Sadler

Civic engagement has a variety of meanings, but I began my role with the goal of encouraging our students to be more socially conscious and active within their community. “Community” is another ambiguous word. I found it worked if I allowed the students to define and identify their own community. For some students, it may be their church or neighborhood association; for others, it’s the Young Republicans Club. For our international students, their community is half a world away.

We embarked on the fall semester with programs geared toward voter education and political activism. Some events were deemed a success as students left the programs discussing the issues examined in the presentation. Other events failed to attract any students, and we questioned our goals and objectives as a committee.

During a time when assessment is critical and fiscal resources are scarce, I felt we needed to reach diverse audiences and create a mass of active and engaged students. I developed evaluation surveys for our programs and promoted the programs extensively. I wanted to prove that these were valid programs that should be sustainable. There was a part of me that yearned for students to take advantage of these opportunities because I regretted not taking advantage of similar opportunities as an undergraduate. However, I found myself disappointed when students would say a professor had made them attend a presentation, but that they hadn’t taken anything away from it. These students questioned what civic engagement had to do with their nursing or business class. They struggled in the same way I had as an undergraduate, not recognizing that enrichment opportunities would affect their future much more than they realize.

Within my job, I also have the opportunity to seek out development opportunities for students, to send them to leadership conferences, service seminars and other travel opportunities. Last semester, as I sought out development opportunities that aligned with our goal of civic engagement, I came across a promotional piece for the Washington Center. The center hosts academic seminars in Washington, D.C. The topic for the seminar in January 2005 was “Politics and the Media.” I thought it would be a tremendous opportunity for a senior communication arts major with an interest in politics.

After speaking with faculty, we found a student who fit the profile. We funded his two-week trip, utilizing some grant money with the stipulation that he talk to other students about his experiences upon his return. In Washington, he heard lectures from media moguls and caught a glimpse of what life in public service might be like.

The truth is, this student was raised in small-town Indiana and had never been to Washington. His parents run a very successful business, and it would make sense if he went on to manage this business after graduation. Nevertheless, the trip opened doors for him that he never realized existed. He arrived back on campus a more intelligent, mature and “engaged” student. He then shared his enthusiasm and engaged other students.

Because we at IU Kokomo consistently assess the reach of our civic engagement efforts, I will continue to strive to reach a mass of students. However, we also need to take the time to recognize that one student truly can make a difference. I’m not sure if the student who traveled to Washington will change his career path and decide that a life in politics is for him, but I am certain if he doesn’t, he will still be a more successful and socially conscious citizen because of his experience.

For more on the American Democracy Project at IU Kokomo, go to:

http://www.iuk.edu/adp/