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Models of Civic Engagement for ANAC Institutions Civic Innovations Wagner College Cassia Freedland Director, Center for Leadership and Service, Wagner College Julie Barchitta Dean, Learning Communities and Experiential Learning, Wagner College Devorah Lieberman Provost & VPAA, Wagner College Slide 2 2 What Is The Greatest Challenge Your Institution Faces In Institutionalizing Civic Engagement Into The Curriculum? Slide 3 3 Institutional Challenges, cont. Slide 4 4 Our Strengths Were Experiential Learning required in First Year Program and in Senior Learning Community 30 hours required in freshman year, 100 hours required in senior year Office devoted to Experiential Learning Multiple Community agencies seeking out Wagner for partnerships and internships Embedded in the Wagner College mission Scholarship of Engagement recognized in promotion and tenure process Slide 5 5 Civic engagement required for every student organization Civic engagement part of the campus wide strategic plan Membership in organizations that recognize the importance of civic engagement Multiple faculty enthusiastic about civic engagement Our Strengths Were Slide 6 6 Our Weaknesses Were Students completed their courses where civic engagement required and did not see the reason to continue with the agency Community agencies did not have a continuous connection with particular courses or particular students Faculty acted independently from one another with each agency There was no cohesiveness among department faculty and an agency The course was constructed by the faculty without much input from the agency Slide 7 7 Our Weaknesses Were Course assessment was not directly related to impact on the student, the agency or the faculty member Course-community connection established by the faculty member or the Office of Experiential Learning Little to no course content addressing intercultural communication competence Too much of a separation between curricular and co-curricular experiences Community agencies did not have a single means to know about and communicate with each other Slide 8 8 Associated New American Colleges Mission ANAC is a national consortium of twenty- two selective, small to mid-size (2,000- 7,500 students) independent colleges and universities dedicated to the purposeful integration of liberal education, professional studies, and civic engagement. Slide 9 9 Ways to Maintain the Strengths and Overcome the Weaknesses: Wagner Plan: Wagner College prepares students for life, as well as for careers, by emphasizing scholarship, achievement, leadership, and citizenship. Wagner Plan: Wagner College prepares students for life, as well as for careers, by emphasizing scholarship, achievement, leadership, and citizenship. Wagner offers a comprehensive educational program that is anchored in the liberal arts, experiential and co-curricular learning, interculturalism, interdisciplinary studies, and service to society, and that is cultivated by a faculty dedicated to promoting individual expression, reflective practice, and integrative learning. - Approved by the Trustees and the Faculty, May 2003 Slide 10 10 Where is Experiential Learning Integrated into the Wagner Plan All students complete a freshman program comprising 3 integrated courses: two course have integrative learning community (24-28 students); the third is a reflective tutorial (RFT) with 30 hours of experiential learning and an intensive writing program of multiple assignments. In the RFT the students reflect on the 30 community hours and the content from the two discipline based courses. Learning Communities are taught by teams of 2 tenured or tenure-track faculty who also serve as the students academic advisors until a major is declared in the sophomore year. Slide 11 11 Where is Experiential Learning Integrated into the Wagner Plan All students complete a freshman program comprising 3 integrated courses: two course have integrative learning community (24-28 students); the third is a reflective tutorial (RFT) with 30 hours of experiential learning and an intensive writing program of multiple assignments. In the RFT the students reflect on the 30 community hours and the content from the two discipline based courses. Learning Communities are taught by teams of 2 tenured or tenure-track faculty who also serve as the students academic advisors until a major is declared in the sophomore year. Slide 12 12 Wagner Plan In addition, all students complete a multidisciplinary intermediate learning community before the senior year, emphasizing curricular integration. Senior year students participate in a learning community in their major area that, through a capstone course, integrated major subfields. The capstone course is coupled with a reflective tutorial including at least 100 hours of related fieldwork and a senior thesis. Slide 13 13 Wagner Plan In addition, all students complete a multidisciplinary intermediate learning community before the senior year, emphasizing curricular integration. Senior year students participate in a learning community in their major area that, through a capstone course, integrated major subfields. The capstone course is coupled with a reflective tutorial including at least 100 hours of related fieldwork and a senior thesis. Slide 14 14 Wagner Plan Taking the strengths and weaknesses (identified in first slides), we asked, How can we establish more mutually beneficial collaborations with the Staten Island community? Slide 15 15 We started with the data we had about at-risk Youth 54% high school graduation rate in NYC 16% drop-out rate One-fourth of all NYC youth (16-24 years old) remain unemployed Over 200,000 youth (16-24 years old) do not attend any educational institution Youth from low-income families are the most at-risk for non persistence to high school graduation Slide 16 16 At-Risk Youth The lack of employment options are a serious concern disadvantaged youth are less likely to attend an institution of higher learning. 1960 - College graduates held 2 out of 10 jobs 2 out of 10 jobs 2002 - College graduates held 6 out of 10 jobs 6 out of 10 jobs Slide 17 17 At-Risk Youth Data from Staten Island Staten Island 5,506 documented youth considered at-risk A significant number of undocumented youth have a cultural divide preventing full access to community resources Slide 18 18 At-Risk Youth Staten Island is the only borough in NYC where juvenile crime rates are rising: Substance abuse Gambling Graffiti Gang involvement Teen pregnancy Slide 19 19 Civic Innovations (CI) This 3 year grant, funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, addresses these needs of Staten Island youth within the mission of Wagner College, taking into account the strengths and weaknesses identified. Slide 20 20 Civic Innovations (CI) CI addresses the needs of disadvantaged youth through a collaboration between Wagner College and youth serving agencies on Staten Island CI addresses specific community needs by providing direct service for at-risk youth, supportive services for agencies and dissemination of replicable information. Slide 21 21 Civic Innovations (CI) CI addresses the needs of disadvantaged youth through a collaboration between Wagner College and youth serving agencies on Staten Island CI addresses specific community needs by providing direct service for at-risk youth, supportive services for agencies and dissemination of replicable information. Slide 22 22 The Civic Innovations model coordinates services and provides a means for community-based organizations to share resources and collaborate Civic Innovations (CI) Slide 23 23 Two Program Strategies: Community-Connected Departments (CCDs) Youth Advocacy Consortium (YAC) Civic Innovations (CI) Slide 24 24 Community-Connected Departments (CCDs) Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are central to the implementation of the program results-driven. Six academic departments included in CI over 3 years (2 depts/year) Slide 25 25 Community-Connected Departments (CCDs) Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are central to the implementation of the program results-driven. Six academic departments included in CI over 3 years (2 depts/year) Slide 26 26 Faculty collaborate with strategic CBOs in the creation of courses with learning outcomes based on youth and community needs. Course syllabi are co-constructed. Each CCD and agency create or modify 4 courses that collectively span the 1 st 4 th year levels within a major. Community-Connected Departments (CCDs) Slide 27 27 Faculty collaborate with strategic CBOs in the creation of courses with learning outcomes based on youth and community needs. Each CCD and agency create or modify 4 courses in each department that collectively span the 1 st 4 th year levels within a departmental major. Community-Connected Departments (CCDs) Slide 28 28 Faculty revise courses to address needs of partnering organizations: Year One: Government & Politics connected 4 departmental courses with Project Hospitality Nursing connected 4 departmental courses with United Activities Unlimited (UAU) Year Two, adding: History Education Community-Connected Departments (CCDs) Slide 29 29 Part II of this grant: Youth Advocacy Consortium (YAC) Consists of a YAC website that: Fosters increased S/L opportunities, volunteering and community engagement Builds alliances across agencies, directs volunteers to appropriate programmatic needs Links youth agencies to resources Encourages collaboration Improves community access to colleges Slide 30 30 Youth Advocacy Consortium (YAC) is a collaborative group that: Becomes a forum for service-learners, community volunteers, public & private organizations and youth service agencies Facilitates change, pools resources and efficiently and effectively assists at-risk youth on academic, social and emotional levels. Addresses targeted community concerns. Slide 31 31 Youth Advocacy Consortium (YAC) Improves delivery of services throughout the community Serves as a conduit for individuals and organizations interested in volunteering Channels volunteers to appropriate agencies 300 service providers Provides opportunities for civic engagement to the general population 1000 college students from SI institutions 650 adult volunteers Slide 32 32 YAC As A Model Serves as a model of beneficial collaboration for the other 4 boroughs Involvement of College of Staten Island and St. Johns University Wagner College and community partners will systematically disseminate service learning information to replicate in the other boroughs Seminars, summer symposia, publications, web-based Slide 33 33 Three Year Goals Involve and affect 6 academic departments 1200 Wagner students (total undergraduate enrollment approximately 1900 students) 8000 disadvantaged youth 250 service providers 50 agencies 550 adult volunteers Slide 34 34 Program Education NYC Workshops to develop and expand YACs: 8 Colleges from New York City City-wide not-for-profits groups NYC Department of Youth and Community Development National program replication: 400 Colleges Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) Associated New American Colleges (ANAC) Summer Institute Slide 35 35 Program Education NYC Workshops to develop and expand YACs: 8 Colleges from New York City City-wide not-for-profits groups NYC Department of Youth and Community Development National program replication: 400 Colleges Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) Associated New American Colleges (ANAC) Summer Institute Slide 36 36 Infrastructure to Support Civic Innovations and Experiential Learning Office of Learning Communities and Experiential Learning (Dean, Assistant Dean) Center for Leadership and Service (PI for this grant and Director) First Year Program (Coordinator and First Year Program Review Committee) Intermediate Learning Program (Coordinator) Senior Learning Program (Coordinator) Committee for Learning Assessment and the Departmental Assessment Liaisons Slide 37 37 Developing Continuous College Connections and Continuity with the Community Community Connected Department (one department, 4 courses, one agency) Courses in Departments are developmental Each course is co-constructed between professor and agency Agency knows what to anticipate and is never uncertain about content or student commitment Agency needs met at multiple levels- direct service through policy construction Continuous assessment: course, student, faculty, agency Slide 38 38 Thank You Civic Innovations is generously supported through funding from The Corporation for National and Community Services Learn & Serve America Program [Grant number 06LHHNY002]