allbritton center for the study of public life

Theory to Practice: Service-Learning Projects 2018/2019

During the 2018/2019 school year, 206 Wesleyan students enrolled in 17 service-learning courses. These courses take an experiential approach to education, helping students test their understanding of theoretical approaches in real-life settings. Students in service-learning courses often present the results of their project work or research results to a wider audience – to members of…

Fall 2019 Courses in Civic Engagement, Social Change, and the Study of Public Life

Looking for interdisciplinary classes that think outside the box? Want to go beyond theory and understand how academic concepts apply in real-world settings? Take a class with the Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life! or Service-Learning!  You can see all CSPL courses here, and you can check out all Service Learning courses for Fall 2019 here.  …

Civic Engagement Certificate Lunch + Info Session

Civic engagement encompasses a wide range of activities in which individuals work to strengthen their communities, to realize common goods, to enhance the capacities and dispositions necessary for democratic self-rule, and in general to deliberately shape their common life. Wesleyan University prides itself on enrolling and nurturing students with strong social consciousness. Students participate in…

Princeton Review Names Wesleyan #1 Impact School

The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan University as its #1 Impact School for 2019. “These 25 schools were selected based on student ratings and responses to survey questions covering community service opportunities at their school, student government, sustainability efforts, and on-campus student engagement. We also took into account PayScale.com’s percentage of alumni from each school that…

Social Entrepreneurship Speaker Series

Shawn Dove '84, John Johnson '82, and Marquis Lobban '85

The Patricelli Center Fellowship (CSPL264/CSPL265) is a year-long, project-based, cohort-style learning opportunity for students interested in entrepreneurship, innovation, and social change. Some Fellows design or launch their own venture, while others seek pathways to impact as intrapreneurs, activists, researchers, organizers, conveners, artists, and more. This Spring semester, CSPL265 will feature a roster of guest speakers…

The ENGAGE Recommended Reading List

Winter break is the perfect time to cozy up with a good book related to civic engagement and social impact. Here is a list of great books recommended by the Allbritton Center staff and faculty.       Kristen Inglis, Academic Manager, Center for Prison Education College in Prison by Daniel Korpowitz, chronicles how, since…

CSPL 266: Youth, Power, and Social Change

Laura McCargar, President of Perrin Family Foundation .5 Credit Course:  Wednesdays, 2:50-4:10pm (Allbritton Room #304) *Course Title and Description: Youth, Power and Social Change While young people have been at the helm of movements for social and racial justice throughout history, the 1990s saw the rise of youth organizing as an intentional strategy for transforming…

Meet Laura McCargar, the Mentor In-Residence

Laura McCargar is the Jewett Center for Community Partnerships’ inaugural Mentor in Residence. Recently, our staff sat down with Laura to learn more about her background and work.  Here are highlights from our interview:   What work are you currently engaged in?  Please tell us a bit about your background. What set you on this…

2018/2019 Mentor In-Residence Program

The Mentor In-Residence Program supports the civic preparedness of Wesleyan students in collaboration with community partners committed to the pursuit of a just, equitable, and sustainable future for communities beyond the campus—nearby and around the world. Mentors-in-residence are nonprofit leaders, social entrepreneurs, activists, and/or public figures whose experiences bridge the gap between theory and practice.…