Examples of Community Programs developed by Pericleans
- Action Reflection Session (Pace)
A session for students who participated in volunteer events to harvest their reactions and discuss the role of the citizen in a democratic society.
- Community-based Research Program (Allegheny, Occidental)
Allegheny—A program designed to encourage and support community-based learning and other forms of curricular programming intended to promote civic competencies and develop leadership skills.
Occidental—Community Based Learning (CBL) at Occidental College is designed to enhance student learning. It does so by connecting academic learning and civic education through relationships in the community beyond campus. The Center for Community Based Learning (CCBL) provides the leadership and the resources to institutionalize CBL.
- Community Fair (Hendrix, New England)
Hendrix—Hendrix is developing an intensive "Day of Community" on the Hendrix campus to include major service projects and other community-building endeavors that involve all constituencies of the College.
New England—An event to bring community groups to campus so that faculty and students can learn about them and their needs, as well as to explore opportunities to work together.
- Community Partnerships and Revitalization Efforts (Chatham, Pitzer, Rhodes, Swarthmore, Widener)
Chatham—A member of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Program in Deliberative Democracy which encourages engaged citizenship and informed policy making by educating citizens to discuss local issues and form consensus about policy options through dialogue.
Pitzer—Conducts 'Pitzer in Ontario,' a semester-long, residential field study program that provides internship experiences and the opportunity for analysis and reflection.
Rhodes—With funding from a Community Outreach Partnership Center grant from HUD, established a partnership with the residents of the Hollywood-Hyde Park-Springdale neighborhood adjacent to campus to focus on neighborhood capacity building, housing/community renewal, community health, and education/youth. These projects provide students with an opportunity to participate in a wide variety of service activities and community-based research projects that involve collaboration with residents.
Swarthmore and Widener—Developed the Chester Revitalization Program in partnership with Chester, PA, to organize educational initiatives that include job training and life-skills programs; support services for seniors; child care and health education; civic engagement and community planning programs; and public safety and community wellness programs.
- Fellowships (Hampshire)
Created Alumni Fellows, which are fellowship positions for recent graduates to work half-time with Community Partnerships for Social Change and half-time with a community organization.
- Formalizing Student and Faculty Civic Engagement and Community Partnership Goals (Hampshire)
The Community Partnerships for Social Change Program was overhauled to address issues of recordkeeping, assessment, and information dissemination. In the process, the staff streamlined existing office procedures, improved the visibility of community-based learning and community partnership activities, and developed clear standards of accountability to the college's civic engagement principles and community partners.
- Internships (Hampshire, New School, St. Mary's College of Maryland)
Hampshire—Created the Public Interest Leaders in Training Program which provides specialized internship opportunities that allow students to build professional skills in non-profit management and administration.
New School—The Ruane Educational Internship Program offers students an opportunity to work 10-15 hours/week with a literacy program in a Harlem or Washington Heights first grade classroom and attend weekly seminars.
St. Mary's College of Maryland—The Center for the Study of Democracy's Schaefer Internship Program gives small stipends to students to intern in positions in state government. This year's interns worked painting schools in Baltimore and in the Department of Health and Social Services on a campaign to ensure better oral health.
- Leadership Programs (Hampshire, New England College, Pace)
Hampshire—The Lead Students Program is an expansion of student leadership that creates distinct, senior-level internship positions within each of the long-term partnerships within the Community Partnerships for Social Change program.
New England College—Student Ambassadors serve as liaisons between the faculty and on- and off-campus organizations and agencies. The Ambassadors conduct programs and identify potential sites for student involvement, linking those sites with students, groups, and faculty members.
Pace—Instituted the Project Pericles Leadership Program in Service and Citizenship to nurture leadership skills through civic participation, community action, and advocacy for social change. Experts in the field of community organizing and politics will serve as mentors to the participants.
- Partnerships with K-12 Students (Bethune-Cookman, Occidental, Widener)
Bethune-Cookman—Developing a 'Generation Pericles' partnership with a local elementary school to help train the next generation of Periclean leaders by creating or adapting Periclean projects for an elementary school setting.
Occidental—Several classes in the Spanish Department in the spring of 2003 began to replace language lab with tutoring and mentoring activities with children from Toland Way Elementary School. By the spring of 2005, Spanish had become the first department to integrate Community Based Learning through most of its classes. Their community partners included Toland Way and Glassell Park Elementary schools and Glendale High School.
Widener—Established a tutoring partnership between Widener CARES and the Chester Upland School District directed by the Office of Community Engagement. The project provides K-8 students with individual attention through one-on-one tutoring and mentoring in an effort to encourage both academic achievement and increase self-confidence. The project places tutor volunteers, consisting of staff and students, in Chester after school programs. Staff are given release time to volunteer with Widener CARES.
- Retreats and Summits (Elon, New England)
Elon—Held a summit for civic engagement that brought together faculty, students, and community leaders to discuss ways that Elon can better partner with local agencies. The campus gained significant information and forged partnerships that will provide a firm foundation for Project Pericles activities.
New England College—Held a retreat for faculty, students, and representatives of community partner organizations to inform them about Project Pericles, its objectives, and the new Center for Civic and Social Engagement.
- Service Learning Advisory Committee (Berea)
Community leaders take an active role with Service-Learning at Berea by sending representatives to sit on decision-making bodies, including the Service-Learning Advisory Committee and the committees awarding service-learning fellowships and grants.
