Meadville, Pa. – Sept. 10, 2007 – In an effort to promote dialogue about personal and social responsibility, Allegheny College will host a college and community town meeting on Thursday, Sept. 27 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Tippie Alumni Center.
The event launches Allegheny's participation in the Association of American Colleges and Universities Core Commitments program. Allegheny was one of only 28 schools nationwide invited to join the Core Commitments Leadership Consortium. The Core Commitments program explores how higher education can foster engaged citizenship, teach personal and social responsibility, encourage a respect for diversity, cultivate excellence, and implement programs that support community engagement.
“The Core Commitments program is really about re-examining the mission of education in the 21st century,” said Amara Geffen, professor of art and director of the Center for Economic and Environmental Development. Geffen directs the Core Commitments program at Allegheny with Associate Dean for Wellness Jacquelyn Kondrot.
Allegheny already sponsors numerous programs designed to promote civic engagement: the Center for Political Participation (CPP), the Center for Economic and Environmental Development (CEED), the Values, Ethics and Social Action (VESA) program, the Office of Community Service and Service-Learning, Community-Based Research (CBR) and Engagement Through Writing.
“We want to create an ongoing college-community dialogue around this program,” said Geffen. “Our work with our community partners is without a doubt central to stimulating engaged citizenship on our campus and in Meadville. Through Core Commitments we're hoping to promote collaboration among our programs for community and civic engagement, strengthen curricular programs that teach social responsibility, and bring those concepts alive for our students both inside and outside the classroom.”
As part of the Core Commitments initiative, Allegheny will also ask students, faculty, administrators, alumni and community partners to take a survey about personal and social responsibility that was created by the AAC&U.
The survey's results will serve as a catalyst for future campus-community dialogues on ways to strengthen the college's programs while also making such learning more pervasive.
Events planned for the coming year will include a series of college-community dialogues and guest lectures on the Allegheny College campus. More information can be found at http://civicengagement.allegheny.edu or by e-mailing ceed@allegheny.edu or calling 332-2713.
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Core Commitments is an initiative of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and is funded by the John Templeton Foundation. The Core Commitments language and graphics should not be reproduced for purposes unrelated to this project.
