Civic Lessons

Students, like many Americans, care a great deal about democratic ideals. While research suggests that students as a group are absent from traditional political activity, research also supports that they are overwhelmingly represented in service and community-building efforts. Aligned with their vision for relational democracy, community work can be a powerful civic education for students as it reinforces important democratic principles, such as associational life and public debate, and illustrates the basic democratic tenet, that social bonds strengthen communities and institutions, and in doing so maintain the democratic process. But students cannot be left to "walk the road alone." Higher education should capitalize on the teachable moment of community work and foster those opportunities to instill in students a civic identity rooted in public purpose. (Author)