Engage

From the Directors

Pathways to Civic Engagement: Follow Our Students

Earlier this month, the National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement released a report on the state of civic learning in higher education, coinciding with a daylong conference at the White House about civic education and democracy’s future.

Commissioned by the Department of Education and led in part by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), “A Crucible Moment: College Learning and Democracy’s Future” is a call to action, advancing a vision of higher education in the 21st century in which civic learning and democratic engagement are “key component[s] of every college student’s course of study” (ix). The report acknowledges the interdependence of K-12 and higher education and sets out four central recommendations for colleges and universities: 

1. Foster a civic ethos across all parts of campus and educational culture.
2. Make civic literacy a core expectation for all students.
3. Practice civic inquiry across all fields of study.
4. Advance civic action through transformative partnerships at home and abroad.
   (31-33)

Much in this vision aligns with the University of Richmond’s own bold future as articulated in The Richmond Promise. Still, the report’s recommendations raise questions about the role of civic engagement in higher education generally and in a University of Richmond education specifically. As the report galvanizes discussion and debate from the White House, to AAC&U, to the CCE, we are encouraged by the many students on our campus who are already walking the pathways outlined in the report—bringing a civic ethos, civic learning, civic inquiry, and civic action to life.

Take, for example, the five students gracing the windows of our office this semester. Their experiences represent a spectrum of engagement—from a biochemistry and molecular biology major whose work-study job at a local substance-abuse treatment center is helping him lay the foundation for medical school and changing the discussion in his chemistry class, to a former student athlete who has started a middle-school-boy mentoring program that inspires the mentors as much as the mentees, to a leadership studies major connecting theory and practice through an academically grounded Burhans Civic Fellowship focused on disaster management at the Red Cross, and more. 

Curricular-based and co-curricular experiences grounded in an educational context and supported by faculty, staff, and community partners create meaningful learning opportunities for our students. They have also benefited our community partners and our region. We invite you to learn more about the civic actions of these outstanding students, the ongoing work of the CCE, and the national conversation on civic education.

Dr. Amy Howard, Executive Director
Dr. Sylvia Gale, Associate Director