“Civic engagement means working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non‐political processes.”
“A morally and civically responsible individual recognizes himself or herself as a member of a larger social fabric and therefore considers social problems to be at least partly his or her own; such an individual is willing to see the moral and civic dimensions of issues, to make and justify informed moral and civic judgments, and to take action when appropriate.”
Source: Civic Responsibility and Higher Education, edited by Thomas Ehrlich, published by Oryx Press, 2000
In order to thrive, our communities need us to be active and engaged citizens.
Are you ready to step into this challenge?
All of us have something to offer the world ‐ probably many things.
Do you want to work within a group to discover this and then go out and share it with the world?
Social change requires the intentional actions of individuals, groups, and communities.
Do you want to make a difference?
Consider joining the Dewey House for Civic Engagement at Living/Learning!
Dewey House will focus on creating a living and learning environment whereby students from multiple academic disciplines have the opportunity to make sustained and positive differences in the lives of Burlington residents through intentional actions of civic awareness and community engagement.
We value an inclusive vision for learning in that students and community members alike can benefit from connections that explore multiple interests, needs, and backgrounds.
The Dewey House was launched on a “pilot” basis during the 2008‐2009 academic year with one suite of students (and a couple of non‐resident students) participating in the two classes. Our current plan is to expand Dewey House to two suites in the Living/Learning Center during the 2009‐2010 academic year. Eventually our goal is to relocate the program to the Harris‐Millis complex as a full‐fledged Residential Learning Community during the 2010‐2011 academic year, at which point we would begin growing the size of the program toward an ultimate goal of enrolling approximately 80 ‐ 100 students in the community. We are using years one and two to develop the pedagogy of the class and the residential component, build community partnerships, and engage students actively in the development of this RLC.
Students will enroll in a one‐credit class (SWSS 55) during the fall semester and a two‐credit class (SWSS 56) during the spring semester. These courses will focus on public engagement, community building, social responsibility, political structures, and self‐reflection. Students will engage in environmental scans within the Burlington community, resulting in the identification of community needs. Students will participate in a process that matches their individual personal strengths and interests with specific community needs.
Through these activities, we expect that:
Starting in 2009, the Dewey House for Civic Engagement will be partnering with the UVM Community Service Scholars Program (CSSP) to develop and implement a coordinated, four‐year service‐learning experience leading to designation as a “Community Service Scholar” upon graduation.
Click on "Community Service Scholars" in the menu on the left side of your screen for more details about this partnership.
Last modified March 05 2009 09:50 AM
