winter and spring terms. The PEP Learning Community was open to all interested faculty members, with an emphasis on pre-tenure faculty. Originally designed for a cohort of six faculty members, the program was expanded to ten to meet faculty demand from across the disciplines. Those ten faculty members met together once a month during the fall semester -- joined by Harward Center staff members and buoyed by dinner from a local restaurant -- to develop a new community-engaged learning course. Attention was paid to diverse topics and tasks, including student learning outcomes, syllabus language, course assignments, community engagement ethics, logistics like transportation, and the all-important question of community reciprocity and benefit. In addition to the monthly cohort gatherings, PEP faculty had one-on-one consultations with Harward Center staff to support their course design and partnership building. As a result of the PEP Learning Community, six new community-engaged learning courses were taught for the first time during the subsequent winter and spring terms. These courses featured diverse community-engaged projects in Politics, Environmental Studies, Dance, Religious Studies, Physics and Astronomy, and Biology. For example, in a Religious Studies course on Death, Dying, and Afterlife, professor Alison Melnick's students complemented their learning about Asian religious traditions with class visits from local leaders of Western traditions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. At the end of the semester, these leaders and others from their congregations joined the Bates students for a Community Teach-In featuring interactive poster presentations by Bates students to convey their learning about Asian traditions, followed by a dessert reception and small-group discussions, facilitated by Bates students, during which members of the different Western religious traditions were invited to share insights and practices from their own traditions while learning about traditions different than their own. In a large introductory course in Astronomy, professor Aleks Diamond-Stanic gave his students the option of doing a community-engaged project, and 77 out of 83 of them jumped at the chance, working together to produce a wildly successful "Astronomy Extravaganza" for local school children and their families. In Biology, professor Andrew Mountcastle challenged students in his Science Communication course to develop skits and interactive presentations to engage Lewiston Middle School students in learning about contemporary issues in science. The middle schoolers came to Bates on two different days to enjoy creative and compelling lessons about a range of topics from ocean acidification (featuring a memorable Nemo skit) to bee colony collapse (with an audience-participation activity featuring Queen Bey). At the end of each presentation, middle school students took a moment to jot down their learning and questions, and these reflections eventually formed the basis for small-group discussion with Bates students over lunch. In Literatures of Agriculture, professor Misty Beck's students enjoyed a range of community-engaged experiences, including volunteer placements at Whiting Farm in Auburn, the Somali Bantu Community Association, and the New Roots Cooperative Farm. Based on these immersive experiences, students created written and photographic portraits of their experiences with agriculture, some of which they shared at the end of the semester when they visited an active Grange Hall in Vassalboro, where they learned about the traditions of the grange and shared their findings about the trends and developments they observed in their fieldwork. In professor Jacob Longaker's Experiences in Policy Process course, students complemented classroom learning about the behind-the-scenes negotiations, maneuvering, and strategy that shape public policy by engaging in hands-on work with community partners advancing legislative initiatives at the state level. Some of the projects were primarily research-based, with students collecting information to help with education and advocacy efforts; other projects were more advocacy focused, with students communicating directly with members of the voting public about specific issues. Partners included the Maine Prisoner's Advocacy Coalition, the Prevent Harm environmental advocacy group, the Maine People's Alliance, Equality Maine, and the American Cancer Association. "This has been the richest teaching experience I've had in 25 years. Truly. Straight up." Such was the testimony of one of the PEP faculty participants who reflected on this first foray into community-engaged teaching. While there were certainly bumps along the way, the inaugural PEP cohort members were unanimous in their appreciation for the opportunity to journey with each other, with Harward Center staff, and with their students and community partners into the land of publicly-engaged pedagogy. Feedback from students and partners was equally positive (perhaps a story for another day). About the author - Darby K. Ray is Director, Harward Center for Community Partnerships; Donald W. & Ann M. Harward Professor of Civic Engagement; and Project Pericles Program Director; Bates College Project Pericles Program Director from Goucher and Colleague Run "Civic Engagement Boot Camp" in Austria (Continued from Featured Articles) In fall 2016, a compelling call came to our Arsht Center office at Goucher College- would we be interested in travelling to Vienna, Austria to conduct an intensive "American-style leadership and civic engagement boot camp" for Austrian college students as part of a collaborative program between the U.S. Embassy in Vienna and Cultural Vistas, a non-profit organization dedicated to global educational outreach? We were stunned and a bit curious; "Boot camp" isn't really our style when it comes to teaching, particularly around topics like leadership and civic engagement. And in Austria? Did we still remember the German we'd learned in high school? We knew that we had a unique opportunity in front of us. We both were up for a challenge that would push us outside of our professional comfort zone, and while we had no idea of how to approach such a task, we enthusiastically agreed to take a plunge. For context, the Generation Next Youth Leadership Initiative (GNYLI) was designed as a year-long program, to give Austrian university students the opportunity to examine the dynamic processes of refugee and migrant integration while learning the principles of civic education, leadership theory, and community engagement through an intensive leadership development program in the United States. By early December, we contemplated our decision to say "yes" to this proposal. Having wrapped up a difficult fall semester, in a politically-charged academic landscape at Goucher, and an even more politically-charged United States, there was so much to consider -cultural differences around leadership, language barriers, societal relationships with refugees in Europe, leadership content choices (Ever googled "leadership?" There are over 70,000 reference books.), jet lag, did Austria have the kind of flip-chart paper that sticks to the walls, or would we need to bring tape, etc. Not to mention the status of U.S. Embassies around the world, and our concerns about student participants' interest in "American-style" leadership workshops. Our worry list grew long. In late December, we learned the 20 students participating in our workshop would be the same students traveling to the United States over the summer. Goucher would host the first week of their US experience. This allowed us to think about the experience in chapters, structurally breaking our learning experience into two parts - setting the leadership framework and introducing definitions while in Austria, then deep-diving during our time together in Baltimore. As the March 11th date approached, we packed our bags with warm clothes, Goucher promotional materials, exchanged a few Euros, and made our way to the gorgeous city of Vienna with colleagues from the Cultural Vistas program. The U.S. Embassy in Vienna hosted our first meeting with the students, at the Hard Rock Café, on a trendy street loaded with well-known chain restaurants and cafes. We took public transit with the large group from the hotel, and there was nervous energy all around. Several of the students already knew each other, from local organizations and student leadership clubs, but many were meeting for the first time. As we noshed on sliders, spring rolls, and other American delights, mixing and mingling with staff from the State Department, we felt anxious about what was ahead of us, although the giddy energy and warmth from the students put us largely at ease. The Chargé D'affaires assured us that this was indeed a wonderful and unique group of Austrian students, one that he happily remarked represented a much more diverse Austria than we'd likely see while in Vienna. Several of the students were refugees themselves, from Syria and Iraq, while others had migrated as young children from war-torn countries. Many were Muslim, a minority religion in Austria, and were in leadership roles with national associations for Muslim youth. All were engaged, in some capacity, in work or research around migration and refugee resettlement and integration. We were all in for quite a learning experience from each other. The next day, we headed to Amerika Haus, a cultural center operated by the US Embassy. We had been tasked to create a "Leadership Bootcamp: American-style", which we took literally and seriously. We brought our obnoxious American energy and immediately asked our students (several in their late 20s, one a doctoral student studying mathematics) to stand up and engage in good, old-fashioned American name games. We had them answer silly questions while in wagon wheel circles and dove into more serious questions with a four-corners exercise. In a matter of an hour and a half, we found that the majority of our students believed that great leaders were born (not developed) and that leaders must be charismatic to be effective. As we expected, most of our participants believed that they did not have real leadership qualities, because they weren't "exceptional". As our large and small group conversations dissected top-down leadership norms in Austria, we introduced coalition-building, social change theory, and relational leadership models. We introduced the concept of followership and challenged charismatic leaders. We marched through 100+ years of American leadership theory and discussed the advancing needs of "leadership" in our societies. We used music as a metaphor for leadership and explored the differences (both good and bad) between the orchestra and improvisational jazz. A budding conversation about access and equity for Muslim youth in leadership structures in Austria was started, and it pushed a few beyond their comfort zones. We started to see perspectives shift as many students had lightbulb moments about their own engagement in local communities, reconsidering their positions that they were "not leaders". We were having a blast, and the ten hours flew. As the end of the workshop neared, we gathered our tired but enlightened group in a circle and asked participants what they learned or valued most about the day. Many shared that they were used to sitting quietly in a lecture room and having information transmitted to them - the interactive and reflective methods we had chosen were initially a bit jarring (as was our incessant smiling), but ultimately something they genuinely enjoyed and deeply appreciated. They loved the small group problem-solving activities we'd woven into the day and the frequent opportunities for reflection and feedback. We clearly learned the value of making time stand still - we dedicated the time that was needed to each discussion, rather than worrying about pushing through all the content in this one venue. After all, we had a week to fine-tune our message once these remarkable young adults came to Goucher College. The program wrapped up with many hugs, and excitement about the next leg of the journey in July. With great anticipation, we were reunited the second week of July. The strength of the bond between us was startling, and it felt like the months between the workshops had been one long night's sleep. Despite some jet lag and a rough transition to the "over-air-conditioned" rooms of the US, we dove into difficult topics together. Over six days, we explored racial identity, race-power-privilege dynamics in leadership, the Baltimore Uprising following Freddie Grey's death, historical redlining of neighborhoods in cities throughout America. We delved into personal leadership styles, using a few more of those "American-style" activities and introduced them to several of our great refugee-serving community partners in Baltimore. The students had an intimate conversation about leadership with our president, Dr. José Bowen, attended a Baltimore Orioles baseball game (we lost to the Cubs), drank soda with ever-present ice cubes (not a standard item in Austria), devoured locally-made ice cream and other Maryland standards (Old Bay, Berger cookies, and crab cakes). The students enjoyed free time at the mall, playing volleyball on the Res Quad, and spending time with Goucher students. Thanks to a faculty colleague, we had a two-hour crash course in religion in America and spent time visiting with the Islamic Society of Baltimore. When the week was over, we saw transformed people in front of us - intellectually, emotionally, and socially. They had come to understand themselves and appreciate the strengths that each brought to the conversation. They grappled with top-down leadership versus bottom-up community organizing and realized that they could be effective leaders and followers. They pushed each other on issues of equity in Austria, several bravely sharing their experiences of being marginalized in leadership experiences, and their perceptions around racism in Austria and the United States. They asked hard questions of their guest lecturers, explored parallels in the refugee crisis happening in Europe and the attitudes and policies towards refugees in America, and spent a lot of time laughing (and snapchatting). They left us for a red-eye flight to Des Moines, Iowa (which, we learned, they loved, thanks to some amazing home hospitality, some fresh corn, and visits with organizations serving refugees). Up next was a three-day trip to San Diego and a visit to the US-Mexico border before they headed back east for an opportunity to shadow organizations in Washington, DC. We joined the students in DC for their final session where they presented their action plans, the cumulative work they had begun at our boot camp in March and continued to write (or re-write, as the case was for most) during their three-week tour. The students presented thoughtful, informed action plans that had integrated so many of the ideas and concepts we'd been discussing together for the last five months. We saw a shift in language and in approach-an articulate and developed perspective on coalition-building, shared leadership, and civic capacity. They were both critical and impressed with what they'd seen in the four US cities; impressed with the creativity and horizontal leadership they saw over and over again, and yet critical of the radically shifting landscape of US law and policy related to refugees and migrants in America. More than once, they questioned the idealism of the "American Dream", and yet found truth in shared narratives about the capacity to make great things happen with brave, bold ideas, and a willingness to sometimes fail. They've proposed collaborative organizations, hoping to leverage each other's contacts and existing relationships. They want to strengthen their work collectively and returned to Austria feeling empowered and connected. Though they are a diverse group of students, from varied disciplines, they found ways to support each other's strengths and deeply respect each other's professional aspirations. As we offered a bittersweet auf wiedersehen to the students, we found ourselves remarkably emotional about our experience. A stark departure from our initial hesitancy, we craved more time together, more opportunities to sit individually and share ideas about the projects they will launch in Austria this fall. We wanted more boot camps. More silly activities. More opportunities to push and challenge and grow together. But just as our four-hour Sound of Music tour in Salzburg taught us, all great things must come to an end. And we know this is just the beginning for this talented group of students. They will be launching careers and writing books and sharing lectures with this wonderfully-rich intercultural exchange in their arsenal (and a newfound capacity to endure ice cubes and air-conditioning), and we've been changed, too. Our advice to you? When asked to do something completely outside of your comfort zone, take the plunge, acknowledge your fears and trust your instincts. And order the Wienerschnitzel. About the authors - Cass Freedland is the France-Merrick Director of Community-Based Learning and Project Pericles Co-Program Director, Goucher College. Lindsay Johnson is the Associate Director, Community-Based Learning, Roxana C. Arsht '35 Center for Ethics and Leadership; Goucher College. Project Pericles Needs Your Support! Please consider making a donation today to Project Pericles so that we can continue our work preparing tomorrow's engaged citizens. Donations can be made directly through our website www.projectpericles.org by clicking donate in the upper right corner. To subscribe or to submit Periclean-related information for publication, email [email protected]. Periclean Colleges & Universities Allegheny College * Bates College * Berea College Bethune-Cookman University * Carleton College * Chatham University Dillard University * Drew University * Elon University The Evergreen State College * Goucher College * Hampshire College Hendrix College * Macalester College * Morehouse College New England College * The New School * Occidental College * Pace University Pitzer College * Reed College * Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhodes College * St. Mary's College of Maryland * Skidmore College Swarthmore College * Ursinus College * Wagner College Whitman College * Widener University * The College of Wooster National Office Executive Director: Jan R. Liss Assistant Director: Garret Batten Program Associate: Elisabeth Weiman Program Intern: Victoria Gonzalez Board of Directors Founder and Chair Emeritus: Eugene M. Lang (1919-2017) Chair: Neil R. Grabois Vice-Chair: Richard Ekman Treasurer: David A. Caputo Presidents' Council Chair: Richard Guarasci, Wagner College Vice-Chair: Steven G. Poskanzer, Carleton College National Board of Advisors Co-Chairs: Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker & Hon. Kurt L. Schmoke The title "Project Pericles®" and its embodiment in the Logo are registered service marks of Project Pericles, Inc. All rights are reserved. The Periclean Progress E-Newsletter Volume 13, Spring 2017 To view the Newsletter with photos: Spring 2017 Newsletter The Periclean Progress is a publication of Project Pericles, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that encourages and facilitates commitments by colleges and universities to include education for social responsibility and participatory citizenship as an essential element of their educational programs in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community.
National Office News: The Nation Loses a Moral Compass Project Pericles is deeply saddened by the loss of our Founder and Chair Emeritus, Eugene M. Lang on April 8. Gene was a visionary concerned about our democracy, civic engagement, and social responsibility long before these issues were prominent. From our founding in 2001, Gene's leadership, passion, and support have enabled Project Pericles to grow and thrive pursuing our mission of preparing future generations of thoughtful and involved citizens. We will miss his intelligence, humor, and indomitable spirit. Thank you to our Periclean Presidents and campuses for their many condolence calls, emails, and letters. We and the Lang family appreciate everyone's support. We honor Gene's memory by building upon his legacy of civic engagement and by holding ourselves to the highest standards as we continue to work on programs that embody Gene's vision. Gene's obituaries appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and many other publications. Project Pericles Receives Second Installment of $3 Million Endowment from the Eugene M. Lang Foundation In February, Project Pericles received the second half of a $3 million endowment from the Eugene M. Lang Foundation. The Lang Foundation has made a $4.325 million commitment to Project Pericles, including the endowment and annual contributions through 2021. The foundation's support of Project Pericles' work ensures that we will continue to thrive for years to come. This substantial gift is an important investment in Eugene M. Lang's vision and in Project Pericles' mission of championing civic engagement in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community. We thank the Eugene M. Lang Foundation for this generous gift and for its many years of guidance, support, and wisdom. Project Pericles Announces 13 Periclean Faculty Leaders Awards The second cohort of the Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL) Program™ in 2017-2018 will create new courses incorporating civic engagement; promote civil dialogue locally through lectures, town hall meetings, and public events; and advance public scholarship nationally and internationally through publications and conference presentations. They will champion civil discourse, civic engagement, and social responsibility in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community. We are pleased to have a diverse group of professors from a wide range of disciplines including Archaeology and Classical Studies, Computer Science, Dance, English, Environmental Studies, History, Mathematics and Statistics, Psychology, Theatre, and Urban Studies. Through courses that utilize high impact learning strategies and address social, economic, environmental, health, and income inequality, among other issues, students gain an understanding of how they can use their knowledge and skills to improve their communities. Professors and community members model civil discourse, as stakeholders, to address pressing issues. Students gain experience working as part of a team with community members. Two Examples: At Dillard University, Assistant Professor Casey Schreiber will use the city of New Orleans as a living classroom to teach about housing policy by examining the city's affordable housing crisis, gentrification, and mixed-income development. At New England College, Associate Professor Alex Picard and Professor Glenn Stuart of the Theatre Department will work with their students to produce an original production that addresses issues of concern to the community and provides a space "to engage in theatrical civic education." Student engagement with real world issues supports academic excellence. By utilizing classroom learning and mobilizing it towards issues of civic and social concern, these courses promote "High Engagement Learning". The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations and the Eugene M. Lang Foundation are supporting the Periclean Faculty Leadership Program. Article continues with a list of the 13 PFL awards, courses, and peer mentors. Debating for Democracy (D4D) Letters to an Elected Official Competition (from left, Judges: Constance Berry Newman, Ruth Messinger, and Martha Kanter; Contestants: Sonya Morud and Leilani Ganser, Reed College; Matt Thibodeau, Carleton College; Rowan Lanning, Pace University; Charles Williamson and Elizabeth Balch-Crystal, Swarthmore College; Danielle Graves, Berea College; Allison Tucker, Carleton College; Kerringtan Maddox, Berea College; Christina Thomas, Pace University; and Jan Liss, Executive Director, Project Pericles. Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ National Conference Attendees Impress All "Attending the D4D Conference finally made me believe in the power of youth. We are actually the change, and we are actually the future, and these AREN'T simply empty inspirational words. I know that there are future leaders in that conference room, and I can't wait to see where we all go from here." - Kwani-Fawn Marcellay, Reed College ('20) For two days this spring, 57 student leaders and activists from 24 Periclean campuses gathered in New York City for the 2017 Debating for Democracy Conference, hosted by Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts in the Theresa Lang Community and Student Center. Together, they shared their concerns and efforts on immigration reform and sanctuary cities, clean drinking water, climate change and healthy waterways, racial and economic justice, to name just a few of the issues students are working on. The conference featured two interactive workshops for students, the Legislative Hearing, four panels, and visits to New York City based nonprofits. With new-found skills and contacts on other campuses, student delegates returned to their colleges to advance civic and political engagement among their classmates and community. Representing the mission of Project Pericles in action - the conference provided a forum to share ideas and advocate for issues of critical social and political concern. The conference was, "Democracy in action," commented Ryan Perez, Macalester College ('20), "a gathering of so many civically-engaged individuals in one room." Student leaders were joined by college presidents, faculty, staff, nonprofit activists, foundation, government, and community leaders, and members of the media (Additional Photographs of Conference). "I can't wait to get out and mobilize my campus for environmental issues!"- Alyssa Bueno, Skidmore College ('18) "The most valuable part of the national conference was the interaction with people from other colleges. This is an amazing tool for organizing [and it] kindles hope in each participant to know that so many people exist that are invested in creating social change." - James Williams, Goucher College ('19) Project Pericles designed the D4D National Conference to provide students with concrete steps they can take to move the issues they care about forward. Prior to the March 30-31 conference, all student attendees, in teams, wrote Letters to an Elected Official, on pressing policy issues. These were mailed to elected officials across the country and submitted to Project Pericles. Our judges and reviewers commented on how well argued and written the letters were. For the full line-up of panels and workshops that students participated, check out the 2017 conference agenda. Student Teams Take Home $5,000 to Work on Advocacy Campaigns on their Campuses and in their Communities The Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ Legislative Hearing is a highlight of the conference. Prior to the conference, a panel of judges with significant legislative experience selected five letters from the letters submitted by more than 70 student teams from Periclean campuses. The letters proposed innovative solutions to issues including education, immigration, and the environment; and were sent to elected officials across the United States. The five teams of students responsible for the winning letters then presented at the Legislative Hearing. Teams from Berea College, Carleton College, Pace University, Reed College, and Swarthmore College discussed their public policy proposals with a panel of former government officials: Constance Berry Newman, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; Martha Kanter, Executive Director of the College Promise Campaign and former U.S. Under Secretary of Education; and Ruth Messinger, Global Ambassador and former CEO/President of American Jewish World Service and former Manhattan Borough President. After writing superb letters, the teams faced stiff questioning about the pros and cons of their policy recommendations. The teams did an exceptional job defending their positions. Pace University won the Letters to an Elected Official Competition for "A Letter in Support of Amending the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act to Protect the Hudson and Other American Rivers from the Unwarranted Expansion of Commerce in Bakken Oil" to Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) by Rowan Lanning ('18) and Christina Thomas ('19). In this letter, the authors request that Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) introduce an amendment to the Coast Guard and Marine Transportation Act declaring a proposal to create 43 special anchorages for oil barges on the Hudson River a "major federal action" under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The potential environmental, economic, and social impacts of the proposal are significant and not restricted to the Hudson alone, especially given the expected increase in national maritime commerce in Bakken oil. Under its NEPA rules, the Coast Guard enjoys a national "categorical exclusion" from conducting Environmental Impact Statements for special anchorages that can only be remedied by an act of Congress. The Pace team received $3,000 to move their issue forward and the four finalist teams each received $500. We are looking forward to working with Pace and the other teams as they work on the issues over the coming year. Pace has already met with staff members from Representative Nadler's office. See the brief description of the four finalists' letters and read the letters submitted by the five teams here. Jan Liss moderates Social Action - Panel Discussion with Dev Aujla, Founder & CEO; Catalog, Greta Zarro, New York Organizer, Food & Water Watch; Jason Mangone, Senior Advisor, New York City Department of Veteran Services; Charlotte Turovsky, Head of Operations, RapidSOS Other Conference Highlights: The students met with leaders from non-profits and media organizations who are on the forefront of social change. Through panels on Social Action; Media, Political Engagement, and Reporting in an Age of Partisanship; and Mobilization and Movements, they provided students with concrete steps to move their policy or social issue forward. To start the conference, Jan R. Liss, Project Pericles Executive Director, moderated a panel with four leading social activists from innovative organizations: Dev Aujla, Founder & CEO, Catalog; Jason A. Mangone, Senior Advisor, New York City Department of Veteran Services; Charlotte Turovsky (Carleton College, '11 and former D4D Legislative Hearing Winner), Head of Operations, RapidSOS; and Greta Zarro, New York Organizer, Food & Water Watch. The four panelists promote social change by empowering individuals with the skills and tools to advocate for themselves. Following the discussion, the students met in small groups for a workshop with one of the panelists. The students learned to develop their "public narrative," and explored the essential elements of effective narrative that can be used in advocacy work. The "Media, Political Engagement, and Reporting in an Age of Partisanship - Panel Discussion" was moderated by Stephanie Browner, Dean, Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts and featured a diverse range of reporters discussing the challenges of covering the news in a charged political climate. Students were excited to have Bhaskar Sunkara, Founding Editor, Jacobin, one of, if not the, leading socialist magazines in the United States. Jason Willick, Staff Writer for The American Interest, offered a more conservative view with Jillian Berman, Reporter, MarketWatch and David Nir, Political Director, Daily Kos; rounding out the panel. The "Mobilization and Movements - Panel Discussion" moderated by Christina Dawkins, Director of the Office of Civic Engagement, Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts, featured representatives from cutting-edge social and political movements and organizations discussing their plans. Panelists included Phil Aroneanu, co-founder of 350.org and Senior Campaigns Director, Purpose; Iain Keith, Campaign Director, Avaaz(the globe's largest and most powerful online activist network); Matthew Slutsky, former Managing Director of Partnerships, Change.org; and Sarah Taylor, Women, Peace and Security Advocate of the Women's Rights Division, Human Rights Watch. "I love your students, they are doers!" - Iain Keith (returning panelist) The second interactive workshop at the conference was facilitated by Christopher Kushand Kevin Schultze of Soapbox Consulting. They train citizens to effectively communicate their issues to Congress. Christopher and Kevin led the D4D on the Road workshops for Project Pericles in 2008-2009 and 2012-2013. Their session provided an opportunity for students to practice skills and techniques for engaging elected officials around issues the students are passionate about. "Debating for Democracy helps to develop the multidimensional toolbox for advocacy work; I'm grateful I've had the opportunity to engage in hands-on work that puts my strengths in the spotlight while simultaneously building proficiency in other areas." - Isabelle Turner, Goucher College ('20) At the conclusion of the conference, Garret Batten, Assistant Director, Project Pericles, moderated a panel of representatives from New York City based non-profit organizations. With an organization leader, students then toured the non-profit of their choice: Community Voices Heard, Harlem Grown, Friends of the High Line, "I Have a Dream" Foundation, or Museum at Eldridge Street/A Landmark Synagogue Story. For many students, this was a highlight of the conference. "My overall mindset about how successful cooperations are built and how they function was challenged in a positive way, which gave me new insight [into] how ... I would be able to create my own non-profit." - Ryan Bell, Morehouse College ('19) This year's D4D National Conference was dedicated to Eugene M. Lang, whose vision inspired this conference. Project Pericles thanks the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York for their support. Project Pericles Receives $225,000 Grant from The Teagle Foundation for "Faculty Planning and Curricular Coherence" Project Pericles, Macalester College, Morehouse College, and Widener University are participating in a new, three-year initiative, Creating Curricular Coherence Through Inquiry-Based Curricula and Thematic Pathways. The initiative explores different but allied approaches to creating greater coherence in the undergraduate curriculum. These faculty-led initiatives involve comprehensive reviews of the curriculum and are ambitious undertakings that will redefine undergraduate education at each institution for years to come. Colleges are streamlining their curricula using civic engagement and community-based learning as catalysts in their efforts. Some campuses are piloting pathways in specific departments with plans to expand their efforts, others are redesigning their curriculum with an emphasis on inquiry-based learning. Macalester is using pathways within Geography and History to bring greater structure to students' educational experiences and illustrate how specific disciplines can address public issues. Morehouse is using questions about the African diaspora to help shape its work while Widener is incorporating sustainability. Macalester, Morehouse, and Widener and Project Pericles have formed a community of practice and will meet on a regular basis to collaborate, to provide feedback, and to share information. This work will be shared with our member institutions and higher education more generally. Each of the three campuses will receive grants for participating in the three-year initiative. In the summer of 2019, representatives from all 31 Periclean campuses will convene to discuss how lessons from the "Faculty Planning and Curricular Coherence" initiative can be applied to their campus. This work is made possible through the generous support of The Teagle Foundation and the Eugene M. Lang Foundation. Our Sympathies to The Morehouse Community on the Passing of William Taggart Morehouse President It is with great sadness that we share the news that William J. "Bill" Taggart, Interim President of Morehouse College, passed away suddenly on June 7. We express our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the Morehouse College community for their loss. Provost Michael Hodge will serve as Acting President until a new Interim President is named by the Board of Trustees. To learn more about Bill Taggart's legacy and his many accomplishments, please refer to the Morehouse College news release. Continued from Project Pericles Announces 13 Periclean Faculty Leaders Awards The Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL) Program™ was first launched in 2010 with support from the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and The Teagle Foundation. This second round, funded by the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, builds upon the work carried out under the initial program. Insights and best practices from the initial PFL Program are discussed in our white paper, The Periclean Diamond: Linking College Campuses, Communities, and Colleagues via Social and Civic High Engagement Learning by Ben Berger, Associate Professor of Political Science and Periclean Faculty Leader at Swarthmore College, and Jan R. Liss, Executive Director of Project Pericles. Project Pericles provides an award of $2,000 per campus with campuses providing matching funds. The awards support the design and teaching of a course incorporating civic engagement and civil dialogue activities at the college. The Periclean Faculty Leader applications were reviewed by Project Pericles staff and selected by outside evaluators. We were impressed with the excellent quality of the proposals and the enthusiastic response of the participating colleges and universities. Each Periclean Faculty Leader (PFL) is paired with a PFL from another institution at the beginning of their tenure. They consult each other throughout the program. At the conclusion of the program the PFLs prepare a brief portfolio of their work which includes (a) the syllabus of their CEC course and other instructional and evaluation materials, (b) a copy of the abstract they sent describing their research paper/project; and/or (c) an overview of the activity they developed that brought diverse campus and community members together to participate in an activity that enriched public life, addressed current public/community issues, and enlivened democratic debate and discourse. The paired PFLs share their portfolios with each other and discuss the impact of their projects in promoting the civic engagement of their students. After reviewing each other's portfolios, the faculty members prepare a review of their partner's work for their partner and Project Pericles. Campuses Awarded PFLs for 2017-2018: Dillard University, New Orleans, LA Casey Schreiber Assistant Professor of Urban Studies and Public Policy Course: Housing Policy Peer: Jessica Magaldi, Pace University Drew University, Madison, NJ Emily Hill Assistant Professor of Computer Science Course: Innovation I (Co-taught with Andrew Elliott, Associate Professor of Theatre) (An interdisciplinary course offered under Civic Engagement) Peer: Mark Goadrich, Hendrix College The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA Ulrike Krotscheck Member of the Faculty in Archaeology and Classical Studies (Co-taught with Bradley Proctor, Member of the Faculty in History) Course: Inventing the Citizen: The History of Political Action and its Limits Peer: Wilson Valentín-Escobar, Hampshire College Goucher College, Baltimore, MD Phong Le Assistant Professor of Mathematics Course: Data Analytics Peer: Lynne Steuerle Schofield, Swarthmore College Hampshire College, Amherst, MA Wilson Valentín-Escobar Associate Professor of American Studies, Critical Ethnic Studies, and Sociology Course: Citizens(hip) and Colonialism in our Backyard: Puerto Rican History, Civic Engagement, and Decolonial Social Change Peer: Ulrike Krotscheck & Bradley Proctor, The Evergreen State College Hendrix College, Conway, AR Mark Goadrich Associate Professor of Computer Science Course: Foundations of Computer Science Peer: Emily Hill, Drew University Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA Michael H. Janis Associate Professor of English Course: Honors College Composition Peer: Glenn Stuart, New England College New England College, Henniker, NH S. Alexandra (Alex) Picard, Associate Professor of Theatre (Co-taught with Glenn Stuart, Professor of Theatre) Course: Language and Discourse: How a Resistance Can be a Production Peers: Victoria Fortuna, Reed College, paired with Alex Picard & Michael H. Janis, Morehouse College, paired with Glenn Stuart Pace University, New York, NY Jessica Magaldi Assistant Professor of Legal Studies and Taxation Course: Business Law - Civic Engagement Peer: Casey Schreiber, Dillard University Reed College, Portland, OR Victoria Fortuna Assistant Professor of Dance Course: Community Dance and Collective Creation Peer: S. Alexandra (Alex) Picard, New England College Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY Nurcan Atalan-Helicke Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies Course: Political Ecology Peer: Vanessa Volpe, Ursinus College Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA Lynne Steuerle Schofield Associate Professor of Statistics Course: Topics in Statistics, Data Analysis for Policy Reports Peer: Phong Le, Goucher College Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA Vanessa Volpe Assistant Professor of Psychology Course: Minority Health and Health Disparities Peer: Nurcan Atalan-Helicke, Skidmore College Continued from Student Teams Take Home $5,000 to Work on Advocacy Campaigns on their Campuses and in their Communities The four finalists are: Berea College, "A Letter in Support of the Safe Drinking Water Act (H.R. 417) and an Amendment to Require the Improvement of Consumer Confidence Reports and Stabilize Funding for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund" to Representative John Yarmuth (D-KY) by Danielle Graves and Kerringtan Maddox. This letter urges Congressperson John Yarmuth (D-KY 3rd) to join his colleague Brenda Lawrence (D-MI 14th) in sponsoring an amendment to H.R. 417 to stabilize funding for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program while streamlining the accessibility and understandability of consumer confidence reports on drinking water safety. With 33 cities in the U.S. suffering from contaminated drinking water, it is vital that the new administration and EPA director not cut funding for the DWSRF program, which designates funding for cities to treat their unsafe water supplies as well as upgrade their drinking water intake, treatment, and distribution infrastructure. Carleton College, "A Letter in Opposition to the Defense of Dwelling and Person Act of 2017 (H.F. 238)" (known as the Stand Your Ground Bill) to Minnesota State Senator Rich Draheim (R) by Naomi Borowsky, Victor Huerta, Matt Thibodeau, and Allison Tucker. This letter urges Senator Rich Draheim of Minnesota to oppose the color-blind policy of the Defense of Dwelling and Person Act. With the current national political climate, it becomes even more important to oppose this policy that could potentially lead to increased violence against people of color and immigrants. We ask that Senator Draheim advocate for his constituents in Minnesota affected by this bill and oppose H.F. 238. Reed College, "A Letter in Support of the Safe Transfer Act" (would require post-secondary institutions to disclose sex offenses on students' transcripts) to Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) by Leilani Ganser and Sonya Morud. This letter urges Congressman Blumenauer to sponsor Representative Jackie Speier's Safe Transfer Act as well as introduce similar legislation in the state of Oregon. This bill requires Title IX violations be disclosed on post-secondary institution transcripts. We see the current state of Title IX protections as lacking to a point of a public safety concern. Swarthmore College, "A Letter in Support of Funding Online Access to College Courses for Rural Pennsylvania High School Students" to Pennsylvania State Representative Leanne Kruger-Braneky (D) by Elizabeth Balch-Crystal and Charles Williamson. This letter urges Pennsylvania State Representative Leanne Kruger-Braneky to sponsor legislation providing funding for rural Pennsylvania high school students to enroll in online college courses free of charge. While many urban and suburban schools allow students to take on-site courses at local state universities for free, rural schools do not have this opportunity because they lack the geographic proximity. To correct this inequality, we propose funding for rural high school students to take online university courses for free. The complete version of the letters from the five teams are available here. Project Pericles Needs Your Support! Please consider making a donation today to Project Pericles so that we can continue our work preparing tomorrow's engaged citizens. Donations can be made directly through our website www.projectpericles.org by clicking donate in the upper right corner. To subscribe or to submit to submit Periclean-related information for publication, email [email protected]. Periclean Colleges & Universities Allegheny College * Bates College * Berea College Bethune-Cookman University * Carleton College * Chatham University Dillard University * Drew University * Elon University The Evergreen State College * Goucher College * Hampshire College Hendrix College * Macalester College * Morehouse College New England College * The New School * Occidental College * Pace University Pitzer College * Reed College * Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhodes College * St. Mary's College of Maryland * Skidmore College Swarthmore College * Ursinus College * Wagner College Whitman College * Widener University * The College of Wooster National Office Executive Director: Jan R. Liss Assistant Director: Garret Batten Program Associate: Elisabeth Weiman Program Intern: Victoria Gonzalez Board of Directors Founder and Chair Emeritus: Eugene M. Lang (1919-2017) Chair: Neil R. Grabois Vice-Chair: Richard Ekman Treasurer: David A. Caputo Presidents' Council Chair: Richard Guarasci, Wagner College Vice-Chair: Steven G. Poskanzer, Carleton College National Board of Advisors Co-Chairs: Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker & Hon. Kurt L. Schmoke The title "Project Pericles®" and its embodiment in the Logo are registered service marks of Project Pericles, Inc. All rights are reserved. The Periclean Progress E-Newsletter Volume 13, Winter 2016-2017 To view the Newsletter with photos: Winter 2016-2017 Newsletter The Periclean Progress is a publication of Project Pericles, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that encourages and facilitates commitments by colleges and universities to include education for social responsibility and participatory citizenship as an essential element of their educational programs, in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community.
National Office News: Project Pericles Releases New White Paper We have just released our white paper, Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement: Five Approaches to Institutionalizing Civic Engagement by Garret S. Batten, Project Pericles; Adrienne Falcón, Carleton College; and Jan R. Liss, Project Pericles. The white paper documents the accomplishments of 26 participating colleges and universities as part of a three-year initiative to promote an intentional approach to civic engagement that prioritizes coherent program design and the incorporation of civic engagement throughout the undergraduate experience. As part of the initiative, teams on each campus inventoried and mapped all curricular and co-curricular civic and community engagement on their campuses, shared insights with their colleagues from other campuses, developed actions plans for strengthening their approaches to civic engagement, and implemented a wide range of initiatives. Campuses developed new thematic pathways for linking courses and co-curricular activities around specific substantive issues such as education, health, and sustainable energy; restructured their approaches to civic engagement; developed civic engagement certificate programs; revised their civic engagement/social justice requirement; held numerous faculty and course development workshops; designed enhanced assessment and tracking tools for documenting student participation; strengthened advising around civic engagement; and incorporated student reflection through courses and workshops. The white paper discusses five basic approaches to organizing curricular and co-curricular programming for civic engagement: Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Requirements, Civic Scholars Programs, Pathway Approaches, Certificates, and Entrepreneurial/Open Choice Models. The white paper highlights mapping of civic engagement as a catalyst for change on campus and shares many takeaways from this ambitious project. The white paper is available on our web site. The white paper and the Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement Initiative were supported by the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and The Teagle Foundation. The Pocantico Center of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund hosted our 2014 convening. Project Pericles Launches Second Round of Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL)™ Program Through support from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Project Pericles is pleased to offer 12 Periclean Faculty Leader awards. The award carries with it $2,000 for each participating campus. The Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL) Program™ is a faculty leadership and course development program dedicated to incorporating civil discourse, civic engagement, and social responsibility across the undergraduate curriculum. Periclean Faculty Leaders (PFLs) will champion civil discourse and social responsibility in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community. As with the initial round of the program, Project Pericles will look to include faculty members from across the disciplines, especially those that have not traditionally incorporated social responsibility. Competitively selected PFLs will develop, teach, and evaluate new or substantially revised academic courses that incorporate civil discourse and social responsibility as critical elements of the educational experience. PFLs will promote civil dialogue locally through lectures, town hall meetings, and public events; and advance public scholarship nationally and internationally through publications and conference presentations. In order to promote collaboration, PFLs from different campuses will be paired for peer mentorship. Additionally, PFLs from the first round of the program will provide support to this second cohort. The new Periclean Faculty Leaders will be announced in April. Our white paper The Periclean Diamond: Linking College, Campuses, Communities, and Colleagues via Social and Civic High Engagement Learning by Ben Berger, Swarthmore College and Jan R. Liss, Project Pericles documents best practices from the initial PFL Program. Debating for Democracy (D4D )™ workshop D4D on the Road™ Rocks at Carleton On January 21, Carleton College and Macalester College co-hosted a Debating for Democracy D4D on the Road workshop at Carleton. Despite falling on the same day as the Women's March, the workshop drew over 50 students and community members from the two Periclean campuses, as well as student from neighboring St. Olaf College. One of the students commented, "This [workshop] really challenged my understanding of advocacy." Another noted, "...Any advocate or activist needs to be able to frame (communicate) his or her issue, which is exactly what this workshop aimed to teach us." Participants expressed interest in a wide range of topics including climate change, education reform, healthcare reform, immigration, LGBTQ rights, prison reform, racial justice, student debt, and women's rights. They valued the chance to work with like-minded peers from nearby colleges. With six workshops so far this year, Project Pericles has trained students from 17 different campuses as well as community members and students from middle and high schools that have partnerships with Periclean campuses. These one-day workshops empower student leaders and community members. Attendees gain the knowledge, skills, and techniques needed to construct persuasive messages about their issues and effectively communicate with elected officials and the general public. This year Project Pericles is pleased to partner with FrameWorks Institute, which is facilitating the workshops. Frameworks teaches a strategic approach to framing that helps communicators build support by changing the conversation about social issues. Participants learn how to use explanatory language in new ways, how to apply the tools of social science to understand what they are up against when communicating with the public, and how to present solutions to the important social concerns of students in a persuasive way to make change. The D4D on the Road workshops are made possible through the support of the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and the Spencer Foundation. Let us know if you would like to attend a workshop in February or March. See the last page for the complete schedule of workshops. Update on Student Teams from the 2016 D4D Letters to an Elected Official Competition Teams from Allegheny College, Berea College, Carleton College, Hendrix College, and Pitzer College were selected as the winners of the Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ Letters to an Elected Official competition. The competition engages students around public policy issues, the political process, and with their elected officials. Please consider making a donation to support the work of our student activists and leaders. Our democracy needs active and engaged citizens. A donation of $500 supports a campus based team working on critical public policy issues. A donation of $1,000 sends a student leader to the Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ National Conference in New York City. Below are highlights from two of the teams. We will provide updates on the other teams in future newsletters. Carleton College-Students Start Agricultural Program: Heart of the Heartland Five students at Carleton College are launching an agricultural-based educational program called Heart of the Heartland. Their initiative grew out of their support of the 2014 Farm Bill. Two of the team members, Sarah Goldman '17 and Jenni Rogan '19, wrote a letter to Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in support of subsidizing crop insurance to allow for more diversified crops of fruits and vegetables and away from an overreliance on corn and soy. In turn, they argued, this would help secure healthy and nutritious food grown within the United States. The Carleton students started organizing Heart of the Heartland by building connections with farmers and nonprofits in the Northfield area, and by raising additional funds. The Carleton team is initially developing a summer program with plans to expand beyond this. During a "five-week intensive agricultural program" students will be placed with farmer mentors and also take "topical seminars in agricultural biology and policy (from http://heartoftheheartland.com/young-farmer-summer-seminar/)." Working with Carleton's Center for Community and Civic Engagement, the students are coordinating logistics for summer 2017. In order to raise awareness about the program, they have started holding informational workshops at area colleges including Macalester College and St. Olaf College. The website they created is now live: heartoftheheartland.com. Hendrix College-Standing Up for the Rights of Juvenile Defendants Currently in Arkansas, news media can publicize the names of juveniles charged as adults for crimes. Katie Dobbins '17, Emma Gaither '18, Casey Hawkins '18, and Tejas Soman'18 wrote to State Senator Joyce Elliott (D-AR) about restricting local media sources from publishing the names of juveniles. This fall, the Hendrix team coordinated a local awareness concert with a letter writing campaign. The concert opened with remarks from a Little Rock attorney who shares their concern. During the show as two local bands played, the team passed out postcards for people to sign to show their support and concern. Their next move is to further engage the community and students by hosting an open discussion event with people working on the issue: a local juvenile defense attorney, representatives from local NGOs, and a student advocate. Project Pericles Receives First Installment of $3 Million Endowment from the Eugene M. Lang Foundation In 2016, Project Pericles received the first half of a $3 million endowment from the Eugene M. Lang Foundation. The Lang Foundation has made a $4.325 million commitment to Project Pericles, including the endowment and annual contributions through 2021. The foundation's support of Project Pericles' work ensures that we will continue to thrive for years to come. This substantial gift is an important investment in Eugene M. Lang's vision and in Project Pericles' mission of championing civic engagement in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community. We thank the Eugene M. Lang Foundation for this generous gift and for many years of on-going support. Conference & Meetings Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ National Conference Plans for the D4D National Conference on March 30 and 31 at The New School are coming together. The Honorable Martha Kanter, Executive Director of the College Promise Campaign and former Under Secretary of Education; The Honorable Ruth Messinger, President and CEO of American Jewish World Service and former Borough President of Manhattan; and The Honorable Constance Berry Newman, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; will serve as judges for the Letters to an Elected Official Legislative Hearing. Christopher Kush, Author of The One Hour Activist, and Kevin Schultze, both of Soapbox Consulting and former facilitators for D4D on the Road™, will run a workshop focused on how to effectively communicate with elected officials and the general public. This session will help the student attendees with the next steps to take their letters to an elected official and issues and move them forward. The D4D National Conference is supported by the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. "If the Wind Doesn't Blow - Row: Empowering All Students through Integrated Civic Engagement Curricula Panel"-Project Pericles at AAC&U On January 26 as part of AAC&U's 2017 National Meeting in San Francisco, Project Pericles and four Periclean Colleges presented a panel on how campuses are working to provide coherent and integrated programs to more effectively empower students. Panelists discussed how their campuses represented one or more of the five models presented in our recently released white paper, Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement: Five Approaches to Institutionalizing Civic Engagement, as well as other insights from the Creating Cohesive Paths initiative. The session was well attended with a standing room only audience of more than 100 attendees. The Q and A was particularly exciting. Over half of the attendees signed up for more information about our work and how it could help them advance civic engagement on their campuses. Presenting were Adrienne Falcón, Carleton College; Amy Koritz, Drew University; Jan Liss, Project Pericles; John McLain, The Evergreen State College; and Tessa Hicks Peterson, Pitzer College. Project Pericles Board Member Levine Receives Award from CIC Rich Ekman, President of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and Project Pericles Vice Chair, presented Arthur Levine with the Allen P. Splete Award for Outstanding Service. Levine is the President of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation and also serves on the Project Pericles board. Splete is a member of the Project Pericles National Board of Advisors. We congratulate Arthur Levine on this award and thank him for his longstanding contributions to Higher Education and Project Pericles. The Project Pericles breakfast at CIC's Presidents Institute was once again hosted by Jan Liss, Executive Director of Project Pericles and Lyle Roelofs President of Berea Collegeand Project Pericles Presidents' Council Executive Committee member. Project Pericles Program Directors' Conference at Drew We had an excellent Program Directors' Conference at Drew University on October 27 and 28. President MaryAnn Baenninger hosted a dinner for the group, and we had substantive discussions about the organization of civic engagement programs on our campuses and how to advance our work. Other topics included engaging with diverse communities, reflection, institutionalizing civic engagement, assessing impact, and curricular coherence. We also heard from students in Drew's Civic Scholars program and community partners. We were pleased to have representatives from our newest campuses - The Evergreen State College, Reed College, Skidmore College, and Whitman College - attend the conference. Pericleans in the News: Bates, Goucher, and Occidental Continue Groundbreaking Work with Prisoners Several of our Periclean campuses have developed groundbreaking educational programs for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. Below we highlight work at Bates College, Goucher College, and Occidental College. Goucher College to Award B.A.s Through Goucher Prison Education Partnership By Amy Roza This fall, Goucher College received the state and regional permissions necessary to confer a Goucher College Bachelor of Arts degree to students in prisons. While this has been the vision since the Goucher Prison Education Partnership (GPEP) was founded, to date students have taken Goucher courses and earned college credit, while staff pursued the approvals necessary to confer a degree. Now GPEP college students can officially be recognized as Goucher College bachelor's degree candidates. Students will major in American Studies, an existing interdisciplinary Goucher major, allowing them to take courses in sociology, history, political science, religion, English, media studies, and other fields within a single dynamic degree. Goucher Prison Education Partnership students are currently the only men and women in Maryland who can complete a bachelor's degree onsite in prison. GPEP staff and faculty, along with students, continue to forge a path regionally and nationally. GPEP students greeted the news of the bachelor's degree with cheers. Prison in Higher Education: Expanding Opportunities in California By Cynthia Magallanes-Gonzalez (Occidental '17) and Anna Palmer (Occidental '19) In the Fall of 2016, the Office of Community Engagement (OCE) at Occidental College and the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program partnered to host a gathering of instructors who were previously trained in the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program methodology, which equips instructors to teach inside prisons. This gathering was generously funded by the Kalliopeia Foundation. Oxy student coordinators Cynthia Magallanes-Gonzalez and Anna Palmer helped facilitate the gathering. The Inside-Out program's mission is to increase opportunities for people - inside and outside of prisons - to take courses inside prisons and create dialogue on topics such as crime, justice, and other social issues. Instructors from various institutions including Pitzer College, Scripps College, and Imperial Valley College attended the gathering. During the day-long event, Magallanes-Gonzalez present a mapping project that shows the location of college instructors trained to teach courses inside prisons, as well as prisons, juvenile halls, and jails near affiliated higher-level educational institutions. The goal of the project is to allow faculty who teach inside prisons to network with one another and see what resources are available in their area. Instructors and members of nonprofit organizations praised the map and thought it could be a useful way to expand the courses offered at different prison facilities. Following the gathering, the Education Justice Consortium (EJC) held a meeting. EJC works across institutions to make education more attainable to incarcerated and previously incarcerated people. Attendees included colleagues from California State University Long Beach, California State University Fullerton, California State University Los Angeles, and Pomona College. Participants strategized about how to bring a bachelor of arts college program into California prisons. The meeting highlighted the flourishing relationships between academics and nonprofits in efforts to build resources for people inside of prisons. This Spring the OCE plans to follow-up with another gathering focused on bringing a B.A. college program into California prisons. The OCE plans to hold Incarceration Awareness Month in March and is working to connect the work of Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program and the mapping project with the Occidental community. The Meaning and Depiction of Suffering: Mass Incarceration in the Spotlight at Bates Winter 2016-2017 marked the fourth time Bates College Professor Cynthia Bakerincluded community-engaged projects as a central component of her Religious Studies course, "Human Suffering." Students were once again emphatic about the meaningful impact this work had on their learning. Complementing their close readings and discussion of the meaning and depiction of suffering in the biblical books of Job, Revelation, and Genesis, class members collaborated with partner organizations working to end mass incarceration and improve the lives of prisoners and those who are re-entering society. Working in small groups, students supported the work of their partner organizations through both action and research-based projects. One group offered detailed feedback on essays written by prisoners participating in the College Guild's correspondence education program. Based in Brunswick, Maine, the College Guild offers courses on a wide variety of subjects for prisoners from around the country, operating on the motto that "Respect Reduces Recidivism." Bates students spoke highly of the written work submitted by students in the program, while acknowledging the complicated struggle between hopefulness, resilience, and anguish that came through in their poems and creative essays. In order to institutionalize the relationship between Bates and the College Guild, the students plan to establish a campus club in the coming year, which will become a platform for an ongoing partnership. Other projects for the course laid the groundwork for sustained collaborations as well. Responding to concerns within Lewiston's new American community about increasing rates of juvenile arrest and detention, three students researched culturally aware programs to educate immigrant youth and prevent them from entering the juvenile correctional system. Their findings are supporting the programming efforts of Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services. Another student in the class mentored students in the Police Activities League Center in Auburn, which aims to foster positive relationships between youth and law enforcement in a local neighborhood with a high rate of juvenile crime. Still another student made a comprehensive list of addiction recovery services in Androscoggin County and is working to bring the information together into a mobile app that will provide a resource for law enforcement and justice department personnel seeking to offer alternatives to incarceration. And a group of students developed social media accounts and strategies to support efforts by the Center for Wisdom's Women to establish a house for women re-entering society after incarceration. For their final projects, each student group developed poster presentations that brought together their analysis of biblical texts and their work in the community. They shared their results at the public symposium, "Chaos or Community: Conversations on Criminal Justice Reform in Maine," organized by the Harward Center for Community Partnerships and several affiliated faculty members. Speakers included formerly incarcerated individuals, two U.S. Attorneys, and law enforcement, corrections, and justice officials from around Androscoggin County. One of the highlights of the day was a short film by a group of "Human Suffering" students, which featured four people in treatment at Grace Street Recovery Services responding to Maine Governor Paul LePage's call for vigilante violence against drug traffickers. The film and the personal narratives served as a powerful testament to the role that collaborations between community members and Bates students have for transforming perceptions of issues of social injustice. Pace University Students Ramp Up Campaign to End the Use of Wild Animals in Circuses What do Austria, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Israel, Paraguay, Peru, and Singapore all have in common that the United States does not (yet) share? They have enacted a nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses. The Environmental Policy clinic, one of Pace University's Civic Engagement and Public Value courses, are advocating for a new state bill to ban elephants from performing as entertainment in New York. Pace students first went up to Albany and discussed the legislation with State Senator Terrence Murphy and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin who told them to come up with a bill. Pace students had done research on elephant abuse and found that elephants used for entertainment purposes suffer physical and psychological harm due to harsh living conditions and training techniques. They drafted a bill and got 1,100 signatures on a petition in support. In June 2016, the Elephant Protection Act passed the NY Senate 62-0, but their work isn't over. This year, students will need support to get the bill re-introduced and passed in the Assembly and are working on building coalitions all over New York State to get it done. Pace Senior Nicole Virgona, one of the students behind the bill, said times had changed and people no longer support animals being kept in captivity. "Elephants kept in captivity live half as long, suffer from foot disease, and social isolation," Virgona said. "They are forced to put themselves in unnatural positions. It's up to us to voice our opinion and make a difference." Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, one of the nations oldest circuses announced that it would close in 2017 in part due to issues raised by animal rights activists. Hendrix Community Discusses On-Campus Voting This fall, Hendrix College Politics professor, Director of Civic Engagement Projects, and Project Pericles Program Director Jay Barth and Peter Butler '17, an interdisciplinary politics, philosophy, and economics major and Student Senate President from Naperville, Illinois, discussed the importance of on-campus voting centers at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. In 2015, Hendrix successfully lobbied to keep their on-campus voting site in the face of plans by the Republican controlled election commission to eliminate the site. Making on-campus voting sites available to Arkansas college students was an active topic across the state in the lead-up to the 2016 elections. Barth and Butler shared their experiences in working for expanded access to student voting sites on their campus and reflected on the centers' importance for making democracy come to life for our newest voters. Watch the video here. 2016-2017 D4D on the Road Workshop Schedule Please let us know if you will be able to join us at a workshop. Saturday, October 8--Pitzer College in Claremont, California (Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, Occidental College, Pomona College, and Scripps College visited) Friday, November 4--Pace University in Pleasantville, New York (The New Schoolvisited) Saturday, November 5--Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Friday, December 2--Wagner College in Staten Island, New York (Drew University and The New School visited) Saturday, December 3--Bates College in Lewiston, Maine (Hampshire College and New England College visited) Saturday, January 21--Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota (Macalester College and St. Olaf College visited) Saturday, February 11--Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania (Swarthmore College and Widener University visiting) Saturday, February 25--The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington (Reed College visiting) Friday, March --Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland Project Pericles Needs Your Support! Please consider making a generous donation today to Project Pericles so that we can continue our work preparing tomorrow's engaged citizens. Donations can now be made directly through our website www.projectpericles.org by clicking donate in the upper right corner. To subscribe or to submit to submit Periclean-related information for publication, email [email protected]. Periclean Colleges & Universities Allegheny College * Bates College * Berea College Bethune-Cookman University * Carleton College * Chatham University Dillard University * Drew University * Elon University * The Evergreen State College * Goucher College * Hampshire College Hendrix College * Macalester College * Morehouse College New England College * The New School * Occidental College * Pace University Pitzer College * Reed College * Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute * Rhodes College St. Mary's College of Maryland * Skidmore College * Spelman College Swarthmore College * Ursinus College * Wagner College Whitman College * Widener University * The College of Wooster National Office Executive Director: Jan R. Liss, [email protected] Board of Directors Chair Emeritus: Eugene M. Lang Chair: Neil R. Grabois Vice-Chair: Richard Ekman Treasurer: David A. Caputo Presidents' Council Chair: Richard Guarasci, Wagner College Vice-Chair: Steven G. Poskanzer, Carleton College National Board of Advisors Co-Chairs: Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker & Hon. Kurt L. Schmoke The title "Project Pericles®" and its embodiment in the Logo are registered service marks of Project Pericles, Inc. All rights are reserved. The Periclean Progress E-Newsletter Volume 12, Spring 2016 To view the Newsletter with photos: Spring 2016 Newsletter The Periclean Progress is a publication of Project Pericles, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that encourages and facilitates commitments by colleges and universities to include education for social responsibility and participatory citizenship as an essential element of their educational programs, in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community.
National Office News: D4D Letters to an Elected Official Competition Winners Teams from Allegheny, Berea, Carleton, Hendrix, and Pitzer were selected as the winners of the 2016 Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ Letters to an Elected Official competition. The competition engages students around public policy issues, the political process, and with their elected officials. Since this program began in 2008, we have received outstanding submissions from student teams at our Periclean colleges and universities. This year was no exception. For the first time, students also shared a project proposal explaining how they would use the $500 award. The letters submitted proposed innovative solutions to a wide variety of issues ranging from implementing food waste management systems at the national level, to advocating for financial literacy services for struggling families, to supporting redistricting to ensure equal access to a quality education in Pennsylvania. The teams sent their letters to elected officials throughout the United States. A panel of external experts reviewed the letters. An elected official who served as one of the external evaluators wrote, "let all these students know what wonderful and impressive work they did," adding that "if [she] had received any of the letters from a constituent, [she] would have been blown away." Another outside evaluator commented that the letters were, "so well written and inspiring." We look forward to working with the five winning teams of the 2016 D4D Letters to an Elected Official competition throughout the 2016-2017 academic year: Hayden Moyer '17 and Walter Stover '17 (Allegheny College) wrote to Senator Robert Casey (D-PA) about online privacy and adapting Europe's Right to be Forgotten law in the United States. They will develop a website "promoting digital privacy rights and serving as a database" for cases supporting their endeavor. Tran Nguyen '17 and Megan Yocum '17 (Berea College) sent State Senator Jared Carpenter (R-KY) a letter discussing the expansion of Kentucky's 2013 Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The pair plans to create a public service announcement and present it to elected officials during informational meetings. Sarah Goldman '17 and Jenni Rogan '19 (Carleton College) penned a letter to Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) regarding the 2014 Farm Bill Crop Insurance and Subsidies Policy. The students will create a mentorship program for students to work with farmers in their state and participate in a training program during the summer of 2017. Katie Dobbins '17, Emma Gaither '18, Casey Hawkins '18, and Tejas Soman '18 (Hendrix College) wrote to State Senator Joyce Elliott (D-AR) about restricting local media sources from publishing the names of juveniles charged as adults for crimes. The team will partner with student organizations in Arkansas to publicize their issue and organize a concert to raise awareness. The students also plan to hold a panel discussion and a letter writing campaign to petition elected officials to address the matter. Amina Farías '18 and Eleanor Neal '18 (Pitzer College) wrote to Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) on the issue of Medicaid-funded mental health treatment and recovery support programs. Working with a community partner to "prevent recidivism while promoting community reintegration," they will create and distribute a resource guide to support women with mental illness and substance abuse problems as they pursue self-sufficiency and stability. Debating for Democracy (D4D) Student Spotlight As part of the D4D Letters to an Elected Official competition, we will be highlighting some of the participating students and will provide updates on all of the teams as their projects progress during the 2016-2017 academic year. See the last section for pieces from the Berea, Hendrix, and Pitzer Teams. Project Pericles Works as Institutional Partner with The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University recently named Project Pericles as a partner. NSLVE provides colleges and universities with information about their student registration and voting rates. It also provides information about "campus climate for political learning and engagement and correlations between specific student learning experiences and voting." Most of our Periclean Colleges and Universities are participating in the study. Multi-Campus Research Project on Student Well-Being and Civic Engagement We commenced work this spring on a multi-campus research project that examines the impact of civic engagement on student well-being. We are undertaking this work in collaboration with Bates, Goucher, Hendrix, and Pitzer. The project looks at the impact of incorporating civic engagement in the curricula on the well-being of college students. We are examining a number of high-impact practices including first-year seminars and community-based learning courses. In addition, close attention will be paid to the impact of programs on Pell-eligible and first-generation students. This work is supported by Bringing Theory to Practice (BTtoP). Our collaborators explain below what excites them about the project and this line of inquiry: "Bates College is delighted for the opportunity to revisit the question of the impact of civic engagement on student well-being. The education of the whole person and the cultivation of informed civic action are animating priorities at Bates, which makes this cross-institutional study of the implications of civic engagement for student flourishing of particular interest to us. We look forward to joining with others in asking questions such as these: Does the full-bodied integration of the civic into the academic enterprise -- not as an afterthought or footnote but as integral to student learning and experience -- have a demonstrable effect on students' resiliency, self-efficacy, or responses to stress? When student learning is focused not only on the edification and preparation of the individual, but also on the transformation and flourishing of communities, are students (and communities) more likely to flourish? We need to be asking these kinds of questions in higher education, and this study invites us to do so. We are grateful for the opportunity." - Darby K. Ray; Director, Harward Center for Community Partnerships; Donald W. & Ann M. Harward Professor of Civic Engagement; and Project Pericles Program Director; Bates College. "Goucher College is so pleased to be a contributing member of the Project Pericles team investigating the impact of incorporating civic engagement in the curricula on the well-being of college students. Our institution has been deeply engaged in this very conversation for the past two years, and we believe that working in a focused way with our distinguished colleagues will help us ask better questions and more knowledgably define key factors that link community-based work to psycho-social well-being. We will also tie this work to our conversations around the equitable dissemination of high impact practices (e.g. community-based learning, study abroad, internships) throughout the entire student body." - Cass Freedland, France-Merrick Director of Community-Based Learning, and Project Pericles Co-Program Director, Goucher College. "Our goal is to gain a fuller understanding of the distinctive impact of our required first semester course, The Engaged Citizen, on our students both in that first year and then as they follow their civic engagement pathways across their time at Hendrix College. Of course, this impact includes the students' social and emotional development as young adults honing their citizenship skills." - Jay Barth, M.E. and Ima Graves Peace Distinguished Professor of Politics; Director of Civic Engagement Projects; and Project Pericles Program Director, Hendrix College. "Pitzer College is thrilled to participate, once again, with long-time partners Project Pericles and Bringing Theory to Practice, in the important work of studying the impact of civic engagement on student wellness. This unique focus on well-being within community engagement is one that does not get nearly enough attention across schools and disciplines but is one we believe is a crucial component to why students choose to participate in community engagement initiatives. With this study, we hope to garner evidence that students' sense of belonging, purpose, and community, both on campus and off, is deeply enhanced when they are a part of meaningful and reciprocal community-campus partnerships for social change. We believe that aims to enhance the well-being of our students (as well as our communities) must be at the forefront of our efforts to educate, support, and inspire those in and connected to Pitzer College around our core values of social responsibility and social justice." -Tessa Hicks Peterson;Assistant Vice President of Community Engagement; Assistant Professor, Urban Studies; and Project Pericles Program Director, Pitzer College We are pleased to be undertaking this work with such a distinguished group of scholars and colleagues. Get Out the Vote: Student Choices - Student Voices (SCSV) Since last November, our campuses have registered thousands of voters and distributed important information about candidates and issues. Pericleans have shared their ideas and inspired other campuses to organize similar activities. Periclean campuses are invited to participate in Student Choices - Student Voices (SCSV) Week, September 24-30, 2016. SCSV Week overlaps with National Voter Registration Day on September 27 and represents a concerted effort at the national level to engage students, faculty, staff, and community members in the election process. During SCSV Week, Periclean campuses across the country will organize activities connected to the 2016 Presidential Election. See the article in Pericleans in the News for an update on the Pitzer College SCSV team. About SCSV With the guidance of our Program Directors and Christine Martin, our Program Manager, we have relaunched SCSV, a favorite program of Gene Lang's, to engage students in the democratic process. SCSV seeks to strengthen political engagement across campuses by encouraging the active participation of eligible voters in the American democratic process by (1) sharing information and resources to encourage students and community members to be knowledgeable about candidates and issues, (2) creating a space for dialogue, and (3) helping to register students and community members to vote. Program Directors nominated students on their campuses to join the SCSV national taskforce, a network committed to sharing innovative ideas and practices that is developing guides and other voting resources. Periclean Students to Travel to California for College Debate 16 Seven Periclean Campuses (Bates, Goucher, Hendrix, Macalester, Morehouse, Spelman, and Wagner), are sending delegates to College Debate 2016 at Dominican University of California. Delegates will travel to San Rafael in June to learn how to organize issue-focused events at their schools. They will then return in September for the 2016 College Convention focused on national youth issues. Project Pericles has been an active member of the CollegeDebate 16 working group. Pericleans in the News: Swarthmore Names Periclean Faculty Leader as New Director of the Lang Center (Adapted from an Article by Mark Anskis on Swarthmore College Website) Swarthmore College announced that Associate Professor of Political Science Ben Bergerwill assume the position of executive director of the Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility for a five-year term. Berger has served as the interim executive director of the center since July 2015. "During that time, he has demonstrated his energetic commitment to the social justice mission of the Lang Center, and an ability to bridge disciplinary boundaries in pursuit of deepening its support of the curriculum," says Provost Tom Stephenson. Berger credits Jan R. Liss, executive director of Project Pericles, for his successful transition into the role, noting that his experience as a Periclean Faculty Leader and Project Pericles Program Director helped prepare him for his current position. Going forward, Berger wants to expand the center's circle of usefulness to even more faculty colleagues and students. "Eugene Lang '38 always aspired for his center to connect the curriculum to the community, and I look forward to sharpening the details and definitions of 'community,' " Berger says. "I want us to connect our rigorous teaching and research to the campus community and its many, vital student groups; to the local communities of Chester and the greater Philadelphia region, where we aspire to create reciprocal partnerships and to co-create knowledge; to more far-flung communities around the country and the world; and to the community of scholars and activists who share knowledge via publications and conference presentations for the purpose of social amelioration." Berger, who will continue teaching in his new role, studies the intersection between normative political theory and empirical political science. His current projects include a book on civic education and a book chapter on democratic theory. His book, Attention Deficit Democracy: The Paradox of Civic Engagement, won the North American Society for Social Philosophy Book Award for the best social philosophy book published in 2011. With Jan R. Liss, Executive Director of Project Pericles, Berger co-authored the White Paper, The Periclean Diamond: Linking College Classrooms, Campuses, Communities, and Colleagues via Social and Civic High Engagement Learning. He received his A.B. from Princeton University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University. Pitzer Student Choices - Student Voices (SCSV) Succeeds with Major Push for Voter Registration By Dana Nothnagel, Pitzer College '19 & SCSV Coordinator and Tricia Morgan, Civic Engagement Center Assistant Director, Pitzer College The Pitzer College Student Choices - Student Voices (SCSV) team dedicated this last semester to voter registration, absentee ballot applications, and debate watching events. The team has helped register almost 300 students to vote or apply for absentee ballots this year. Since Pitzer draws its students from almost every state, the small group has become expert on the registration and absentee process for each state. They have worked closely with the Pitzer registrar to ascertain which students need information about out-of-state voting. Upon learning how difficult absentee voting can be, the SCSV team has been determined to make sure that a confusing process does not get in the way of any student who wants to exercise his or her right to vote. In addition, they have been in close collaboration with other groups on campus to host registration tables at snack nights and speaking events. The Pitzer team put on door-to-door registration drives and tabled outside of the dining hall to ensure that every student has the opportunity to register. By connecting with the study abroad office, they have ensured that they provided students who will be abroad for the general election with information on how to vote overseas. The group has also submitted a proposal to have voter registration as an official part of the first-year orientation week. Through the Community Engagement Center, Pitzer's SCSV team worked to connect with local high schools and other partner organizations to host voter registration drives in the local community. SCSV has also worked closely with campus affinity groups to host special voter registration events. Debate-watching events hosted in dorms have been successful and generated political conversations among students. The team is especially proud of these events because many students that attended may not have watched the debates otherwise. The team is also creating infographics to post around campus that explain candidates' stances on many issues, the difference between a caucus and a primary election, and the delegate system. After the general election, the team is planning on connecting further with community engagement partners and participating students to continue raising awareness of local political issues that affect our communities. Pace Gets Out the Vote By Daniel Botting, Associate Director of Project Pericles, Pace University The Vote Everywhere Ambassadors have been busy! The Pace Vote Everywhere Ambassadors collected 259 voter registration cards this spring, bringing their total up to 544 for the year. They reached that number by dormstorming, clipboarding in the dining halls, tabling at events, presenting to Introduction to College Life courses, and more. Leading up to, and on Primary Day in New York, they postered to remind students of the Primary date and to help students with 'day of voting logistics'. In addition, Pace distributed information on where Pace community members could find non-partisan resources on the candidates. They worked with Residence Life to have set times throughout the day where students walked together to their polling site. Vote Everywhere Ambassadors organized two debate-watching events in residence halls. The screenings were followed by a discussion on the debates and the impact of the youth vote. Two Political Science faculty and a campaign professional participated. Bates Holds Dialogue on Criminal Justice Reform By Sam Boss, Associate Director for Community-Engaged Learning and Research, the Harward Center, Bates College A full-day symposium at Bates College put community-engaged learning students into conversation with a range of off-campus interlocutors. The symposium, "Chaos or Community: Conversations on Criminal Justice Reform in Maine," was designed to respond to both national and local concerns about structures of inequity in the U.S. criminal justice system by promoting collaboration and continuing dialogue among a range of stakeholders. The day began with "inside/out" perspectives shared by formerly incarcerated individuals and continued with panel presentations featuring U.S. Attorneys, local law enforcement and corrections officials, leaders of local advocacy groups, and Dr. Kaia Stern of the HarvardPrison Studies Project. Bates students also shared results from semester-long community-engaged projects on incarceration reform. With more than two million people behind bars, the United States has the highest rate of incarceration of any nation in the world. Maine has one of the lowest incarceration rates in the country, but that rate has increased 300% since 1980. An ongoing heroin epidemic threatens to drive these figures upward. As increasing attention to the human and financial costs of mass incarceration has intensified calls for reform from across the political spectrum, the symposium offered a venue for sharing ideas, establishing partnerships, and laying a foundation for collective action among diverse stakeholders. Students in Associate Professor of Religious Studies Cynthia Baker's Human Suffering course put theory into practice throughout the semester by working on a range of community-engaged projects, from serving as respondents in correspondence courses with incarcerated persons to developing a juvenile justice curriculum and a short video featuring the experiences of adults in recovery from addiction. Widener Students Travel to D.C. to Study Portrayal of Presidential History This spring, Widener University students enrolled in Contemporary Issues in PoliticalEngagement and The American Presidency traveled to Washington, D.C. for an Urban Excursion focused on all things presidential. "This trip allowed students to see how the presidency is portrayed in historical memorials and museums. Understanding this form of public history and its importance to educating people about democracy really helped to tie together some of the major themes from The American Presidency and Contemporary Issues courses," said Associate Professor of Political Science Wes Leckrone. The students visited the graves of Presidents Kennedy and Taft at Arlington National Cemetery. Next, the students witnessed a play at Ford's Theatre centered on the assassination of President Lincoln. Students also visited the presidential display at the Smithsonian and walked to the White House, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial. "The students in Contemporary Issues will create short videos educating junior high students about presidential history and the election process. The trip to D.C. allowed for our students to conduct research and film historical sites," said Associate Professor of Communication Studies Angela Corbo. Widener communication studies students plan to give these videos to local middle school teachers to use when covering presidential and election material. Corbo and Leckrone have worked together throughout the semester with their students to promote interest in political issues among a middle school age group and to educate young students on the presidential election process. Students in Contemporary Issues have also focused this semester on the additional goals of raising awareness about the rising costs of higher education and lobbying for legislation to make college more affordable. The students organized a panel on March 21 that featured Associate Professor of Political Science Jim Vike (Project Pericles Co-Program Director) and Associate Professor of Higher Education Timothy Sullivan, Nicole Crossey '16 and Widener President Julie E. Wollman discussing how students can manage the costs of higher education, the history and current status of higher education in America, the experience of today's students regarding financing a degree and ways to advocate for individual scholarships and legislation that impacts higher education funding. The students headed to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on April 12 to participate in Student Lobby Day, where they discussed their concerns about college costs with state legislators. Lang College Student Wins Community Service Award Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, The New School student, Sade Swift, Urban Studies '17, was recognized by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities with an Independent Sector Student Community Service Award, as well as a $500 scholarship. Swift has worked to confront social justice issues, including gender inequality, the portrayal of women in the media, gun violence, and police brutality. She was also one of two Lang College student delegates at the 2015 Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ National Conference. As part of the conference, Swift wrote a letter protesting police brutality and the use of stop-and-frisk tactics by the New York Police Department. The letter was addressed to New York Assemblyman Karim Camara (D). New School President David Van Zandt accompanied Swift to Albany in March to receive the award. "Being selected as a recipient ... is very humbling and reminded me that as a Afro-Latina, I have have a long way to go before justice is served to my people," said Swift. I want to recognize all the women of color that came before me to make this possible. La lucha sigue, pero se peude." Active in the community, Swift works with the Sadie Nash Leadership Project, a program designed to promote leadership and activism among young women and helped found the youth contingent to Justice League NYC, where she fights for justice for people of color. Donation to Project Pericles in Honor of Jim Vike Project Pericles received a gift in honor of Jim Vike's years of service as the Associate Dean of the Social Science Division at Widener University. Vike's colleagues at Widener University made the donation. "I was honored to hear that my colleagues decided to recognize my upcoming departure as Associate Dean in such a fashion," said Vike. "I think it reflects very positively on our collective commitment to furthering the cause [of civic engagement]." Vike will continue in his role as Associate Professor of Political Science. The move will allow him to devote more time to students and Project Pericles as the Co-Program Director at Widener. Vike is an active member of the Project Pericles community and we look forward to our continued collaboration. Debating for Democracy (D4D) Student Spotlight (continued from first section) Berea Student Describes Her Motivation to Write on Kentucky Senate Bill 180 [The bill allows business owners to deny services to LGBTQ+ customers based on religious beliefs.] By Megan Yocum '17 We selected this particular topic because it affects many people within Kentucky. Just because gay marriage is now legal, does not mean that the LGBTQ+ community has conquered all of its challenges. There are still many discriminatory issues that the alphabet community face, such as housing discrimination and Senate Bill 180. This bill is critical for all Kentuckians because the state is attempting to discriminate against its own citizens. I know people who will be negatively affected by this senate bill, which is one reason why we decided to team up and work on this together. We are hoping to bring awareness to the public about the problems with Senate Bill 180 through a PSA video that we will create. Hendrix Students Describe Their Passion for Juvenile Justice Reform By Katie Dobbins '17, Emma Gaither '18, Casey Hawkins '18, and Tejas Soman '18 It started as an assignment for our Public Policy class. When looking through possible topics, we eventually decided on juvenile justice. Among all the juvenile justice related topics, the issue of media protection stood out. We knew little about the process of juveniles being charged as adults, but were outraged at the instantaneous way their names could be released to the press. This issue is especially relevant in our community because of gang-related crimes involving juveniles in the Little Rock area. Once we were aware of the current lack of protection for juveniles, it was an easy issue to write about because we truly believe it needs to be changed. Katie Dobbins - I am a double major in biology (with an emphasis on plant science) and Spanish. This semester, I decided to take a public policy course in which the professor encouraged us to participate in the Debating for Democracy (D4D) Letters to an Elected Official competition. Once we realized how widespread the problem was, we knew we needed to focus our letter on the issue. While conducing our research, we consulted with several experts in the field to broaden our understanding of the problem. Emma Gaither - I am an environmental studies major (with a biology focus) and Spanish minor. I serve as a representative for the Environmental Concerns Committee at the college. From Little Rock, I enjoy spending time outdoors and reading. This project and the interest it sparked in me were completely unexpected, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue working on this juvenile justice issue. Casey Hawkins - Originally from Little Rock, I am a politics major and serve as the managing editor of the student newspaper, The Profile, and as a member of student senate. In my free time you can probably find me working at Chipotle or relaxing with my three dogs. I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to be working with Project Pericles. Tejas Soman - I am an environmental studies major with a politics minor. I enjoy the outdoors whether it is camping, hiking, rock climbing, or mountain biking. I work in the Hendrix bike shop and am a member of the student senate's financial committee. I am also from Little Rock. Pitzer Students Describe Their Passion for Healthcare Reform By Amina Farías '18 and Eleanor Neal '18 Amina Farías - For the past two years I have helped facilitate art classes for the women at Prototypes. While teaching them arts and crafts, I have had the privilege of seeing their patience, determination, and strength. Every week they inspire me, no matter how tired and stressed they may be. It is from this place that I decided to work on the D4D Grant with Eleanor and I cannot tell you how appreciative I am to be able to give a little back to the women who give me so much every week. Born in Washington D.C., I have always had a passion for learning, community service, and art. After working in the New York Film business for five summers, I decided to focus on community service, working at Pine Ridge Native American Reservation during my senior year in High School. During my gap year, I traveled to South East Asia and got certified in Wilderness First Response, Animal First Aid and Elephant Caregiving. I spent the rest of my time in Asia setting up clinics in rural Thailand and Laos as well as working with domestic pets and elephants. At Pitzer, I study International Politics, Economics, Psychology, and the Middle East. I am also vice president of the Mental Health Alliance. Eleanor Neal - I am concerned about public health and social justice, and hope to use my background in policy to promote equity and inclusion in my community. This year, I am an intern at Prototypes Women's Center in Pomona, California, where I help facilitate the Mindful Arts & Crafts program for women in recovery. Inspired by both the women and staff at Prototypes, I hope to continue focusing my work on maternal and child health after graduation. At Pitzer, I study Spanish and Human Biology. As an ally for women in recovery, I believe that prison diversion promotes positive community reintegration. Prototypes works with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to operate the Community Prisoner Mother Program that allows women to remain with their children throughout all stages of recovery. On behalf of Prototypes, I addressed Representative Judy Chu to advocate for evidence-based alternatives to incarceration. Prototypes is a clear example of how government can collaborate with community partners on programs that strengthen parent-child relationships and decrease the likelihood of social service interventions. I hope that programs like Prototypes will continue to receive the support they need from both state and federal legislators. Project Pericles Needs Your Support! Please consider making a generous donation today to Project Pericles so that we can continue our work preparing tomorrow's engaged citizens. Donations can now be made directly through our website www.projectpericles.org by clicking donate in the upper right corner. To subscribe or to submit to submit Periclean-related information for publication, email [email protected]. Periclean Colleges & Universities Allegheny College * Bates College * Berea College Bethune-Cookman University * Carleton College * Chatham University Dillard University * Drew University * Elon University * The Evergreen State College * Goucher College * Hampshire College Hendrix College * Macalester College * Morehouse College New England College * The New School * Occidental College * Pace University Pitzer College * Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute * Rhodes College St. Mary's College of Maryland * Skidmore College * Spelman College Swarthmore College * Ursinus College * Wagner College Widener University * The College of Wooster National Office Executive Director: Jan R. Liss, [email protected] Board of Directors Chair Emeritus: Eugene M. Lang Chair: Neil R. Grabois Vice-Chair: Richard Ekman Treasurer: Alison R. Bernstein Presidents' Council Chair: Richard Guarasci, Wagner College Vice-Chair: Steven G. Poskanzer, Carleton College National Board of Advisors Co-Chairs: Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker & Hon. Kurt L. Schmoke The title "Project Pericles®" and its embodiment in the Logo are registered service marks of Project Pericles, Inc. All rights are reserved. The Periclean Progress E-Newsletter Volume 12, Fall 2015 To view the Newsletter with photos: Fall 2015 Newsletter The Periclean Progress is a publication of Project Pericles, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that encourages and facilitates commitments by colleges and universities to include education for social responsibility and participatory citizenship as an essential element of their educational programs, in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community.
National Office News Project Pericles Reaches Milestone of 30 Member Colleges and Universities with the Addition of The Evergreen State College Project Pericles is pleased to announce that The Evergreen State College is our newest member institution. Evergreen is our first campus in the Pacific Northwest. With the addition of Evergreen and Skidmore College, which joined earlier in 2015, Project Pericles has grown to 30 colleges and universities in 18 states. Project Pericles Executive Director Jan Liss visited The Evergreen campus in November. She met with President George Bridges, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Michael Zimmerman, and Director of the Center for Community-Based Learning and Action Ellen Shortt Sanchez. In addition, Liss met with Wendy Endress, Vice President for Student Affairs; Nancy Koppelman, member of the faculty and instructor in the Evergreen Student Civic Engagement Institute; and David McAvity, Academic Dean. Liss left impressed by Evergreen's commitment to civic engagement. "At its core, Project Pericles is about collaboration and leveraging our collective expertise in order to build stronger and more coherent curricular programs incorporating civic engagement and social responsibility. We are adding campuses that can significantly contribute to and elevate our conversations. Our board decided to extend an invitation to Evergreen given their demonstrated commitment to civic engagement and their interest in working with Project Pericles and its member institutions. We are extremely pleased to have them join Project Pericles and we look forward to working with their President, George Bridges, and the entire Evergreen community," said Liss. Each member campus appoints Project Pericles Program Directors to coordinate programs on campus and serve as a liaison to the national office. We are pleased to be working with Evergreen's Academic Grants Manager, John McLain and Member of the Faculty, Andrea Gullickson. Both Gullickson and McLain attended the Project Pericles Program Directors' Conference at Bates College in November. In addition to teaching, Gullickson is an oboist who has toured widely, performing in concert halls in the United States and abroad. McLain has long worked with students on civic engagement as part of the Evergreen Student Civic Engagement Institute among other projects. He helps students to explore and cultivate "humility, empathy, persistence, hope, patience, self-reflection, and a commitment to embracing complexity," or, as he puts it, "the virtues of civility and democratic engagement," and believes that Project Pericles will provide an even greater support structure toward that end. Project Pericles to Study Impact of Civic Engagement on Student Well-Being on Campuses This fall, Bringing Theory to Practice (BTtoP) awarded Project Pericles a grant to study the impact of participation in courses with a civic component on student well-being. Periclean campuses will collaborate with the Project Pericles National Office on this study, which will be led by Project Pericles Assistant Director Garret Batten. Participating campuses will be announced in early 2016. This study will allow us to examine a number of high impact practices including first-year seminars and community-based learning courses and assess their impact on well-being. In addition, close attention will be paid to the impact of programs on Pell-eligible and first-generation students. This study of well-being builds on our current project, Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement (CCP). In discussing our new study, Batten said, "This study offers us the opportunity to look at the impact of different approaches to civic engagement on well-being across multiple campuses. Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement, has enabled us to examine issues of breadth and depth in terms of students reached by different approaches and overall organization of programming. This new study allows us to compare the impact of different approaches to civic engagement on student well-being and look at variations among student populations." The Teagle Foundation Supports Additional Work on Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement We are delighted to announce that The Teagle Foundation awarded Project Pericles a grant for a Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement (CCP) convening on January 20, 2016 at the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) in Washington, DC. The convening is an opportunity for campuses to reflect on their progress, share what they have learned with each other, and brainstorm about how to further this work. Through CCP, we have mapped curricular and co-curricular approaches to civic engagement on 26 of our colleges and universities, and identified five general approaches to organizing civic engagement curricula: Requirements; Pathways Approaches (theme based, i.e. education, food, health, etc.); Civic Engagement Scholars Programs (intensive, multi-year, cohort programs); Certificate Programs; and Open Choice Models. The convening is an opportunity to reflect and build on promising approaches to civic engagement outlined during this three-year project. In addition to discussing different approaches, we will also focus innovative technological strategies for presenting opportunities to students and for tracking students' participation. Goals for discussion include:
Program Directors' Conference at Bates College By Christine Martin Bates College graciously hosted the 2015 Project Pericles Program Directors' Conference on November 10-11. The annual conference is an unparalleled opportunity for Program Directors to utilize the knowledge and expertise of the consortium to strengthen civic engagement and social responsibility (CESR) on Periclean campuses and in their communities. Project Pericles thanks President Clayton Spencer; Darby K. Ray, Director, Harward Center for Community Partnerships; Donald W. & Ann M. Harward Professor of Civic Engagement; and Project Pericles Program Director; and Kristen Cloutier, Assistant Director, Center Operations, Harward Center for Community Partnerships, and the entire Bates College community for hosting. On the first day, Jay Barth, M.E. and Ima Graves Peace Distinguished Professor of Politics, Director of Civic Engagement Projects, and Project Pericles Program Director at Hendrix College led a discussion of successful approaches to engaging students in policy work and action. The group also enjoyed a lively discussion of the emerging sub-field of social entrepreneurship and innovation led by Paul Schadewald, Associate Director, Civic Engagement Center and Project Pericles Co-Director, Macalester College. Program Directors' Conference Attendees after Lunch at the Nutrition Center of Maine in Lewiston The two-day conference included a dinner at President Clayton Spencer's house, a poster session led by current Bates students on their ongoing civic engagement involvement in areas including: affordable housing, America reads, and STEM education for elementary students. At lunch, the program directors enjoyed a panel discussion with Bates alumni describing how their undergraduate experience affected their paths. Two of the alums on the panel have gone on to careers in politics. Nate Libby '07 is a state Senator in Maine representing District 21, while Ben Chin '07 is the Political Engagement Director of the Maine People's Alliance. Chin came in first out of five candidates in the Lewiston mayoral race, but failed to secure a majority, losing a tightly contested runoff. Chin wrote: "I came to Lewiston in 2003, on a scholarship to Bates College. At the time, I wanted to graduate and go to seminary to become a pastor. But in 2004, our former city administrator tried to displace over 800 people from their homes through the so-called "Heritage Initiative." That's when I got involved with the Visible Community and Maine People's Alliance. After a year of hard work, we stopped the project. Eventually I decided community organizing would be a better fit for me than seminary." Chin is one of countless students to discover a passion for civic engagement through community involvement orchestrated by a Project Pericles Program Director on their campus. The self-discovery journeys shared by the students and alumni reaffirmed the importance of our work promoting CESR as intrinsic elements of higher education. On the second day, Christian Rice, Assistant Dean for Civic Engagement, Director, Bonner Leader Program and UCARE, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies, and Project Pericles Program Director from Ursinus College talked with the group about the importance of establishing clear learning outcomes for assessment purposes. This was followed by a presentation by Emily Kane, Professor of Sociology and Periclean Faculty Leader, Bates College, on community based-research and her experiences as a Periclean Faculty Leader. The group spent the remainder of the day discussing strategies to foster greater collaboration between Periclean colleges and universities and approaches for leveraging our institutions considerable expertise in designing and running civic engagement programs. Carnegie Corporation of New York Hosts the 2015 Presidents' Council Meeting The Presidents' Council Meeting took place on November 5 at Carnegie Corporation of New York. We were pleased to have a conversation with Carnegie's President, Vartan Gregorian; Geri Mannion, Program Director, U.S. Democracy and Special Opportunities Fund; and Ambika Kapur, Officer of Special Projects, National Program. Our Presidents had a productive meeting led by the Presidents' Council Chair, Richard Guarasci, President of Wagner College. They highlighted best practices from programs on their campuses, sought ways to increase collaboration between institutions, and discussed how Project Pericles can best advocate for the importance of civic engagement within higher education. Thank you to Carnegie Corporation of New York, Vartan Gregorian, Geri Mannion, Amkika Kapur, and the entire Carnegie staff for hosting our Presidents. Student Choices - Student Voices Helps Engage Students in the Election Process By Christine Martin Eugene M. Lang founded Project Pericles in 2001 to tackle the growing political cynicism and civic disengagement among young people. In 2016, Project Pericles will celebrate its 15th anniversary, and to honor Mr. Lang's vision we are expanding a program he cherished: Student Choices - Student Voices (SCSV). As part of the SCSV program, Project Pericles shared with its Program Directors helpful materials to engage students in the election process. The goal of SCSV is to both inform voters about the candidates and issues at stake while supporting efforts to register citizens to vote. To that end, a reference table containing registration deadlines and requirements by state was distributed in the beginning of the fall semester. Program Directors also received a document with activity ideas and useful websites to share with students and faculty. A Bingo game was created as a means to generate excitement and open a space for dialogue to accompany debate screenings. TurboVote offered a special promotion to Periclean colleges and universities to help track registration on campus and to facilitate the voting process. On October 14th, Wagner College students gathered to review how effective and ineffective dialogue can shape political perceptions through the Democratic and Republican Presidential Debates. This conversation was paired with the SCSV Bingo created by Project Pericles. The Bingo activity not only helped engage students with complex socio-economic problems, it provided a fun, interactive way to discuss democratic ideals. Carleton Builds New Online Assessment Tool with Support from Project Pericles and The Teagle Foundation By Daria Kiefer (Carleton College, '13) Carleton College's Creating Cohesive Pathways to Civic Engagement mini-grant from The Teagle Foundation and Project Pericles, in collaboration with Goucher College, made possible a new and comprehensive assessment system for our campus. Getting to this point has truly been a collaborative effort. Adrienne Falcόn, Director of Academic Civic Engagement and Project Pericles Program Director and Cindy Plash, the Center for Community and Civic Engagement's (CCCE) administrative assistant. Work on overhauling the assessment system commenced during the summer of 2014. Since then, the CCCE has worked closely with information technology services (ITS) at Carleton in order to create a system that can accurately capture the breadth and depth of students' engagement. "These things take a lot of time and patience," says Plash, "but it is well worth it." In the new system, all hours that students spend on civic engagement are captured in the same online location. At Carleton College, student civic engagement falls under several different categories: curricular, co-curricular, and paid positions. By working with ITS, the CCCE was able to create a system in which supervisors and peer leaders can record hours for students in each of these categories. Students, supervisors, and students' advisors can then pull up the summary of each of these categories in "the Hub", an online portal for personal student information. For example, one student fellow at the CCCE, Shira Kaufman '16, is able to see all of the Academic Civic Engagement classes she has taken, including her Sociology and Anthropology Methods course, as well as all of the hours that she logged for Eat the Lawn and the Food Recovery Network, two ongoing programs for which she volunteers. In addition, she sees all of the hours that she has logged through her paid position as a CCCE fellow during the year. Being able to see all of these contributions in one place allows Shira to get an overview of how she is spending her time. Shira's engagement demonstrates a clear passion for all things related to food. She and her advisor can use this information to help Shira understand how her interests have shifted and evolved throughout her time at Carleton and to plan for her future. As Periclean campuses continue to make a case for civic engagement, data collection tools such as Carleton's can help us tell our story. "When someone asks me how many hours of programming a program has done since the dawn of time....well, we can at least pull information as far back as 2004," says Plash. Reports can be pulled by issue area, program, term, or student and the data can be manipulated in a variety of ways. These reports have been useful both to show funders what is happening as a result of their support, and to help the CCCE understand itself better as it continues to evolve in response to student needs. Throughout the past year, Falcόn has also refined surveys that get at some of the more qualitative aspects of civic engagement work, such as student learning outcomes and community cohesion. Taken together, these assessment tools create a more holistic picture of the CCCE's work. Kelly Scheuerman, Program Director for Civic Engagement Pathways at the CCCE, says that even a first look at the data has helped illustrate the ways in which the CCCE engages with students. One important find, for example, is that more freshman volunteer than any other class year. Those students then go on to engage with their community in a great variety of ways. "[The data] makes a strong point for how important this work is to students," Scheuerman says. "We always had the sense that we are working with a lot of students, but now we are illuminating the robustness of the various programs, and the extent to which students are involved in not just one, but multiple ways." Liss visits Dillard In October, our Executive Director Jan Liss visited Dillard University. She had a very productive meeting with President Walter M. Kimbrough; Vice President for Academic Affairs Yolanda W. Page; Associate Professor of Political Science and Project Pericles Program Director Gary Clark; Nick Harris, Director, Community Development; and Dillard's two student delegates to the 2015 D4D National Conference, Jacquelyn Fuller '16 and Hope Hill '16. Liss said, "It was extraordinary meeting with Fuller and Hill, who described what a life changing experience the National Conference had been for them and how they are working with Dillard students to empower them." Clark emphasized that the National Conference was one, among many, benefits of membership in Project Pericles. Inauguration of MaryAnn Baenninger as Thirteenth President of Drew On October 1, Drew University celebrated the inauguration of MaryAnn Baenninger as the thirteenth President of the University. Jan Liss represented Project Pericles at inauguration events. As part of the festivities, Drew organized a symposium on engagement between the University and the city. Professor of English and Project Pericles Program Director Amy Koritz moderated "Stewardship, Service, and the Common Good: Re-Imagining University-City Partnerships" featuring Ira Harkavy, Founding Director, Netter Center for Community Partnerships, University of Pennsylvania. This was followed by "Organic Community: Universities, Cities, and Diversity" moderated by Christopher Taylor, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Professor of Comparative Religion and featured Caryn McTighe Musil, Senior Scholar and Director of Civic Learning and Democracy at the Association of American Colleges and Universities. Liss Travels North to visit New England College and Address Faculty On December 4, Project Pericles Executive Director Jan Liss visited New England College. Liss had a breakfast meeting with President Michele Perkins. President Perkins has led the college through a significant strategic planning and repositioning process, emphasizing a curricular focus on the civic and natural environment, as well as innovative pedagogical strategies such as experiential learning. Liss addressed members of the faculty providing an overview of Project Pericles approach to civic engagement and discussed our emphasis on embedding civic engagement in the curriculum. An approach, she noted, that New England College clearly shares. Liss also met with Provost and President for Academic Affairs Mark Watman, who was a key architect behind the strategic planning process. She had lunch with Periclean Faculty Leader and Co-Director of Creative Writing Maura MacNeil; Co-Director of the Center for Community Engagement and Leadership and Project Pericles Program Director Inez McDermott; and Associate Professor of Writing Brian Partridge, who previously served as the Project Pericles Program Director. She later visited with Wayne Lesperance, Co-Director of the Center for Community Engagement and Leadership and Professor of Political Science. PERICLEANS IN THE NEWS: Chatham Program Director Dana Brown Named to the Pennsylvania Commission for Women Dana Brown, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Center for Women in Politics at Chatham University and Project Pericles Program Director is one of 26 members appointed to the Pennsylvania Commission for Women. Under that capacity, Brown will advocate for legislation and policies benefiting women and girls in the State of Pennsylvania. In addition, Brown also serves as a member of the Community Advisory Board for the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh Center for Race & Gender Equality, the Executive Women's Council and its Women on Boards Committee, and 74% Kitchen Cabinet at Robert Morris University Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management. She is a Pennsylvania delegate to the Vision 2020 program at the Institute for Women's Health and Leadership at Drexel University, the Ellis School's Council on Innovation, and serves on the Pennsylvania Advisory Committee to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. Project Pericles congratulates Dana Brown on her latest appointment, and wishes her continued success in all her endeavors. Widener Celebrates Constitution Day with Workshop on Engaged Citizenship by Project Pericles Co-Program Director James Vike Widener University's Constitution Day 2015 featured Jim Vike, Associate Dean of the Social Science Division and Project Pericles Co-Program Director, who facilitated a workshop on the topic: "Civility and Engaged Citizenship." The workshop introduced Vike's research on variables that influence political engagement and activism. The audience engaged in an interactive discussion addressing the nature of contemporary civic life and the generally accepted expectations and responsibilities of modern citizenship. Vike examined the competing perspectives of civic duty and engaged citizenship and factors that may promote informed and civil political participation in a deeply polarized era. During the event, Vike presented a summary of campus initiatives that promote a culture of political engagement. Multiple levels of engagement that embed both curricular and co-curricular programs and activities are intended to develop the civic knowledge of undergraduate students. The Office of Civic Engagement hosted Constitution and Citizenship Day on September 17. In collaboration with the Student Government Association, the Office of Civic Engagement hosted a voter registration drive, polling for the upcoming presidential election, and provided students an abridged version of the U.S. Citizenship test. Fact sheets were provided to educate students about the candidates' positions on important issues. Additionally, the sophomore class of the Presidential Service Corps Bonner Program participated in training about citizenship. Bates Professor Named New England Resource Center for Higher Education and the Center for Engaged Democracy Finalists for the 2015 Lynton Award (Excerpted from the New England Resource Center for Higher Education Website) Assistant Professor of Education Mara Tieken from Bates College was one of eight scholars selected by the New England Resource Center for Higher Education and the Center for Engaged Democracy at Merrimack College for the 2015 Ernest A. Lynton Award for the Scholarship of Engagement for Early Career Faculty. The pool of candidates represents a range of institutions and disciplines. Ernest Lynton framed faculty scholarly activity as inclusive, collaborative, and problem-oriented work in which academics share knowledge-generating tasks with the public and involve community partners and students as participants in public problem solving. The community-engaged work of nominees serves as a model of the public scholarship that Lynton championed. Leveraging Our Knowledge: Wagner College Implements Food Recovery Program after Visit to Carleton College Assistant Professor of Sociology Bernadette Ludwig, Wagner College's Project Pericles faculty liaison attended the Project Pericles Program Directors' Conference at Carleton College in the fall of 2014. There she learned about the Food Recovery Network (FRN) that Carleton College created. Ludwig returned to Wagner College and started a program this fall with the help of students Kirsty Hessing and Erica Curry, Associate Professor of Anthropology Celeste Gagnon Anthropology, and the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement. Since then, Wagner College students have been recovering food twice a week, averaging about 80 pounds of food that is donated to City Harvest, which distributes it to various soup kitchens around Staten Island. Wagner students have shown an overwhelming support for the program and the FRN leadership team at Wagner is in the process of adding additional recoveries. All Wagner College students participate in multiple experiential learning experiences throughout their time at Wagner. Most of this happens in placements outside of the Wagner Campus. The FRN is among the first efforts that enables students to become involved in a social justice issue right on campus. Upcoming Presentations: CIC Presidents Institute - Jan Liss and Periclean Presidents Mary Ann Baenninger (Drew University), Jonathan Lash (Hampshire College), and James H. Mullen, Jr. (Allegheny College) will present a session on the Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement work at the Council of Independent College's Presidents Institute, January 7, 2016 in Miami Beach. Project Pericles will hold a panel presentation, "Expanding our Reach: Innovative Approaches for Increasing Impact and Exposing Diverse Students to Curricular and Co-Curricular Programming Incorporating Civic Engagement " at AAC&U's Annual Meeting on January 21, 2016. Kristen Cloutier, Assistant Director, Center Operations, Harward Center for Community Partnerships, Bates College; Cass Freedland, France-Merrick Director of Community-Based Learning, Goucher College; Jan Risë Liss, Executive Director, Project Pericles; Ella Turenne, Assistant Dean for Community Engagement, Occidental College; and Marcine Pickron-Davis, Chief Community Engagement and Diversity Officer, Widener University will present on findings from Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement. Campus Compact, 30th Anniversary Conference, Boston, MA - Project Pericles will present a panel: "Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement: Intentionality in the Organization and Integration of Programming for Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility." Debating for Democracy - D4D on the Road D4D on the Road workshops are designed to provide novice and seasoned political activists with the tools and tactics they need to get their message across to policy makers, community leaders, and the public. Whether participants are interested in service, public policy, issue-based organizing, or advocacy campaigns, this highly effective workshop gives participants the core skills needed to start a new project or expand an existing one. They empower participants to effectively work within the democratic process to address pressing social, civic, and economic issues. Through these non-partisan workshops, Project Pericles has reached more than 3,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members on campuses over the past seven years. During the fall semester, we held five workshops at Berea College with Centre College, Lindsey Wilson College, and Union College; Chatham University with Allegheny College and The College of Wooster; Drew University; Hendrix College; Occidental College with Pitzer College and Pomona College; January 23 Macalester College (visiting campus: Carleton College), St. Paul, MN February 19 Pace University (visiting campuses: The New School and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), New York, NY February 26 Wagner College, Staten Island, NY March 19 Ursinus College (visiting campuses: Goucher College, St. Mary's College of Maryland, Swarthmore College, and Widener University) Collegeville, PA Project Pericles Needs Your Support! Please consider making a generous donation today to Project Pericles so that we can continue our work preparing tomorrow's engaged citizens. Donations can now be made directly through our website www.projectpericles.org by clicking donate in the upper right corner. To subscribe or to submit to submit Periclean-related information for publication, email [email protected]. Periclean Colleges & Universities Allegheny College * Bates College * Berea College Bethune-Cookman University * Carleton College * Chatham University Dillard University * Drew University * Elon University * The Evergreen State College * Goucher College * Hampshire College Hendrix College * Macalester College * Morehouse College New England College * The New School * Occidental College * Pace University Pitzer College * Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute * Rhodes College St. Mary's College of Maryland * Skidmore College * Spelman College Swarthmore College * Ursinus College * Wagner College Widener University * The College of Wooster National Office Executive Director: Jan R. Liss, [email protected] Board of Directors Chair Emeritus: Eugene M. Lang Chair: Neil R. Grabois Vice-Chair: Richard Ekman Treasurer: Alison R. Bernstein Presidents' Council Chair: Richard Guarasci, Wagner College Vice-Chair: Steven G. Poskanzer, Carleton College National Board of Advisors Co-Chairs: Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker & Hon. Kurt L. Schmoke The title "Project Pericles®" and its embodiment in the Logo are registered service marks of Project Pericles, Inc. All rights are reserved. The Periclean Progress E-Newsletter Volume 11, Summer 2015 To view the Newsletter with photos: Summer 2015 Newsletter The Periclean Progress is a publication of Project Pericles, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that encourages and facilitates commitments by colleges and universities to include education for social responsibility and participatory citizenship as an essential element of their educational programs, in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community.
National Office News Skidmore College Joins Project Pericles Project Pericles is pleased to announce that Skidmore College is our newest member institution. "At its core, Project Pericles is about collaboration and leveraging our collective expertise in order to build stronger and more coherent curricular programs incorporating civic engagement and social responsibility. We are adding campuses that can significantly contribute to and elevate our conversations." said Jan Liss, Project Pericles' Executive Director, "Our board decided to extend an invitation to Skidmore given their demonstrated commitment to civic engagement and their interest in working with Project Pericles and its member institutions. The support of Skidmore's Board of Trustees and President Philip Glotzbach was compelling. We are extremely pleased to have them join Project Pericles." Each member campus appoints a Project Pericles Program Director to coordinate programs on campus and serve as a liaison to the national office. We are pleased to be working with Associate Professor of History Eric Morser, Skidmore's Faculty Director of Civic Engagement. Morser is an early American historian who is especially interested in cities and in the origins of radical political protest in rural New Hampshire during the antebellum era. He is an award-winning professor who has worked extensively with public school teachers around the country. In addition to serving as Skidmore's Project Pericles Program Director, Eric will help enhance the intentionality, creativity, and vision of Skidmore's many civic engagement activities. "For a number of years, Skidmore students have participating in our Debating for Democracy, D4D on the Road™ workshops for student activists," said Garret Batten, Project Pericles' Assistant Director, "Skidmore students are addressing pressing social problems and we are pleased to deepen our work with them." The Spencer Foundation Funds the 2015-2016 D4D on the Road™ Workshops The Spencer Foundation recently announced that Project Pericles will receive a grant supporting the ten D4D on the Road workshops organized between September 19, 2015 and March 19, 2016. The D4D on the Road™ workshops are designed to provide novice and seasoned political activists with the tools and tactics they need to get their message across to policy makers, community leaders, and the public. Whether participants are interested in service, public policy, issue-based organizing, or advocacy campaigns, this highly effective workshop gives participants the core skills needed to start a new project or expand an existing one. They empower participants to effectively work within the democratic process to address pressing social, civic, and economic issues. Through these non-partisan workshops, Project Pericles has reached more than 3,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members on campuses over the past seven years. With ten workshops across the country this year, we will reach hundreds of participants from more than 20 college and university campuses. The workshops are led by Wellstone Action and focus on practicing concrete skills, including building an organizing team; developing problem solving strategies for community issues; crafting effective messages using the problem, solution, action, ask framework; and delivering persuasive public testimony. The trainers, Naomi Long, Emily Caponetti, and John Gilbert, have extensive experience leading innovative and empowering civic engagement workshops. See final page for schedule. Project Pericles appreciates the generous support of The Spencer Foundation and The Eugene M. Lang Foundation. Student Choices - Student Voices: A Project Pericles Initiative to Boost Voter Registration and Inform the Electorate about the 2016 Elections Eugene M. Lang founded Project Pericles in 2001 to tackle the growing political cynicism and civic disengagement among young people. In 2016, Project Pericles will celebrate its 15th anniversary, and to honor Mr. Lang's vision we are expanding a program he cherished: Student Choices - Student Voices (SCSV). SCSV is a Periclean initiative that encourages colleges and universities to develop innovative projects on campus and in the community to engage voters in the electoral process and government affairs. SCSV seeks to increase voter registration and turnout for students and community members and to inform them about pressing public policy issues. Under SCSV, Periclean colleges and universities will hold events on campus and/or in the community that focus on the 2016 elections. SCSV encourages and facilitates thoughtful engagement of students in the political process-learning about candidates, understanding issues, and championing knowledgeable opinions. SCSV will build on the strength of our national consortium to support, share, and collaborate on exciting initiatives on all campuses. The project will officially launch this fall, and we are assembling a SCSV Taskforce comprised of Project Pericles Program Directors and led by Christine Martin, Project Pericles Program Manager. We are already receiving student nominations from campuses to help register students and others, and to organize events for students and community members. Each Periclean team will be invited to choose from an array of opportunities including: informative activities, digital resources, and registration tools. Bates Student Rocks the House (the Maine State House) with Testimony Participation in the Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ Letters to an Elected Official competition led Bates College student Meghan Lynch to testify at the Maine State House in March. Appearing before the Health and Human Services and Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committees, Lynch spoke about the importance of maintaining general assistance programs for asylum-seekers while their cases are under review. Lynch spoke during the budget review process that included a proposal by Governor Paul LePage (R) to end cash assistance for asylum-seekers. Talking about her testimony, Lynch commented, "I spoke about my experience at Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration services, where I got to know many asylum-seekers who relied heavily on this cash assistance program during their first few months of arrival. I also spoke about our state's welcoming climate...." Lynch and her co-authors fellow Bates students Eva Goldstein and Ali Rabideauparticipated in the 2015 Letters to an Elected Official competition. Their letter urging Governor LePage to maintain assistance for asylum-seekers was selected as one of five finalist letters. Lynch and Rabideau represented Bates at the D4D Legislative Hearing as part of the D4D National Conference in March. "All the research that went into the Letters [to an Elected Official competition] certainly gave me the confidence to speak out," commented Lynch. "After participating in the debate [D4D Legislative Hearing] in New York, I feel more enthused and empowered to continue activism surrounding this important issue." About the Letters to an Elected Official Competition: Over the past eight years, hundreds of teams from all 29 Periclean colleges and universities have participated in the Letters to an Elected Official competition. Teams of students write their elected officials about pressing public policy issues. Their letters are also submitted to Project Pericles and reviewed by an external panel of experts. The top five letters and teams are then selected to present at the Legislative Hearing, a highlight of the Debating for Democracy (D4D) National Conference. At this year's hearing, we had a panel of judges comprised of current and former government officials representing all three branches of government: Carol Browner, Former EPA Administrator; former U.S. Congressman Thomas J. Downey (D-NY); and the Honorable Edwina Richardson-Mendelson. The team winning the Legislative Hearing received $3,000 and the four finalist teams each received $500. The teams use their awards to take their issue and move it forward. They design and implement an initiative that affects change on their campus and in their community. Student leaders and activists have worked on a wide range of issues, including: fracking, education reform, the Dream Act, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and mountaintop-removal coal mining. They have met with their elected officials and raised awareness on campus and in their communities. Welcome to New Presidents Seven new leaders with track records of promoting social responsibility and participatory citizenship in higher education have become presidents at Periclean institutions. We are delighted to welcome all of the new presidents. Philip A. Glotzbach has served as the president of Skidmore College since 2003, our newest Periclean. Mary Campbell Schmidt is the new President of Spelman College. She is Dean Emerita, Tisch School of the Arts and Professor, Art and Public Policy at New York University. Valerie Smith, Swarthmore College's new President, comes to the college from Princeton University, where she was Dean of the College and a distinguished scholar of African American literature and culture. Brock Blomberg is the new President of Ursinus College. Most recently he served as the Dean of the Robert Day School of Economics and Finance at Claremont McKenna College. Thomas Poon is the interim President at Pitzer College. Poon is a professor of chemistry in the W.M. Keck Science Department, a joint department of Claremont McKenna College, Pitzer College, and Scripps College. Stephen Wilhite, Widener University's Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, will serve as the University's interim President. Georgia Nugent, will serve as the interim President at The College of Wooster. She is a senior fellow at the Council of Independent Colleges and former president of Kenyon College. Bates College to Host Annual Program Directors' Conference Bates College President Clayton Spencer and Program Directors Darby Ray and Kristen Cloutier and the entire Bates College community are graciously hosting our 2015 Project Pericles Program Directors meeting at their campus in Lewiston Maine on November 10-11. The annual two-day meeting is an opportunity for program directors to collaborate on intercampus projects and exchange best practices and ideas to strengthen civic engagement and social responsibility on their campus. We are looking forward to learning about civic engagement and social responsibility programs at Bates. The group will learning about the Harward Center for Community Programming, hear from Emily Kane, Bates' Periclean Faculty Leader and Professor of Sociology, visit with community partners, go on a Downtown Walkabout, and meet with Bates alumni who hold elected office. Campuses will also provide updates on enhancements they have made as part of Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement in which they mapped all curricular and co-curricular civic engagement opportunities on their campuses. Other topics for discussion will include certificate programs, civic professionalism, effective assessment models and tools, and Student Choices - Student Voices. Project Pericles Presents at Teagle Convening Project Pericles was one of four grantees invited by The Teagle Foundation to present at "A Larger Vision for Student Learning: Education for Civic and Moral Responsibility" - Teagle's national convening of grantees on April 9-10. Jan Liss discussed Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement. Liss presented finding from this national project that includes inventorying/ mapping all civic engagement courses and co-curricular activities on the 26 participating campuses. Representing the participating campuses were five of the campus leaders responsible for the mapping work. We were pleased to be joined by: Allegheny College - Terry Bensel, Associate Provost & Director of the Allegheny Gateway, Professor of Environmental Science, and Project Pericles Program Director Carleton College - Adrienne Falcón, Director of Academic Civic Engagement, Lecturer in Sociology, and Project Pericles Program Director Hampshire College - Laura Wenk, Dean of Curriculum and Assessment & Associate Professor of Cognition and Education (Dean of Faculty/School of Cognitive Science) Hendrix College - Jay Barth, M.E. and Ima Graves Peace Distinguished Professor of Politics, Director of Civic Engagement Projects, and Project Pericles Program Director Occidental College - Ella Turenne, Assistant Dean for Community Engagement, and Project Pericles Program Director Neil Grabois, Board Chair, Project Pericles and Garret Batten, Assistant Director, Project Pericles were also in attendance. Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement is a three-year project to reconceptualize the organization and integration of programming for civic engagement and social responsibility (CESR) within higher education. With support from the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and The Teagle Foundation, our member colleges and universities are inventorying, mapping, strengthening, and developing more cohesive and integrated curricular programs to enable students in all disciplines to incorporate civic engagement into their courses of study. Pericleans in the News U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Announcing Pell Grants for Incarcerated Students Pell Eligibility for Incarcerated Students Announced by Arne Duncan, Loretta Lynch, and Broderick Johnson while Visiting Goucher Prison Education Partnership On Friday, July 31, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, U.S. Cabinet Secretary Broderick Johnson, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) traveled to the Goucher Prison Education Partnership (GPEP) to make a historic announcement: A new pilot program will again make Pell grants available to some incarcerated men and women. Secretary Duncan and others repeatedly praised Goucher College for being a leader in student transformation and social justice. They highlighted GPEP as a model for other colleges and universities to emulate in making higher education accessible to women and men in prison. For three years, Goucher's innovative prison partnership has provided a transformative Goucher education to incarcerated men and women. This is important because research shows educational opportunities help individuals live fuller and more engaged lives, as well as reducing recidivism. GPEP students receive this education at no cost to them, and it is currently entirely funded through private support. Goucher is committed to transforming the lives of our students, who, in turn, go out and make the world a better place. About GPEP: GPEP is a division of Goucher College and gives men and women incarcerated in Maryland the opportunity to pursue college educations. GPEP offer Goucher College courses to 70 students at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women and the Maryland Correctional Institution - Jessup. GPEP also provide college preparatory courses for prospective Goucher students at the prisons needing additional support to be ready for college coursework. Courses are taught on site by Goucher College faculty as well as by professors from nearby colleges and universities (Excerpted from GPEP website). Pitzer Prepares for Expanded Social Justice Requirement By Tessa Hicks Peterson, Assistant Vice President, Community Engagement and Project Pericles Co-Program Director, Pitzer College Using a mini-grant from Project Pericles, Pitzer College is helping faculty prepare to teach a new two-course Social Justice Requirement. Pitzer is running a series of four workshops for faculty to support course development for the requirement. As part of these efforts, Pitzer invited Barbara Holland to campus for a consultation on the school's comprehensive social responsibility and community engagement efforts. Holland is an internationally recognized expert in organizational change in higher education with a special emphasis on the institutionalization and assessment of community engagement and has published and consulted widely on these topics. She was a featured presenter at Project Pericles' July 2014 convening for Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement held at The Pocantico Center of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Holland bolstered existing conversations on campus about how to value community engagement and social responsibility work on the part of our faculty. She facilitated a workshop open to all faculty and administrators to explore how community engagement can fit into and provide significant contributions in the trifecta of scholarship, teaching, and service in faculty tenure and promotion reviews. She shared national trends in academia around the place of community engagement scholarship and teaching, along with indicators reviewers can use to assess quality scholarly work and teaching outcomes. Holland held a meeting with members of the Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure committee, to further dissect the importance of evaluating community-based efforts in the arena of research and teaching, and not keeping it siloed into the "service" arena alone. Holland's knowledge and experience in this area provided critical guidance in this process and spurred important questions, debates, and opportunities for learning as we continue to collectively map a multitude of cohesive pathways for civic engagement and social responsibility at Pitzer. We are grateful to Project Pericles and The Teagle Foundation for not only connecting us to Barbara Holland as part of their 2014 convening, but also for the funds they contributed to her visit through the Creating Cohesive Pathways to Civic Engagement mini-grant. Widener Faculty and Students Publish Anthology of Prisoners' Writings Jayne Thompson, a senior lecturer in English and Service-Learning Faculty Fellow at Widener University and Emily DeFreitas, a senior English/creative writing major from Kendall Park, New Jersey collaborated to edit a new book, Letters to My Younger Self: An Anthology of Writings by Incarcerated Men at S.C.I. Graterford and a Writing Workbook. Since 2011, Thompson has been volunteering for the Prison Literacy Project to teach creative writing to men at the prison, many of whom are serving life sentences. DeFreitas is a member of Widener University's Presidential Service Corps, a group of high-achieving students who dedicate 300 hours per year to socially responsible leadership projects. She is a junior creative writing and English major and writes both poetry and fiction. In this anthology, published in 2014, incarcerated men in the Prison Literacy Project contributed pieces about regretful decisions made or painful experiences in their youth, fearlessly exposing their vulnerability. The project began with Graterford students writing letters to their younger selves, their parents, or their children. Others wrote pieces discussing formative moments in their youth telling of their struggles growing up in difficult circumstances. According to Thompson, the stories remind us all about choices, consequences, and caring for others. "In assigning the Graterford men to write to and about their younger selves, I had a plan. I wanted them to use narrative to create an object, with the younger self as the subject. I hoped the men, in polishing the object, could step outside of themselves and look at the subject-finding empathy for the young men in the story, for themselves. Along the way, my students and I agreed to turn the assignment into a book. They understood that they would get no recognition, no monetary compensation for contributing to this anthology. All profits would go toward printing copies to be given to young people at risk. The men, in essence, were doing social work from behind bars. They told their stories as acts of love." Letters to My Younger Self has been selected as the common reading for the incoming first-year class at Widener. In addition to her prison literacy project, Thompson runs a writing center in Chester, Pennsylvania for high school students. Bates Students Conclude Community-Engaged Research Fellowships By Holly Lasagna, Associate Director, Community-Engaged Learning Program, Bates College The Harward Center for Community Partnerships at Bates College sponsors the Community-Engaged Research Fellows program to support students' pursuits of significant research projects with the off-campus community. Among this year's Fellows was senior Martha Schnee, who used methods as diverse as historic discourse analysis, cultural ethnography, creative nonfiction, and photography to investigate the small desert town of Marfa, Texas. She examined how a burgeoning arts community created by an "outsider" links past narratives of "going west" to present day experiences in the region. Reflecting on the program, Schnee commented, "The Community- Engaged Research Fellowship is one of the best academic resources I have experienced in my time at Bates. My year-long honors thesis project was an incredibly challenging project, and this seminar allowed me to feel heard and nurtured throughout the process." Senior Jess Nichols, who represented Bates at the 2013 Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ National Conference, researched the process of building and sustaining mutually beneficial campus-community partnerships through interviews with community partners and students. Nichols concluded that a deep understanding of local context, thoughtfully cultivated, reciprocal relationships, and structural supports are essential to building and sustaining effective partnerships. Hendrix Students Serve Pine Ridge Reservation Ten Hendrix College students spent an eye-opening week in July serving the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The trip was sponsored by the Miller Center for Vocation, Ethics, and Calling which partners with Project Pericles on the Hendrix campus in providing civic engagement and social responsibility opportunities for Hendrix students inside and outside the classroom. Working with the nonprofit organization Re-Member, students installed safe steps, ramps, and landings at numerous homes on the reservation and installed skirting around trailer homes to save families up to 40% on heating costs. The four inches of snow that fell while the students were in South Dakota made the value of skirting very clear. Other tasks included building and installing outhouses, and building 75 sets of bunk beds for children on the reservation. Re-Member has nearly 300 Lakota families on its waiting list for aid in the form of building improvements, outhouses, and bunk beds. "The Pine Ridge mission trip opened my eyes to a beautiful and tortured part of our nation's past and present. We devoted a week to service and understanding of one of the most historically significant and gorgeous cultures of the United States," said MiMi Spjut, a senior from Cypress, Texas, and current president of the Hendrix Student Senate. "Whether listening to wisdom from the Lakota elders or serving the reservation through a variety of construction projects, I know that I am not alone in saying that the Pine Ridge mission trip provided me with a truly rewarding way to learn while giving back." The group visited Wounded Knee cemetery and massacre site, Red Cloud Indian School, Oglala Lakota College and several other sites of historical significance and future hope for the Lakota People. D4D on the Road™ 2015-2016 Schedule The D4D on the Road™ workshops are part of Debating for Democracy (D4D)™, a Project Pericles program. This year the workshops are supported by The Spencer Foundation and facilitated by Wellstone Action. Please let us know if you would like to attend. September 19 Hendrix College (visiting campus: Rhodes College), Conway, AR October 17 Drew University, Madison, NJ November 7 Occidental College (visiting campus: Pitzer College), Los Angeles, CA November 14 Chatham University (visiting campuses: Allegheny College and The College of Wooster), Pittsburgh, PA December 5 Berea College, Berea, KY December 5 New England College (visiting campuses: Bates College and Hampshire College), Henniker, NH January 23 Macalester College (visiting campus: Carleton College), St. Paul, MN February 19 Pace University (visiting campuses: The New School and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), New York, NY February 26 Wagner College, Staten Island, NY March 19 Ursinus College (visiting campuses: Goucher College, St. Mary's College of Maryland, Swarthmore College, and Widener University), Collegeville, PA Project Pericles Needs Your Support! Please consider making a generous donation today to Project Pericles so that we can continue our work preparing tomorrow's engaged citizens. Donations can now be made directly through our website www.projectpericles.org by clicking donate in the upper right corner. To subscribe or to submit to submit Periclean-related information for publication, email [email protected]. Periclean Colleges & Universities Allegheny College * Bates College * Berea College Bethune-Cookman University * Carleton College * Chatham University Dillard University * Drew University * Elon University * Goucher College Hampshire College * Hendrix College * Macalester College * Morehouse College New England College * The New School * Occidental College * Pace University Pitzer College * Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute * Rhodes College St. Mary's College of Maryland * Skidmore College * Spelman College Swarthmore College * Ursinus College * Wagner College Widener University * The College of Wooster National Office Executive Director: Jan R. Liss, [email protected] Board of Directors Chair Emeritus: Eugene M. Lang Chair: Neil R. Grabois Vice-Chair: Richard Ekman Treasurer: Alison R. Bernstein Presidents' Council Chair: Richard Guarasci, Wagner College Vice-Chair: Steven G. Poskanzer, Carleton College National Board of Advisors Co-Chairs: Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker & Hon. Kurt L. Schmoke The title "Project Pericles®" and its embodiment in the Logo are registered service marks of Project Pericles, Inc. All rights are reserved. The Periclean Progress E-Newsletter Volume 11, Winter 2015 To view the Newsletter with photos: Winter 2015 Newsletter National Office News
Eugene M. Lang Foundation Makes $4.325 Million Commitment to Project Pericles We are pleased to announce that Project Pericles will receive a $3 million endowment and annual gifts through 2021 from the Eugene M. Lang Foundation totaling $4.325 million. The strong commitment of the foundation to the work of Project Pericles ensures that we will continue to thrive for years to come. We are grateful to the foundation for its support. This substantial gift is an important investment in Eugene M. Lang's vision and Project Pericles' mission of championing civic engagement in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community. It plays an important role in ensuring our continued success. Jane Lang, Acting Chair of the Eugene M. Lang Foundation, wrote that "The Eugene M. Lang Foundation is proud to be associated with Project Pericles and its achievements. In recognition of Project Pericles' excellent work to advance the cause of civic engagement in higher education, and in honor of our Board Chair and the founder of Project Pericles, Eugene M. Lang, we are delighted to make [this] commitment." We thank our Periclean Presidents, Program Directors, and their colleges and universities. It is their hard work, dedication, and support that has done so much to advance the cause of civic engagement in higher education and beyond. This gift is a testament to all that we have achieved together and to all that we will do in the future. This support will enable Project Pericles to continue to provide its member institutions with the excellent programming that defines us - from research projects like Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement to the Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL) Program™, the Debating for Democracy (D4D)™ National Conference and D4D on the Road™ to our collaboration with the Project Pericles Program Directors on each campus. We thank the Eugene M. Lang Foundation for this generous gift and many years of support and look forward to a bright future. The New School to Host Project Pericles Debating for Democracy National Conference On March 19 and 20, Project Pericles will hold its Debating for Democracy (D4D) National Conference, hosted by President David Van Zandt and The New School. Student leaders from Periclean campuses will be joined by college presidents, faculty, and foundation, government, and community leaders, and members of the media for a series of panels and workshops with leading experts. All of the panels and workshops will focus on how students can take effective action on critical public policy issues. Topics include climate change and the evolving environmental movement; media and millennials; how to effectively advocate; and the role of non-profits in society. The conference will feature two interactive workshops, the first with leaders of successful non-profits about developing powerful narratives and the second on effective issue-based messaging. Student Teams to Present at Legislative Hearing A highlight of the Debating for Democracy (D4D) ™ National Conference is the Legislative Hearing in which teams of student leaders will present and defend their original legislative recommendations to a panel of government officials. The Legislative Hearing provides five teams of Periclean students-who have competed to participate-a forum to articulate their solutions to some of today's most pressing public policy issues by presenting before a "Legislative Committee," including U.S. Senator Harris Wofford (D-PA); U.S. Congressman Thomas Downey (D-NY); and the Honorable Edwina Richardson-Mendelson. Teams will compete for $5,000 in prize money. Each year, Project Pericles holds a Letters to an Elected Official Competition and more than 75 students from around the country write their elected officials about issues they are passionate about. The five teams with the strongest letters then compete in the Legislative Hearing. We received many excellent letters from our Periclean colleges and universities. The letters proposed innovative solutions on a wide variety of issues ranging from the Arms Trade Treaty, to living wages, to local farms and food, to reporting of sexual assault in the military. The five Letters to an Elected Official that will be featured in the Legislative Hearings are: Bates College, "A Letter in Support of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and General Assistance Benefits for Non-Citizens ,"by Meghan Lynch, Eva Goldstein, and Ali Rabideau. This letter was sent to Governor Paul LePage (R-ME). Carleton College, "A Letter in Support of Senate Resolution 40 and Current Diplomatic Negotiations with Iran," by Hannah Nayowith and Reilly Simon. This letter was sent to Senator Edward Markey (D-MA). Macalester College, "A Letter in Support of a Death with Dignity Bill for Pennsylvania," by Sarah Coleman and Emmet Hollingshead. This letter was sent to State Senator Stewart J. Greenleaf (R-PA). Occidental College, "A Letter in Support of an Amendment to SB 862 to Earmark Ongoing Cap and Trade Funds for Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC)," by Adrian Adams and Karen Romero. This letter was sent to State Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-CA). Rhodes College, "A Letter in Support of Net Neutrality by Reclassifying Internet Service as a Public Utility under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934," by Alexandra Dileoand Samuel Holder. This letter was sent to Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA). At the Legislative Hearing on March 19, the winning team will receive a $3,000 award to develop an advocacy campaign related to the issue they wrote about. The four semifinalist teams will each receive a $500 award also to be used to develop an advocacy campaign to move their issue forward. We commend all of the Periclean students who participated in the Letters to an Elected Official Competition. Over the past eight years, hundreds of teams from all 29 Periclean colleges and universities have participated in the Letters to an Elected Official competition. Student leaders and activists have worked on a wide range of issues, including: fracking, education reform, the Dream Act, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and mountaintop-removal coal mining. They have met with their elected officials and organized campaigns to raise awareness on campus and in their communities. Member of Swarthmore 2014 Letters to an Elected Official Competition Team Meets with American Ambassador to Peru When Mackenzie Welch and Jason Mendoza submitted their Letter to an Elected Official on human rights and coca fumigation in Colombia, Mackenzie never imagined that it would lead to a lunch with the American Ambassador to Peru, Brian Nichols, but that is what happened. Their submission "A Letter to Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) concerning Human Rights Considerations and Effectiveness of U.S. Sponsored Coca Fumigation in Colombia" was one of six winners of the 2014 Letters to an Elected Official Competition. The pair received a $500 award to move their issue forward. Hoping to gain greater insight into United States eradication policies in South America, Mackenzie interned with the State Department in Peru. While there she spoke to a DEA Field Intelligence Manager and the U.S. Department of State: Bureau of International Narcotics & Law Enforcement Director for Peru. Mackenzie came away from these meetings with a greater understanding of the need to pair eradication with development projects. These meetings eventually led to a lunch with Ambassador Nichols. In addition to these meetings, Mackenzie and Jason conducted research on eradication policies. With a deeper understanding of the issues around eradication, the pair plan to present Senator Menendez with their policy recommendations this spring. As ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and one of the architects of the Western Hemisphere drug eradication programs, Menendez is uniquely positioned to act on the pairs' recommendations. Project Pericles Presents Panel at the 2015 AAC&U Annual Meeting At the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Annual Meeting in January, Jan Liss, Project Pericles Executive Director, moderated a panel highlighting some of the work being conducted by Periclean campuses as part of Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement. Panelists discussed their unique pedagogical approaches to civic engagement as well as the projects they are undertaking with mini-grants received through Creating Cohesive Paths. Jay Barth, M.E. and Ima Graves Peace Distinguished Professor of Politics and Bill and Connie Bowen Odyssey Professor at Hendrix College, discussed The Engaged Citizen course, a newly implemented requirement for first year students, as well as a mini-grant project to offer faculty leadership workshops to assist with the incorporation of civic engagement components into sections of The Engaged Citizen course. Laura Wenk, Dean of Curriculum and Assessment and Associate Professor of Cognition and Education at Hampshire College, provided an overview of Hampshire's civic engagement requirement that encourages students, with faculty assistance, to develop their own Campus Engaged Learning Activity course followed by a Community Engaged Learning Activity course. As part of their mini-grant, Hampshire is strengthening the documentation and reflection components of the experience by utilizing activities, e-portfolios, interviews, and workshops. They also plan on expanding student training prior to the students' engagement with the community. Terry Bensel, Associate Provost, Director of the Gateway, and Professor of Environmental Science at Allegheny College, discussed structural changes the college is making to promote greater coherence among programs focused on civic engagement and social responsibility. Bensel is overseeing "The Allegheny Gateway [which], integrates curricular and co-curricular initiatives in the areas of global learning, civic engagement, and diversity. The Allegheny Gateway builds on the success (and continues to provide the programs and services) of the Center for Experiential Learning while expanding to include initiatives in the areas of diversity, undergraduate research, political participation, nationally competitive fellowship mentoring, and interdisciplinary studies." Adrienne Falcόn, Director of Academic Civic Engagement in the Center for Community and Civic Engagement and Lecturer in Sociology at Carleton College, discussed Carleton's pathway approach that focuses on particular issue areas as a way of organizing and focusing the curricular and co-curricular. Falcόn notes, "While we also continue to offer the more episodic and unconnected experience, our efforts are more dedicated to the longer term evolution of individuals and projects that can lead to real social change." They are using their min-grant to strengthen assessment and tracking of students engaged in pathways. Carleton's mini-grant also includes a partnership with Goucher College, Occidental College, and Spelman College designed to increase student awareness of civic engagement opportunities. Goucher is taking the lead on developing an online system for organizing and displaying civic engagement programing. Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement is a three-year project to reconceptualize the organization and integration of programming for civic engagement and social responsibility (CESR) within higher education. With support from the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and The Teagle Foundation, our member colleges and universities are inventorying, mapping, strengthening, and developing more cohesive and integrated civic engagement programs to enable students in all disciplines to incorporate civic engagement into their courses of study. Pericleans in the News RPI Students Help Design Certificate in Civic Responsibility as Part of Project Pericles Funded Project Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is developing a Certificate in Civic Responsibility that they plan on introducing this fall. In January, 28 RPI students joined with Deans, faculty, and staff for an all day charrette to discuss the new certificate. The students focused on the many forms of civic engagement on campus that should be considered for inclusion in the certificate. Ten of the students will serve on a working group to provide feedback as RPI develops the certificate. This work is undertaken as part of Project Pericles' Creating Cohesive Paths to Civic Engagement. New concentration recognizes publicly engaged work of Bates students By Emily Kane, Professor Sociology and Women & Gender Studies; Periclean Faculty Leader, Bates College In spring of 2014, a group of Bates College faculty and staff began meeting to develop a new General Education Concentration (GEC) related to community and civic engagement. We are pleased to report that the new concentration, Knowledge, Action and the Public Good, was recently approved by the college's Curriculum and Calendar Committee. Its description captures the purpose and range: "This concentration is designed to recognize and cultivate two elements of the college's mission, informed civic action and responsible stewardship of the wider world. The concentration focuses on coursework and other learning experiences related to civic and community engagement at the local, state, regional, national and global levels, as well as exploration of the reciprocal co-creation of knowledge and its role in promoting the public good." Faculty members from all corners of the college worked together with the staff of the Harward Center for Community Partnerships to come up with the new GEC. Drawing on the college's mission and the array of community engagement happening in our courses across the curriculum, as well as the range of richly reflective co-curricular activity already sponsored by the Harward Center, the concentration aims to help students deepen their understanding of engagement and reciprocity through the connections they will be encouraged to draw across experiences within a variety of departments, programs, and activities. Students in the concentration will take courses tagged as "Community Engaged Learning" and other approved courses in at least three different departments or programs for a total of four courses. Opportunities for reflection and connection will be offered along the way, with a senior year reflection required as a culminating activity. We are delighted to have this new concentration available as one more avenue to advance community engaged work and recognize its importance to Bates students, faculty, staff, and community partners. Widener Sociology Students Stand by Airport Workers in Support of Fair Wages Excerpted from What's Up @ Widener By 4:30 a.m. on a November morning, five Widener University students were driving up I-95 to the Philadelphia International Airport. They had no plans to board a plane. Instead, they were on a mission to support employees of aviation contractor Prime Flight who were protesting low wages and working conditions. By the next morning, the students found themselves on the local news, as well as in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Four of the students-Ashleigh Bothwell, Cory Barker, Nicolette Epifani, and Joseph McManamon-Simon-had learned about the Prime Flight workers' plight through in their sociology course, "Civic Engagement and Social Activism," taught by Dr. Stuart Eimer, Service-Learning Coordinator. The fifth student, Robert Miller, was inspired by Bothwell to attend the protest. The day prior to the protest, Eimer had taken his students to a Philadelphia City Council hearing, which addressed legislation mandating that airlines contract with companies that have "labor-peace agreements." Many Prime Flight employees attended in support of this legislation and to further draw attention to the fact that they had yet to see pay increases despite an executive order signed by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter in May raising the minimum wage for employees hired by airport subcontractors. "The trip to the Philadelphia City Council hearing was meant to provide exposure to the way social activism intersects with the political process," said Eimer. "Afterward, the class met with four airport workers who told them about their personal lives, their jobs, the way their incomes kept them mired in poverty, and the reasons that they had decided to take action. Students told me it was as if the readings from a broad array of their classes had suddenly come to life. It was experiential learning at its best." "After marching with the workers," Bothwell said, "I want to get the message across that, at the end of the day, these are people working hard to support families, but often can't make ends meet after a back-breaking, 40-hour work week." "I take Widener's mission to educate engaged citizens seriously," Eimer said. "Given the current lack of civic engagement in America, all forms of citizenship need to be cultivated and I applaud the way students took the initiative to support the airport workers." Swarthmore Project Pericles Co-Program Director Publishes Article Rejecting the Dichotomy between Civic Engagement and Research Ben Berger, Associate Professor of Political Science, Project Pericles Co-Program Director, and Periclean Faculty Leader at Swarthmore College, published "Experience and (Civic) Education" in the January edition of PS: Political Science and Politics as part of a symposium on the "false divide" between research and undergraduate teaching. Berger describes how insights gained from observing his students in the local community of Chester as part of his course, "Democratic Theory and Practice," led him to critically examine the overly broad use of the term "civic engagement" resulting in an article and part of a book. Offering other examples, Berger discusses research generated out of classes designed as part of the Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL)™ Program. Berger and Jan Liss are currently working on an edited volume documenting more of the research generated by the PFL Program as well as its other accomplishments. In 2010, with multi-year grants from the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and The Teagle Foundation, Project Pericles launched the Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL) Program. During the inaugural term of the program, 26 competitively selected Periclean Faculty Leaders created new Civic Engagement Courses (CECs) in 21 different disciplines; promoted civic engagement locally through lectures, town hall meetings, and public events; and advanced public scholarship nationally and internationally through publications and conference presentations. Project Pericles Needs Your Support! Please consider making a generous donation today to Project Pericles so that we can continue our work preparing tomorrow's engaged citizens. Donations can now be made directly through our website www.projectpericles.org by clicking donate in the upper right corner. To subscribe or to submit to submit Periclean-related information for publication, email [email protected]. Periclean Colleges & Universities Allegheny College * Bates College * Berea College Bethune-Cookman University * Carleton College * Chatham University Dillard University * Drew University * Elon University * Goucher College Hampshire College * Hendrix College * Macalester College * Morehouse College New England College * The New School * Occidental College * Pace University Pitzer College * Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute * Rhodes College St. Mary's College of Maryland * Skidmore College * Spelman College Swarthmore College * Ursinus College * Wagner College Widener University * The College of Wooster National Office Executive Director: Jan R. Liss, [email protected] Board of Directors Chair Emeritus: Eugene M. Lang Chair: Neil R. Grabois Vice-Chair: Richard Ekman Treasurer: Alison R. Bernstein Presidents' Council Chair: Richard Guarasci, Wagner College Vice-Chair: Steven G. Poskanzer, Carleton College National Board of Advisors Co-Chairs: Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker & Hon. Kurt L. Schmoke The title "Project Pericles®" and its embodiment in the Logo are registered service marks of Project Pericles, Inc. All rights are reserved. |
Archives
June 2024
Categories
All
|
[email protected]
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions